Newton-Conover hasn't had much luck against Maiden recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Red Devils will be playing at home against the Blue Devils at 7:30 p.m. Newton-Conover will be looking to extend their current seven-game winning streak.
Newton-Conover is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Friday. They came out on top against Foard by a score of 24-14. Given the Red Devils' advantage in MaxPreps' North Carolina football rankings (they are ranked 88th, while the Tigers are ranked 203rd) , the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Newton-Conover found their leader in sophomore Jeremiah Pope, who rushed for 222 yards and two touchdowns. Pope was no stranger to the big play, turning on the jets for a run that went for 60 yards.
Newton-Conover was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 304 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 166 rushing yards in 12 consecutive matchups dating back to last season.
On the defensive side of the ball, a lot of the credit has to go to Newton-Conover's defense and their three sacks. In that department, Jerry Forney was the leader with two.
Maiden's found some homefield redemption this week after a overtime loss to Newton-Conover on Friday. The Blue Devils took their contest with ease, bagging a 49-21 victory over North Surry. The result was nothing new for the Blue Devils, who have now won four games by 21 points or more so far this season.
Maiden's win came from a few key players Newton-Conover will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Shannon Wingate, who rushed for 294 yards and three TDs while picking up 13.4 yards per carry. He is becoming a predictor of Maiden's success: when he posts at least 100 rushing yards the team is 5-1 (and 2-3 when he doesn't). The team also got some help courtesy of Grant Lawing, who threw for 171 yards and three touchdowns while completing 87.5% of his passes.
Newton-Conover's win bumped their record up to 9-2. As for Maiden, their victory bumped their record up to 7-4.
Newton-Conover didn't have too much breathing room in their matchup against Maiden when the teams last played back in October, but they still walked away with a 19-13 win. Do the Red Devils have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Blue Devils turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
