nw4a conference predictions

What up; try to hang with me, AC Reynolds had a great defense last year in this conference and deserves all the respect they have gotten and will continue to recieve until they are knocked off of the top...i.e."To Be The Best; You Have To Beat The Best." That being said another essential piece of information to view are the schedules played (and it is going to be hard for anyone that has ever watched a high school football game to convince me that enka, and "post Crompton" Tuscola would be able to replace Crest and Shelby); as well as the way those points were given up. In my opinion last years top defense debate was a two horse race headed by the champions because they got it done every week and were able to win the games -wins incidently make defenses look a lot better- 2nd place after watching films and viewing the stats from 2005 had to be Freedom because of a crazy defense that had to guide a bottom dwelling offense only able to rack up 130 yards a game. Along with that many of the scores given up by fhs last year were actually given up by the offense by way of interception including several in a playoff game, so the statistics of points per game may not actually be accurate.

As far as my prediction...
1. It's our year-a new enthusiam and a sense of urgency due to the upcoming new schools being built in the county

2. ACR-The team to beat; but fhs has traditionally played pretty well against ACR at home

3.AC-Simple Talent dwindles on the football field this year in Granite Falls and Hudson; and if you can't throw the football you won't continue to win the close ones "ask Hickory High what happens when you can't throw the football against AC late in the ballgame"

4.SC- Defense wins championships, but not necessarily ballgames; They'll be better than East Burke who lives to get to play Fat Friday

5.EB- Rebuiling year; and some rumors...well you'll hear about it as the season winds on

6.Watauga-the AC win was a season definer for an always struggling program
that likes the taste of victory

7.Mcdowell-Anyway i've said enough

 

WHS will be much improved IMO.

 

You gotta share about those rumors man...do tell!

 

FHSCook8, I respect your opinion about your team and your defense. However, although Enka doesn't replace Shelby we did play Crest last year in the playoffs so their points are included in that total listed above. Tuscola that you mention did finish the year 6-6, just one off the 7-6 North Mecklenburg you faced last year, and Tuscola lost in the second round of the playoffs to the eventual 3AA State Champions Charlotte Catholic by just 7 points.


Plus I was also pointing out that ACR is returning 9 of those defensive players, NCPreps is reporting that Freedom is only returning 4 of theirs, this is why I have to believe ACR would be considered favored. No disrespect to Freedom and this is why they play the games. You never know what will happen. Heck everyone better watch out for Alexander Central, they have alot returning as well.

 

East Burke will host a scrimmage Thursday night at 6pm with Shelby, South Point, and Myers Park.

 

yep

yep yep AC is gonna be tough.. they are returning EVERY ONE of their lineman which were very huge in size last year.. harper and deal have been licking their chops i guarantee it with these boys after last year coming back again.. u can take an average running back and put him behind a well gelled and experienced line and they can make the RB a superstar.. lineman are the most important people on the field either on defense or offense

 

Not a bad night for the NW4-A...5-1.

Winners: AC Reynolds, Alexander Central, East Burke, South Caldwell, and Watauga.

McDowell was the only lost but I heard they were improved.

 

Line play was, IMO, the big difference in the game with TC tonight. Their running back was running through house sized holes and I would bet was well over 200 yards, probably closer to 250; Kincaid was doing a lot of his on his own. But, like bigdan said earlier on this thread, line play is going to be the do-all or end-all for McDowell this year. I hope they improve because the effort they put forward tonight will keep them in a bunch of games.

One more thing: had the rest of the NW4A played a team as tough as TC, that record would probably be 1-5 instead of 5-1. McDowell should get a much easier team (I hope) next week. It will be, however, Super Bowl week for Mitchell as it is every year when they play McDowell, so who knows......

Congrats to all of the NW4A teams. It was a very good showing.

 

Saw Freedom last night...

I know it was just a scrim. but they honestly looked like they were running in quick sand. Burns ran by them like they were standing still. This is the same Burns squad that was able to get a total of 8 yrds vs ACR in the scrim up there, but put 28 points on the board vs Freedom. I'm sure they will improve, but I was shocked.

 

WOW! Hearing Burns put 28 on the board against Freedom does shock me after seeing Burns twice against ACR and seeing them struggling to move the ball both times.