Time: 7:30 p.m.
Records: West Rowan 8-2, 5-0 NPC; West Iredell 6-3,4 -1 NPC
Series: Falcons lead 11-2. West Iredell won in 1993 and 2007. The Falcons beat down West Iredell 63-0 in 1974, the year WI opened.
Last meeting: The Falcons picked off three passes and won 34-14 in 2010.
Last week: West Rowan handled Carson 44-14. West Iredell throttled North Iredell 48-19.
Next week: Playoffs for both. Both schools usually head to the smaller half of the 3A bracket
Game notes: Assistants David Hunt (defense) and Joe Nixon (offense) will handle coaching duties with Scott Young on the mend.
West Iredell has traditionally played the Falcons tougher than anyone in the NPC. West Iredell nipped the Falcons 20-18 in 2007, and that was the last time they lost a league game. WR has ripped off 31 straight NPC wins since that stunner.
That 2007 loss to West Iredell was in Mount Ulla. West Rowan has accumulated 28 straight NPC road victories since it lost at former member A.L. Brown in two OTs in 2003.
While West Rowan has clinched its eighth straight NPC title, it has to share with West Iredell if it loses tonight. Statesville, assuming it takes care of South Rowan, is also in the mix for a share of the title if the Warriors upend the Falcons.
West has the county’s leading rusher in Dinkin Miller (1,429 yards) and likely will try to pound the Warriors physically on the ground behind strong linemen like Mike Norman.
West Rowan’s defense, which includes Teoz Mauney, will be challenged by the league’s most prolific passing game and the NPC’s best collection of skill-position guys.
WI QB Sayer Robinson is special and studs such as Kam Summers can go 99 yards in a blink.