South Fork week 7

[Burkeforreal]

2nd week into conference play and its looked pretty interesting so far. Some thoughts from last week- Maiden and Lincolnton not looking like they usually do, I do understand Lincolnton is having a down year so hope you Ltown fans can get through it best you guys know how, sorry for what your going through. Bandys on a roll, but can they win it all?(conference) North slowed down the WL train, wasn't expecting that one but way to go guys.

Here we go:

Bandys and Newton: speed against speed and a rivalry at that. Expect a decent crowd and a slugfeast. Bandys with an edge 35-28

Lincolnton and EL: long time rivalry that goes too far back. Think East has this one 28 -7

WL and Maiden: not a rival game but a VERY interesting one to see if Maiden can stay floating and if West's wins before the 1 point loss last friday were not flukes. I believe WL defense comes through when needed the most. WL in a nail bitter 21-14. Expect a Burkeforreal appearance at this one if I don't get time to run up to Watauga lol. A REAL good one on the mtn if your not interested in these.

NL and LNC: I hope Bazzel practices his passing game in this one and keeps Cribb out of it. No need for injuries. Cribb needs no stats guys, play smart lol. (i.e. Trent Hopkins hurt in Bessemer city game 06' when game WELL decided)...(or was it EL game) NL 35 LNC 7

 

[Wolf4Lyfe]

I agree with all your predictions but I do think NC might be able to catch Bandys

 

[beamer24]

Newton
East Lincoln
Maiden
NL

 

[Burkeforreal]

Newton
East Lincoln
Maiden
NL

Oh come on Beamer!! Maiden and Newton with wins, really?? .....ok sorry buddy cause your a cool cat and I like you and you actually took the time to meet me in the flesh at a Hibriten playoff game I had to give ya a hard time lol. Tell ya what, put a bookmark on this one. If these 2 teams win this Friday ill get ya a hotdog at one of the playoff games that I’ll come to. It’s a Burke promise buddy.
Wolf I ain’t left you out, Gonna give my ESPN best analysis just on these 2 and why:

West hasn’t played anybody is what a lot of critics think. Very true in a sense but let’s look closely- they steam rolled a Foard team who seems to be improving and could very well take 2nd behind Hibriten....in a weaker conference obviously but will still get a high seed and of course lose 1st round. May make 2nd at best. Same Foard team gave Maiden a hard time and clobbered a StStephens team that also stayed close with Maiden and Bandys. West also stomped a Cherryville team hard that one critic said could very well be best Cherryville team since the 80s. Cherryville took down BC easily and we saw how good of a game BC gave NL for 3 1/2 quarters. So last week goin into the NL game they carried good momentum and showed they have a great defense shutting down these teams that you’d think would score alittle but didn’t. NL was underdogs going into it and they showed the conference obviously that THEY have a defense too(lacking last year) So...going into this one that defense may hold well against an offense that even Maiden fans admitted was struggling. I believe West has got this.

Bandys is coming into this game with momentum of their own. They’re fast, well coached, and kept a Hickory team at bay for the most even though they lost by a point. You guys know what Hickory did to Newton, maybe it was a fluke game for Newton and shoulda been closer I dunno but Hickory is not a team to sleep on and I’m sure AC, Freedom, and Watauga will be on their heels alittle more against them. I’m more on a limb on this one than the WL/Maiden game and both teams could very well be best prepared for the other. It’s gonna come down to the team with the very least amt of mistakes and will be close and high scoring. I gotta go with Bandys.

 

[Flyrod55]

Not many tricks in Bandys playcalling, they are coming right at you but they have struggled big time with the passing game. Maiden could have hurt them a little more if they would have called more down field routes. Not sure why they didnt. If newton can consistenly pass the ball downfield, it will make it interesting.

One of Bandys most athletic players didnt play last week, not sure if he is still out or not.

 

[Wolf4Lyfe]

Newton was pretty consistent with turning short pass plays into long ones. Their run game is good enough to set you up for the long ball off play action so I fully expect them to throw the ball down the field. Like I said, the winner of this conference will have at least one or two losses

 

[Burkeforreal]

Newton was pretty consistent with turning short pass plays into long ones. Their run game is good enough to set you up for the long ball off play action so I fully expect them to throw the ball down the field. Like I said, the winner of this conference will have at least one or two losses

Which could easily set up for a 2 way or 3 way tie. Not saying they will but EL, Newton, Bandys, and NL have a chance to win outright . Should be some real barn burners between all 4 of these. Good to see Bandys and NL with new coaches and turn arounds after not so hot seasons last year. I know Hickory(beat Bandys) has no ranking yet but TJefferson and ACentral(NLs 2 losses) are ranked in 1A and 3A are they not??

 

[MHS Blue Devils]

Bandys will dominate newton and they'll win easily.
Bandys 35 NC 14

We bounce back and take care of business beating West Lincoln
MHS 42 West 21

East Lincoln should dominate Lincolnton but could be closer than it should be.
East 28 Lincolnton 14

North Lincoln 56
LNC 7

 

[beamer24]

 

[Burkeforreal]

Bandys will dominate newton and they'll win easily.
Bandys 35 NC 14

We bounce back and take care of business beating West Lincoln
MHS 42 West 21

East Lincoln should dominate Lincolnton but could be closer than it should be.
East 28 Lincolnton 14

North Lincoln 56
LNC 7

Some high scorin a goin on there in Maiden. Ain’t happening. Be lower score than that but any team can win. I’m just going as my best guess with West cause of good D and 2 good running backs that split the load.

I agree with ya 100% on the EL Lincolnton game. The Wolves are down, they have one of these years like once a decade. But a rivalry game will bring out the best in them.

Bandys Newton May be closer than you think but I still give Bandys the W in a lower scale slug feast.

North will win unless they all come out high on drugs or 10 good players trip over each other in the locker room and hurt themselves.
It just won’t be by THAT many points ha ha. Like I said earlier this is a game that in shorter words they need to be conservative and practice some come from behind plays to prep for rest of conference.

 

[Wolf4Lyfe]

Had some heavy rain in Lincolnton last night and they're calling for some more around kickoff time. Messy field may help my wolves out.

 

[Burkeforreal]

Recap: every game I called it and came to be. Scores were off but outcome was what I predicted. Burke called it all right this time, doesn’t happen 100 percent of time but tonight was a good night. I said North wouldn’t score as much as someone said. I was right. I said West would do it, they did. Probably the first time WL ever defeated Maiden. Won’t say the rest cause it is what it is. Won’t brag. On to next week.

A lot hanging in balance next week. Real good one with EL and NL. Should NL pull off the upset could be on their way to a county championship for first time. Could be a showdown between NL and Bandys. Seasons gone too fast. Life itself is that way.

 

[Wolf4Lyfe]

I think this conference is Bandys to lose. As for my wolves this will be the first time not making the playoffs since 95 or 96 I believe. We ran three different offenses last night and looked confused on the game plan all night long. Coaches looked confused and disinterest, kids looked like they'd rather be at home, it was embarrassing. I'm just going to have to call it like I see it. There needs to be a change made.

 

[Burkeforreal]

I think this conference is Bandys to lose. As for my wolves this will be the first time not making the playoffs since 95 or 96 I believe. We ran three different offenses last night and looked confused on the game plan all night long. Coaches looked confused and disinterest, kids looked like they'd rather be at home, it was embarrassing. I'm just going to have to call it like I see it. There needs to be a change made.

It’ll come. This is a program and tradition that won’t die or crumble. Can’t see them staying down. Don’t know what the change is but that’ll come too. Fans and AD at Lincolnton I’m sure won’t stand for it. Should they lose to West it’ll be only what, 3rd 4th 5th time in history it’s ever happened? Only be the 3rd if they lose to North. They don’t play BCity any more but that one loss they took from them was first time since 1958 or 59. So much more I don’t know or could say if I did know but like I said this program won’t die. How’s the JVs looking?