By Ronnie Gallagher
rgallagher@salisburypost.com
The pads are on. Let’s play football.
Area players will actually hit someone else besides each other this week as the area high schools begin their scrimmages.
On Wednesday, the three-time defending 3A state champ West Rowan Falcons get cranked up at home. West Forsyth, Central Cabarrus and Alexander Central come to Mount Ulla.
A.L. Brown, under the regime of new coach Mike Newsome, goes to Mooresville for a scrimmage with Hickory Ridge and Hopewell.
On Friday, Thomasville visits West. A.L. Brown heads for Cleveland County for a scrimmage against mighty Crest at Burns. Chad Tedder’s East Rowan Mustangs will visit East Wilkes.
On Saturday, Tasker Fleming’s North Rowan Cavaliers, the defending Yadkin Valley Conference champions, go to Concord, where they will meet Mike Johns’ Mount Pleasant club at 6 p.m.. Johns is a former assistant at East Rowan.
Also at Concord, East is set to meet Northwest Cabarrus at 7.
Defending 2AA state champ Salisbury travels to Albemarle.
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At A.L. Brown, Newsome held Wonder Day on Saturday with a scrimmage. A large, crowd showed as the Wonder players were treated like heroes, signing autographs and having photos taken with the fans.
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The first week of the season is Aug. 19 with three area teams at home.
Carson visits North Rowan, Salisbury goes to East and A.L. Brown is at home against Shelby.
West is at Mooresville and South is at Central Cabarrus. The Daie County War Eagles, who made it all the way to the 4A finals last season, is at home against Greensboro Page.