nTime: Tonight, 7 p.m.
nRecords: Carson 3-4; Hickory Ridge 3-4
nSeries: Tied at 1-1
nLast meeting: Carson won 24-12 to open the 2010 season.
nLast HR win: In 2009, the Raginí Bulls won 25-13 in a weather-interrupted game.
nLast game: Carson beat NPC rival South Rowan 42-27 on Friday. Hickory Ridge lost 14-13 to SPC opponent Northwest Cabarrus.
nNext: Carson is at home against West Iredell on Friday, while Hickory Ridge is at A.L. Brown on Friday.
nGame notes: This game was originally scheduled for Sept. 2.
Hickory Ridge started 3-1 against a light schedule, losing to Piedmont (4-4) by a point but racking up victories against Cuthbertson (3-5), East Rowan (0-8) and SPC foe Central Cabarrus (2-6).
The Raginí Bulls have played their best ball the last three weeks ó although they lost all three. They dropped a trio of SPC squeakers by a total of five points to Cox Mill, Mount Pleasant and NW Cabarrus.
Carson comes in off its most dynamic offensive showing ó 354 rushing yards, 483 yards of offense and 42 points against South.
Carson is an I-formation team, so the play of the blocking fullback is critical. Coach Mark Woody is excited about the job fullbacks Nathan Hill and Trei Cunningham did last week as they opened holes for tailbacks Brandon Sloop and Travis Abbitt.
Carson also was able to get speedster Rodney Richards (three carries, 61 yards) involved. Austin McNeill threw three TD passes, two to K.J. Pressley and another to Ben Gragg.
Defensively, the Cougars are allowing 23.8 points per game. Lineman Kaz Ivanov is one of the anchors.
Both teams beat East. Both lost close ones to Northwest. This one figures to go down to the wire.