I know there could still be a 3 way tie for the conference championship but I don’t see it happening. I figured this one deserved a thread of its own. Who do you guys have pulling this one out in the “Battle of the Devils”? I obviously think Newton will win and I’d say by at least 2 TD’s, but I see a very competitive game and I’m glad there will be some hype surrounding it.
Newton Conover vs Maiden for the South Fork Championship
- Thread starter Reddevilknight
- Start date
This game is for the conference championship and its only fitting that it boils down between these two long-time rivals. How many fans can pack inside the newly named Tom Brown stadium and what kind of atmosphere will we witness Friday night? I would like to go on record and say that this particular matchup is the biggest game we have seen within this rivalry in over a decade. Hopefully, the weather will be nice and dry and the players, coaches and fans will enjoy the experience because I believe we are all in for a treat.
Looks good looks good. For once East L and Lincolnton aren’t running the tables and making this game a battle for 3rd or 4th or something lol.
What seed in the playoffs does the winner of this game get, also assuming next week's game is a win too.
Newton should have a 1 seed or a 2. Each team that makes it gets to drop one game thus making Newton undefeated in the seeding process. I gonna automatically assume Newton wins but not by much. Just judging from the NL Maiden game, the Kinights got to the QB a couple times and kept some pressure dispite them being the worst defense around so I believe Newton will get the penetration and pressure they need to make the offense a nonfactor. I do believe they will score some but Newton will prevail.
They are both usually 2AA - I see the winner (Newton) probably getting a 4 or 5 seed depending on if Shelby goes 2A or 2AA
I dont see the Shelby/South Point loser changing anything. I agree @red devil knight the winner in the South Fork is looking at a 4 or 5 seed unless Pisquah beats Franklin or somehow Mt. Pleasnt drops in rankings below Maiden/N-C.
I wasn’t thinking I don’t recon. The state looks at power rankings and competition too but 2 or 3 losses even if it was against powerhouses can bring a seeding down.
This game is technically not for the conference Championship. There can still be a three way tie if Newton beats Maiden and loses to East Lincoln. I have seen crazier scenarios happen but do not let East Lincoln seem like a cake walk. They should have beaten Maiden last week and will be finely tuned to play Newton next Friday no matter if Newton beats Maiden or not. The last two weeks are going to be the toughest games Newton has played this year besides Hibriten. I think newton will win this game by a sizable margin, but the true conference championship game is next week considering. East only has one loss and will not lose to West Lincoln.
I agree. People can’t sleep on East dispite NL stomping them for 2 quarters then deciding to go to sleep. East has talent. Always has always will. Just less than past few years but it’s still there. They may be one and done in playoffs though
With two games remaining in the regular season we have a few scenarios that could happen, which would result in: 1)East Lincoln conference champs 2)Maiden conference champs 3)N-C conference champs 4)Three-way tie champs East/Maiden/N-C
Since the NCHSSA formulates playoff seedings using Maxpreps rankings, i suspect two other teams (Franklin & Mount Pleasant) in 2AA could affect the seedings of our three teams (East Lincoln, Maiden & N-C) in the South Fork heading into the playoffs. According to this week's rankings there are five teams that hold alot of importance going down the stretch in relation to current Strenght of schedule (SOS) and remaining games to be played with certain teams that could rise or fall in rankings depending on what happens over these next few weeks.
#10 Franklin (9-0) SOS (-2.4)
vs @ #26 Pisgah (5-4)
vs @ #45 Smoky Mtn (4-5)
#12 Mount Pleasant (7-2) SOS (1.9)
vs #33 East Montgomery (8-1)
vs @ #74 West Stanly (3-6)
#13 N-C (8-1) SOS (-3.5)
vs @ #22 Maiden (9-0)
vs #44 East Lincoln (5-4)
#22 Maiden (9-0) SOS (-8.8)
vs #13 N-C (8-1)
vs @ #48 Lincolnton (4-5)
#44 East Lincoln (5-4) SOS (-1.7)
vs #66 West Lincoln (3-6)
vs @ #13 N-C (8-1)
These games remaining give Maiden and N-C the most to gain because if one of us runs the table while beating good teams in the process, their SOS could allow that team to possibly jump both Franklin and Mount Pleasant in rankings. Below is an early projected playoff bracket for the Big 2AA that revised last week:
1-South Point vs 16-Bandys
8-Patton vs 9-West Stokes
4-Mount Pleasant vs 13-Smoky Mtn.
5-N-C vs 12-East Lincoln
3-Franklin vs 14-Forest Hills
6-Wilkes Central vs 11-Pisgah
2-Hibriten vs 15-West Iredell
7-Maiden vs 10-Foard
Since the NCHSSA formulates playoff seedings using Maxpreps rankings, i suspect two other teams (Franklin & Mount Pleasant) in 2AA could affect the seedings of our three teams (East Lincoln, Maiden & N-C) in the South Fork heading into the playoffs. According to this week's rankings there are five teams that hold alot of importance going down the stretch in relation to current Strenght of schedule (SOS) and remaining games to be played with certain teams that could rise or fall in rankings depending on what happens over these next few weeks.
#10 Franklin (9-0) SOS (-2.4)
vs @ #26 Pisgah (5-4)
vs @ #45 Smoky Mtn (4-5)
#12 Mount Pleasant (7-2) SOS (1.9)
vs #33 East Montgomery (8-1)
vs @ #74 West Stanly (3-6)
#13 N-C (8-1) SOS (-3.5)
vs @ #22 Maiden (9-0)
vs #44 East Lincoln (5-4)
#22 Maiden (9-0) SOS (-8.8)
vs #13 N-C (8-1)
vs @ #48 Lincolnton (4-5)
#44 East Lincoln (5-4) SOS (-1.7)
vs #66 West Lincoln (3-6)
vs @ #13 N-C (8-1)
These games remaining give Maiden and N-C the most to gain because if one of us runs the table while beating good teams in the process, their SOS could allow that team to possibly jump both Franklin and Mount Pleasant in rankings. Below is an early projected playoff bracket for the Big 2AA that revised last week:
1-South Point vs 16-Bandys
8-Patton vs 9-West Stokes
4-Mount Pleasant vs 13-Smoky Mtn.
5-N-C vs 12-East Lincoln
3-Franklin vs 14-Forest Hills
6-Wilkes Central vs 11-Pisgah
2-Hibriten vs 15-West Iredell
7-Maiden vs 10-Foard
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Mount Pleasant will not lose to either of their remaining scheduled teams. I think they are a dark horse team to look out for in the playoffs. Franklin also controls their destiny since they are undefeated. That is a tough place to play on the road in the playoffs because it takes kids out of their comfort zone. If Maiden loses to Newton, they will fall further in the rankings than Newton would in a loss based on SOS. East will be the toughest game at the end of the season whether we have a loss or a win this week. They pretty much have a warm up week to get ready to play Newton.
I can remember mount pleasant being a doormat/homecoming opponent for a while. Good to see them having many successful seasons. Just didn’t wish em well when they played NL in 07’ 3rd round,a bad call resulted in a loss that I’m sure to this day Beam hadn’t gotten over. MP running back or wideout(I can’t remember) drops the ball and even on film you could see that his knee was still in air, NL jumps on it...down by contact, MP ball.
Every big time coach has their WTHeck( I won’t cuss) moments in his coaching career. That has to be 1 of Beams top 5
Every big time coach has their WTHeck( I won’t cuss) moments in his coaching career. That has to be 1 of Beams top 5
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Newton needs to find somebody who can beat maiden. Alumni everywhere that lives and breathes high school football want to beat maiden. We could go 1 and 10 and if the win is against maiden we will be okay. Only game every year that matters and we have lost 4 in a row with beam. Coaching has to get better. Now to see on fb a kid was blamed for the deep bomb. Of course the kid got burned, he was playing press man to man coverage on third and goal from the thirty with no help. What did we expect? I hope that what I read is not true though. Kids were put in bad situations and expected to be athletes.
Look at the bright side. Of course there’s not many bright sides to it fresh out of a loss but NC has bout the whole team on both sides of the ball coming back. Maiden don’t. Also there’s playoffs. I’ve seen conf teams replay before 1 team loses during reg season and comes back and beats the living day lights out of them in playoffs when they meet again.
Example- South Caldwell and Alexander Central 05’ both teams played each other back to back. AC takes the reg season win, next Friday South comes out of nowhere and lays down the hammer. AC didn’t know what hit em and South looked like a different team out there from the week before.
Hey last year Newton was much weaker so a loss was expected. There will be another Friday night.
Example- South Caldwell and Alexander Central 05’ both teams played each other back to back. AC takes the reg season win, next Friday South comes out of nowhere and lays down the hammer. AC didn’t know what hit em and South looked like a different team out there from the week before.
Hey last year Newton was much weaker so a loss was expected. There will be another Friday night.
Maybe the Lincolnton Wolves can spoil Maiden's undefeated season in the final conference game next week....just like Maiden did to Lincolnton last year. Lincolnton has to win to qualify for the playoffs so they have something to play for.
As much as I would like for Lincolnton to pull off the upset, I don't see it. The Wolves have improved since the beginning of the season offensively, but the defense seems porous based on the number of points still being put on the boards. I wish the Wolves all the luck in the world. That said, this is a long running rivalry so anything can happen. I remember when my cousins were in high school in the late 60s/early 70s talking about the Maiden game. How many years have these teams met up and what is the record between them?