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It has been a season of surprises--some good, some not so good.  Four games into the season, Lincolnton is still looking for its first win.  The Wolves play at Newton-Conover this week.  If you are unable to attend, you can hear the game on WNNC Radio (1230AM, 101..3FM) and online at https://wnncradio.com/football/.

While most thought West Lincoln would be good, some are pleasantly surprised that the Rebels are unbeaten.  They escaped with an overtime win over North Lincoln in their first game, then had two easy games against Cherryville and Fred T. Foard, both of them still winless.  The surprise for some came last week when they beat previously unbeaten  Bandys 36-28.  The Rebels will host Maiden this week.  The Blue Devils lost to 4A Watauga, but they've won their other three games easily.  You can hear the game on WLON Radio (1050AM, 107.5FM).

East Lincoln was surprised last week when Hickory outscored the previously undefeated Mustangs 49-28.  Now 3-1, they'll host 2-2 Statesville this week.  You can hear play-by-play (audio only) on the KTC Broadcasting YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRpUzsZXcswYgH89t-CePog.

For fans of East Gaston, the surprise has been that the Warriors are 4-0.  They've played some weak teams, and they have at least two more games in which they should be favored before playing any of the better teams in the Southern Piedmont Conference.  The first of those is this Friday at 0-5 Cherryville.   The game will be broadcast on WCSL Radio (1590AM, 92.9FM and available online at http://www.ktcbroadcasting.com/.

Nobody is surprised that Crest and Kings Mountain are both 4-0.  Many expect the two will decide the Big South 3A Conference championship in the final game of the regular season Oct. 27th at Kings Mtn.  The only team possibly standing in the way of that is South Point.  The Red Raiders lost a close game to Charlotte Christian on Sept. 1st.  Last season, they lost a close regular season game to Kings Mtn. and didn't lose again until East Lincoln beat them 14-7 on the way to a state championship.  The Raiders play at 1-3 Hunter Huss this week.

Crest will host winless Stuart Cramer while the Mountaineers play at home against North Gaston.  The Crest game will be on WOHS Radio  (1390AM, 101.5FM) and online at http://www.ktcbroadcasting.com/.

Burns, the defending state 2A champions, will have this week off.

For Bandys, the big surprise last week was the ability of West Lincoln to outrun them offensively.  The 3-1 Trojans host East Burke this week.

Bunker Hill, still unbeaten after last week's win at Lincolnton, will play at home against West Caldwell.  

Now here's the schedule for this week's varsity games:

FRIDAY SEPT. 22ND SCHEDULE

Lincolnton @ Newton-Conover

Maiden @  West Lincoln 

Hickory @ North Lincoln

Statesville @ East Lincoln

East Gaston @ Cherryville

North Gaston @ Kings Mountain

South Point @ Hunter Huss

East Burke @ Bandys

West Iredell @ Fred T. Foard

West Caldwell @ Bunker Hill

North Iredell @ St. Stephens

Stuart Cramer @ Crest

Shelby @ Thomas Jefferson

Highland Tech @ Bessemer City

Ashbrook @ Forestview

Mtn. Island Charter @ Community School of Davidson

JV GAMES THURSDAY SEPT. 21ST

Newton-Conover 28, Lincolnton 27...

The JVs were 3-1, their only loss a blowout against East Lincoln.  Newton-Conover's JVs were 2-2.  It was a close game.  LHS scored in the first quarter to take a 7-0 lead.  Newton-Conover then scored three times and would have had a big halftime lead, but Rashad Lynch scored just before halftime and the EP kick made it 20-14.  Lynch scored again early in the third period; the Wolves went for two on the extra point try and didn't make it, leaving the score tied at 20-all.  Late in the third quarter, Lynch ran 26 yds for another TD and this time the EP kick made it LHS 27, N-C 20; but the Red Devils completed a touchdown pass and kicked the EP for a 28-27 advantage.  Neither team scored after that and the final was Newton-Conover 28, LHS 27.

Maiden 18, West Lincoln 8

West Lincoln's JVs are also the opposite of the varsity.  While the varsity team is unbeaten, the Rebels JVs have yet to win a game.  The Blue Devils JVs got their first win last week against East Burke. In Thursday's loss to Maiden, Grae Ponder scored the lone TD for the Rebels in the second quarter.  Cash Allen ran for the two-point conversion.

East Lincoln 33, Statesville 12...

The Mustangs JVs were like the varsity, 3-0 before last week.  They also lost to Hickory.  That 34-32 loss made them 3-1. On Thursday, they beat Statesville to  improve to 4-1.  The Greyhounds JVs scored on the last play of the game to cut the final margin to 33-12.

Hickory 52, North Lincoln 0...

The Knights JVs are now 1-3, their only win over the West Lincoln JVs.  They were no match for the Hickory JVs who are now unbeaten in five games.

East Burke 30, Bandys 22...

The Trojans JVs are now 3-2. 

Fred T. Foard 27. West Iredell 22...

Unlike the winless varsity, the Tigers JVs were 3-1; but West Iredell's JVs were 4-0. Although they gave up 16 points in the fourth quarter, Foard's JVs won the game, improving to 4-1.

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