Time: 7:30 p.m.
Records: East Davidson 4-6, 1-3 CCC; Salisbury 6-4, 3-1 CCC
Series: Hornets lead 9-7
Last meeting: Salisbury won 49-7 on the field but later forfeited the game to the Golden Eagles
Last week: East Davidson was beaten 20-3 by West Davidson; Salisbury lost 14-7 at Thomasville
Next week: 2AA playoffs for the Hornets; East Davidson is hoping for a spot in the 2AA bracket.
Game notes: Statistically, Salisbury has a more explosive offense than the Golden Eagles and a stingier defense. The Hornets have beaten two CCC teams ó West Davidson and Central Davidson ó that East Davidson lost to.
Still, East Davidson has only been drilled twice this season (35-3 by 4A North Davidson and 34-0 by first-place Thomasville), so maybe this will be more entertaining than expected.SHS coach Joe Pinyan will mention to his team that East Davidson has played the Hornets tough during his tenure, whether it was expected to or not. Salisbury won 31-28 in 2007 and 27-24 in 2004, and both those SHS teams that got pushed to the limit were CCC co-champions.
East Davidson’s gameplan will likely be the one it used to upset Lexington. It’s an East Rowan-style approach. The Golden Eagles have a 1,000-yard back in Dylan Gallimore and a good O-line, and they’ll try to move 4 yards at a time, chewing clock and keeping the ball out of the hands of Salisbury playmakers John Knox and Romar Morris.
Of course, trying to pound the ball against Justin Adkins and 390-pound Kiontae Rankin isn’t recommended. QB Tyler Warren may have to move the Eagles through the air.
Morris needs 76 yards rushing for 1,000 for the season and should get it with the help of linemen such as Stephen Dale. ó Mike London