Time: Friday, 7:30 p.m.
Records: South 0-3; SHS 2-1
Series: Hornets lead the all-time series 14-7
Last meeting: Salisbury beat South 39-30 on the opening night of the 2010 season, although the game wasn’t as close as it sounds
Last week: South was battered 34-11 by NWC, which reeled off 34 unanswered points against the reeling Raiders after South took a 3-0 lead; Salisbury invested a lot of emotion in a 37-28 loss to West Rowan.
Notable: South graduate Joe Pinyan, Salisbury’s head coach, is 6-2 against the Raiders. South coach Jason Rollins is 1-4 against the Hornets. South last won in 2009.
Next week: South has a tough assignment, opening NPC play at talented West Iredell; Salisbury will be favored by 40 or so when it goes to Winston-Salem Atkins.
Game notes: South is off to an 0-3 for the fifth time in the last seven seasons and it’s unlikely the ship will be righted tonight on the road against a defending state champ.
Ricky Sherrill, the county’s leading rusher with 108 yards per game, isn’t expected to play (team disciplinary action) for the Raiders, so all the offensive burden falls on the shoulders of QB Nathan Lambert (162.3 passing yards per game) and receivers Josh Medlin (nine catches, 276 yards), Brandon Williams and Drew Glenn.
Salisbury’s secondary may be somewhat more vulnerable than usual with experienced DB Tion McCain on the shelf with a knee injury.
Even after playing West, Salisbury is No.1 in the stats for the eight local teams in rushing offense, rushing defense, pass defense and total defense. That’s a lot of firsts.
South’s defense improved some last week, but it will have its hands full with Salisbury’s big blockers such as guard Parker McKeithan.