Football coaches would give thanks for a win tonight

The mark of a great high school football season in North Carolina is when the coach has to figure out how to handle practice on Thanksgiving Day. The winners of tonight's N.C. High School Athletic Association second-round games will have to work around the Thanksgiving break next Thursday and Friday.

It's a situation coaches enjoy having to deal with.

Here's the breakdown on area teams' games tonight.

4-AA

Garner (7-5) vs. Wake Forest-Rolesville (12-0): Wake Forest has been overpowering all season, especially during the last five weeks when it has outscored its opposition 218-17. The Cougars' defense has allowed just four touchdowns and not a single point on its home field at Heritage High.

WF-R beat Clayton 55-0 last week. Garner beat Clayton 14-13 during the regular season.

"But Garner has speed," Wake Forest coach Reggie Lucas said. "It can burn you.

"More than anything else, our team has been successful because we have been able to focus on each game. Garner showed its ability when it beat Southeast Raleigh."

Fuquay-Varina (10-2) at Southern Pines Pinecrest (10-2): A few years ago, the idea of Pinecrest winning 10 of 12 games would have seemed ridiculous, but coach Chris Metzer has built a powerhouse. The Patriots' only losses were to Lumberton and Richmond County.

Fuquay is led by fullback Cory Hunter's 1,993 rushing yards and 31 touchdowns. The Bengals' losses to Middle Creek and Holly Springs were by a total of five points.

Leesville Road (9-3) at Fayetteville Britt (12-0): Britt reached the 4-AA final last season and is now officially unbeaten this year after Fayetteville Sanford forfeited a 48-42 overtime win for using an ineligible player.

Leesville started fast this year, winning its first six games, but has struggled recently. The Pride lost to Millbrook and Wake Forest-Rolesville in Leesville's last two regular-season games and beat Broughton last week 20-13, after beating the Caps 31-6 during the regular season.

4-A

Southeast Raleigh (10-2) at Harnett Central (12-0): Harnett Central may have surprised Southeast with its speed in a 36-22 victory on Oct. 30. Central is very physical and makes tons of big plays.

Southeast counts on quarterback Gabe Henderson, who leads the Bulldogs in rushing and passing.

Durham Hillside (9-3) at Middle Creek (11-1): Hillside has won five straight since Southern Durham nipped the Hornets 12-9. Junior quarterback Vad Lee has passed for 1,700 yards.

Middle Creek's only loss also was to Southern Durham, 28-21. The Mustangs are led by junior quarterback Garrett Leatham, who has passed for 3,400 yards.

Athens Drive (9-3) at Southern Durham (11-1): Southern's only loss this season was an early-season 12-0 setback against Wake Forest-Rolesville that demonstrated just how good the WF-R defense is.

Southern's Anthony Creecy makes big plays for the Spartans.

Athens relies on the blend of Ben Snotherly's passing and Kyree Green's rushing. The Jaguars' weakness is defense. Seven of 12 opponents have scored three or more touchdowns. Southern has scored five touchdowns or more in each of its last five games.

3-A

Rocky Mount (7-4) at South Johnston (11-1): In hindsight, Clayton's 28-20 win over South Johnston was a pretty big upset. Otherwise, South is undefeated, although it has won six games by one touchdown or less.

Trojans wide receiver Dee Williams (1,211 receiving yards) is on the North Carolina squad in the Shrine Bowl Game of the Carolinas, and quarterback Pat Dunigan has passed for 2,478 yards.

Rocky Mount won the 3-A title last year and the NEW 3-A Conference this season. The Gryphons have won their last four games by a total of 17 points.

China Grove Carson (7-5) at Cardinal Gibbons (11-1): Gibbons has reeled off nine wins in a row since losing to Louisburg 17-14. During that stretch, the Crusaders have held each opponent to 14 or fewer points.

Carson finished third in the North Piedmont Conference and beat Ledford 14-13 in the first round.

2-AA

Pittsboro Northwood (11-1) at South Granville (9-3): South Granville pulled away from Northwood to claim a 27-7 regular-season victory.

Northwood did a good job slowing down Granville back Ian Bosley (1,810 yards this season), but the Granville defense did a great job against the Chargers' offense.

Bunn (9-3) at Reidsville (12-0): Reidsville is one of the top teams in the state and is averaging 50.3 points per game - 42 or more points in 11 games.

Bunn lost to Pikeville Aycock and Southern Nash to open the season. Its only other setback was 24-14 to Roanoke Rapids.

2-A

Louisburg (9-3) at East Bladen (12-0): Two of Louisburg's three losses were by one point, and Ervin Hunt has led the Warriors' offense with 1,421 yards.

East Bladen has an outstanding defense, having allowed 41 points (3.4 ppg).

1-A

Hobbton (9-3) at Princeton (9-3): David Gurganus has passed for 3,102 yards for Princeton.

Hobbton dropped its season opener to Princeton 19-12.

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