Time: 7:30 p.m.
Records: West Iredell 4-5, 1-3 NPC; Carson 5-5, 2-3 NPC
Series: West Iredell leads 3-0
Last meeting: Warriors thumped Carson 42-14 in 2008
History: Carson lost 43-0, 26-3 and 42-14 in its previous meetings with the Warriors. Carson has posted first-time wins against North Iredell and Statesville this season.
Last week: West Iredell took out a little frustration with a 45-0 pounding of 1A West Wilkes; Carson couldn’t stop South and lost 46-21
Next week: West Iredell is home against Statesville; Carson concludes the regular season tonight and will be the first Rowan team to do so. For the first time, however, Carson will likely have a postseason appearance to look forward to.
Cougars at home: 3-1 (loss was 29-26 to East Rowan)
Game notes: This is for fourth place, as West Iredell will be favored to win against Statesville next week. The Warriors hope to finish 3-3 in the league. Carson finishes 3-3 if it can get this one. A winning season ó or at least a non-losing season ó is at stake for the Cougars, who have played well at home this fall.
Carson has the more productive offense, and West Iredell has better defensive numbers. Both teams lost by a field goal to East Rowan. Both lost big to South Rowan and West Rowan. Both beat North Iredell.
Sounds pretty even.
West Iredell standout P.J. Clyburnis a Division I prospect and will challenge Cougar DBs, including Deonte Moses and Zack Grkman.
Shaun Warren has rushed for 1,648 yards, including 970 in Carson’s five wins. Zack Gragg has produced the first 1,000-yard passing season in school history.
Carson is 5-0 against teams that own losing records. That makes the Cougars the pick. ó Mike London