Time: 7:30 p.m.
Bracket: 2A West
Seeds: No. 8 Salisbury Hornets vs. No. 1 Shelby Golden Lions
Records: Salisbury 8-4; Shelby 11-1
Power ratings: Ken’s Massey’s system ranks Shelby 46th and Salisbury 68th in N.C.
Head coaches: Shelby: Chris Norman; Salisbury: Joe Pinyan (7th year, 63-26)
Salisbury offense: 33.8 ppg
Salisbury defense: 12.0 ppg
Shelby offense: 25.6 ppg
Shelby defense: 11.3 ppg
Salisbury vs. winning teams: 3-3n Shelby vs. winning teams: 2-1
Salisbury on the road: 4-2, lost at South Rowan and Thomasville
Shelby at home: 7-0
Who beat Shelby? Crest (7-4)
Series: 1-1
Next week: Winner takes on the survivor of the No. 5 Pisgah vs. No. 4 Forest Hills winner
Game notes: It’ll be like going back to the 1970s when the Golden Lions clash with the Hornets.
The two schools were the top powers in the WNCHSAA for years and met in championship games in Shelby in both 1970 and 1974. They split those meetings.
Shelby’s defense has impressive numbers outside of a 31-21 loss to Crest in September and a 42-30 win against Lincolnton. The Lions own three shutouts and limited three more teams to single digits.
Salisbury’s defense, which includes Tre Jackson, has only blanked one opponent, but since allowing 38 to South Rowan on opening night the defense has done more than its share, holding West Rowan and Thomasville to 14 apiece in hard-fought losses.
Dominique Dismuke’s emergence gives the Hornets five backs who are serious threats.
ó Mike London