nTime: 7:30 p.m.
nRecords: North Rowan 3-4, 3-0 YVC; Albemarle 7-0, 3-0 YVC
nSeries: North leads the series 6-3, including a playoff win in 1985
nLast meeting: North smacked around the Bulldogs 41-6 in 2006
nLast time Albemarle beat the Cavaliers: Albemarle won 19-6 in 1997. North has won the last three meetings ó 1998, 2005 and 2006.
nLast week: North Rowan crushed North Moore 49-0; Albemarle beat South Davidson 42-6
nNext week: North is home against Chatham Central; Albemarle is at East Montgomery
nFast fact: From 2001-04, Albemarle was 60-2
nGame notes: While North thumped Albemarle the last time the teams met, that was a season in which the Bulldogs went 3-9.
They were 12-2 in 2008, and coach Baxter Morris has the program rolling again. Albemarle already has crushed West Montgomery, one of its chief challengers in the YVC.
Albemarle’s only close game to date was a 14-13 decision against Thomasville. Albemarle has scored 35 or more points in the rest of its games and is ranked No. 2 in 1A.
A.J. Little rushed eight times for 145 yards last week. Rusty Parks rushed 16 times for 144 yards, and Demetrius Hamilton amassed 89 yards on only four carries.
Defensively, linebackers Julius Williams and Latarius Williams combined for 31 tackles last week.
Punter/kicker Shane McConlogue usually gives the Bulldogs a huge edge in the kicking game, an area that isn’t a strength for North Rowan.
North takes a three-game winning streak and some confidence into the matchup. Greg Melton was a terror last week for a defense that’s been tough to run on. Tight end Sam Mauldin is a consistent player for the Cavaliers. ó Mike London