Time: 7:30 p.m.
2009 records: Salisbury 7-5 (four losses by forfeit); South 5-7
Series: Salisbury leads 13-6
Last meeting: Salisbury edged the Raiders 16-14 in 2008
Streak: Salisbury has won five in a row in the series
Last South win: 36-20 in 2003. That was also South’s most recent winning season.
Next week: Salisbury is at East Rowan; South is home against A.L. Brown
Game notes: There’s not much doubt who the county’s best team is, but who’s second best is a different story. Two talented contenders for that honor fight it out tonight at Donnell Stadium.
Salisbury coach Joe Pinyan is a South graduate and is 5-1 against his alma mater, including tough struggles the last two seasons.
The Hornets were an offensive machine in 2008. The backfield is missing A.J. Ford and Dario Hamilton, but the Hornets still have slick QB John Knox running the show. IkeWhitaker is one of the county’s toughest players. Explosive Romar Morris is the county’s fastest athlete.
Defensively, Salisbury counts on hard-hitting safety Dominique Phillips. Kiontae Rankin, a 400-pound nose, was hurt in a scrimmage. His status is uncertain.
South scored only 18.3 points a game last season, but it feels good about its offensive line and has the skill personnel to average 28.3 this season. D’Andre Harris and Thomas Lowe, both of whom have posted 1,000-yard seasons, could be a devastating combination in the backfield.
South should be proficient throwing the ball as well. QB Blake Houston and receiver B.J. Grant could be school record-holders before this season is in the books.
Aggressive end CadarreusMason leads South’s defense.