Carolina Gridiron Game of the Week for Week 5

It’s week five in the 2011 North Carolina high school football season, and for many teams it is the start of conference play. Teams finally begin playing games that have implications on playoff berths and seeding. For the teams that scheduled softer games in their non-conference schedule will now be challenged. The teams that went up against the state’s best are now battle-hardened and ready to take on all conference foes.

Carolina Gridiron Game of the Week for Week 5

Being the number one team can have its perks. Showing up on Friday night highlight shows, getting recognition by media sources from around the state, and having players noticed by higher profiles college coaches. But, it also means that there is a large target on your back and every team is gunning for you and will make the matchup with you the biggest game of their season. This week’s game features the number-one ranked Mallard Creek Mavericks hosting the Mooresville Blue Devils in the I-MECK 4A conference opener.

After knocking off the two-time defending 4AA champions in the first week, Mallard Creek has earned the consensus number one spot in state-wide polls. With top-five national recruit and Florida-bound DJ Humphries anchoring the defensive line, opposing teams fear running up the middle on the Mavericks. Offensively, the Mavericks are led by wide receivers Jela Duncan and Jamel Harbison who seem to score touchdowns at will against their opponents.

On the visitor’s sideline will be Hal Capps, in his second year as head coach of the Mooresville Blue Devils. The Blue Devils made national headlines in Week 1 when they knocked off three-time defending 3A champions West Rowan, ending the nation’s longest winning streak. The Blue Devils have made quite a turnaround since Coach Capps took over last year, making the playoffs after finishing 0-11 in 2009.

Conference games are always a toss-up as teams begin to play with a little more intensity. It looks to be a good game in Charlotte on Friday night, but if you can’t make it be sure you support your local team this Friday night.