Two dominant backs in Shannon Wingate and Jaheem Jenkins are getting ready to go toe-to-toe. The Maiden Blue Devils will head out to face off against the Hickory Red Tornadoes at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Both teams are coming into the contest red-hot, with Maiden sitting on four straight wins and Hickory on five.
Maiden's defense heads into the matchup hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Friday. They really took it to Foard for the full four quarters, racking up a 47-0 victory. The final result isn't all that surprising considering the Blue Devils' considerable advantage in MaxPreps' North Carolina football rankings (they are ranked 64th, while the Tigers are ranked 284th).
It was another big night for Grant Lawing, who threw for 149 yards and a pair of TDs on only 12 passes.
Maiden didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Blake Lackey and Hampton Reed. Another thorn in Foard's side was Jeremiah Khang, who picked up a sack and made 12 total tackles.
Meanwhile, Hickory was fully in charge on Friday, breezing past North Lincoln 49-6. The game was pretty much decided by the half, when the score had already reached 42-0.
Hickory's win came from a few key players Maiden will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Maddox McRee, who rushed for 34 yards and one score, and also threw for 93 yards and one touchdown on only eight passes.
Special teams played a big role in the game for Hickory, adding 12 points to the final score. The biggest highlight from special teams (and perhaps the team as a whole) came courtesy of Dorrian Medley, who ran a punt back for a touchdown.
Maiden's record is now 5-1. As for Hickory, their record now sits at an identical 5-1.
Friday's contest might be decided on the ground. Maiden has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 159.2 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Hickory struggles in that department as they've been averaging 179 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's matchup turns into a tough fight on the ground. Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more football content.
