Prep football preview: Statesville at West Rowan

Published 12:00 am Thursday, November 10, 2011

nTime: 7:30 p.m.
nClass: 3A
nPod: Midwest
nSeeds and records: No. 4 Statesville (7-4-1) at No. 1 West Rowan (10-2)
nRecords vs. winning teams: Statesville is2-3-1. The tie was with Hickory. West Rowan is 5-2.
n Common Opponents: Plenty of them. The teams are rivals in the NPC. Statesville didn’t lose to anyone in the NPC in the regular season — except West Rowan.
nStats: Statesville scores 22 per game and allows 16. West scores 34 and allows just under 14.
nBest wins: Statesville beat West Iredell for second place in the NPC. West Rowan owns wins against Salisbury (10-2) and Reidsville (9-3).
nWest at home: Falcons are 5-1. The loss was to S.C.’s South Pointe.
nHounds on the road: 3-1-1. The loss was in Mount Ulla.
nSeries: West leads 11-5. The last time the Greyhounds beat West was in 2003 when Cam Simpson and Walter Horne ran amok in Mount Ulla.
nLast meeting: Falcons won 22-15 on Sept. 16. West was forced to rally in that one, but it should be noted that rugged QB Zay Laster didn’t play due to a sprained ankle.
nLast week: Statesville beat Cox Mill 32-22. West used a quick start to beat Mount Pleasant 31-12, but the Falcons didn’t scare anyone after their awesome first quarter.
nNext week: No. 3 seed Concord is the most likely foe. The Spiders are home vs. Rockingham County.
nGame notes: Besides beating the Greyhounds eight straight times in the regular season, West beat Statesville in the second round of the 2008 state playoffs. Coach Scott Young is 11-1 vs. the Hounds. … The Hounds lost terrific QB Carlis Parker opening night. Statesville coach Randall Gusler now relies on former RB Tristan Mumford to run the show. The Hounds like to spread defenses with four wideouts and let Mumford run the ball. He has 1,264 passing yards and 692 rushing yards. … West relies on TB Dinkin Miller running behind blockers such as Rashad Sherrill. West will count on CB Najee Tucker to help contain Mumford.