By Mike London
mike.london@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — Here’s a stat.

Salisbury senior Mike Geter and  North Rowan junior Jeremiah Alford have combined for 100 career touchdown passes.

Alford, who returns to action Friday after an open week, has 52. The three-year starter is making steady progress toward Mario Sturdivant’s school record of 65 that was set in the late 1990s.

Geter, who has committed to Army, has 48 TD passes and is the record-holder at Salisbury.

Geter is two behind early 1990s North Rowan legend Mitch Ellis and East Rowan legend C.M. Yates, who quarterbacked the undefeated 1969 Mustangs. That provides some historical perspective on the kind of company Alford and Geter are in now. Salisbury is a run-first team, but Geter makes his throws count.

Statistically, the athlete who is having the most dominant offensive season in the county is Salisbury junior back Jamal Rule. He’s carried 152 times for 1,582 yards. The math on that is easy. He’s averaging more than 10 yards per carry. Rule has 19 rushing TDs and he’s also caught a couple of Geter’s touchdown passes.

Central Carolina Conference teams Salisbury (8-0) and North Rowan (6-1) have been very good, but it’s been a struggle so far for the four Rowan teams in the 3A South Piedmont Conference. They have not fared well against their Cabarrus neighbors. There’s a reason. Those neighbors include undefeated Robinson and undefeated Northwest Cabarrus.

Overall, West, South, East and Carson have combined for six wins and 22 losses, although West and Carson still have realistic chances to make the playoffs if they can win their last three.

There aren’t supposed to be any close games Friday involving Rowan teams. West Rowan, Carson, North Rowan and Salisbury are expected to win big, according to the Massey Ratings. South Rowan and East Rowan are expected to lose big.

If there’s a tight game that defies the projections it probably will be in China Grove. Carson is favored over East by 27, but the Cougars only average about 13 points per game, so we’ll see how that one goes.

The sure-thing best game of the night in the area is West Forsyth at Davie. The teams have identical records and the score projection is War Eagles 35, Titans 34.

•••

Salisbury (8-0, 4-0 CCC) at Lexington (5-2, 3-0 CCC), 7:30 p.m.

It’s hard to believe that a home team that is still undefeated in conference play in Week 9 can be a 38-point underdog, but Lexington is given only the tiniest sliver of a chance — 1 percent– to hand Salisbury its first loss.

The Hornets are powerful on defense and the trio of Geter, Rule and Deuce Walker is dynamic on offense.

Lexington has been playing good football under coach Charles Morman, a former Catawba defensive back, and will be looking to prove it’s for real.

But Lexington has played the softer half of the CCC so far. The Yellow Jackets also still must play North Rowan and Thomasville.

The Hornets have won seven straight in the series since Lexington prevailed in 2015. The Hornets won 48-6 in 2022.

•••

West Davidson (0-7, 0-3 CCC) at North Rowan (6-1, 3-0 CCC), 7:30 p.m.

This is another 1 percent game. West Davidson is given one chance in a hundred of upsetting the Cavaliers.

The Cavaliers are favored by 38, and it’s hard to see anything bad happening for them. Alford, Jaemias Morrow and Amir Alexander should have exciting nights.

West Davidson is averaging 7 points per game, so North’s defense might throw a shutout.

North has won 20 of the 24 meetings. North romped 50-3 in 2022 to make it five in a row in the series. The last time the Green Dragons beat North was in 2008.

••••

Central Cabarrus (2-5, 1-3 SPC) at West Rowan (2-5, 2-2 SPC), 7 p.m.

The Falcons are favored by 27.

Central’s lone SPC win came against East Rowan, but the Vikings lost to South Rowan.

West Rowan’s only wins have come in the county (Carson and South), but the Falcons should be able to change that.

Jaylen Neely has been contained the last two weeks by Northwest and Robinson, so he’s ready to break loose.

The Falcons lead the all-time series 10-9. West has won the last five meetings, including a 36-12 decision in 2022. Central’s most recent victory in the series was in 2013.

•••

South Rowan (2-5, 1-3 SPC) at Robinson (7-0, 5-0 SPC), 7 p.m.

They’re already pre-selling tickets for Robinson-Northwest Cabarrus. That one is recommended.

As far as this game, it’s hard to be optimistic about the Raiders’ chances. Robinson is favored by 42, with a score projection of 48-6.

That may be a conservative projection. Isaac Lee threw seven TD passes last week as Robinson scored 59 against West Rowan.

South beat Robinson in 2009, but the Bulldogs have put up a lot of points in winning the last five meetings. It was 43-0 in 2022.

•••

East Rowan (0-7, 0-4) at Carson (2-5, 1-3), 7 p.m.

Both teams have lost their starting quarterback to injury.

East made progress last week, scoring 23 points in the loss to Central Cabarrus. Running back Tijon Everhart has stepped in at QB and threw two TD passes last week.

Carson’s defense is good, and the Cougars, who will be celebrating Senior Night, should be able to run the ball against East with Jay McGruder and Makani Guida.

While Carson is 2-5, the Cougars finish with East, Central and South, so 5-5 is still a serious possibility.

Carson leads the series 10-7. The Cougars have won the last two meetings, including 47-20 in 2022.

•••

South Iredell (2-5, 0-3) at A.L. Brown (3-4, 1-3), 7 p.m.

CJ Gray has accounted for 18 Wonder TDs, throwing for 12 and running for six,

Mekhi Herron has six 100-yard rushing games and 950 yards on the ground.

The Wonders lead the series 5-1 and won 28-0 in 2022. They are favored by 22.

Also in the Greater Metro Conference, Mooresville is a 35-point favorite at West Cabarrus.