Week 3 at a glance: Hot topics, player to watch, Did you know?

HOT TOPICS

Game of the week

Take your pick: South Point at East Gaston; Maiden at Lincolnton; Kings Mountain at Burns. The only of these matchups between undefeated teams is Maiden (2-0) at Lincolnton (2-0) — two teams that have already combined to score 193 points. South Point tries to bounce back from an 0-2 start against its eastern Gaston County rival, East Gaston, which is undefeated entering this matchup for only the third time in series history. And two potent offenses square off in Lawndale, where Kings Mountain tries to improve to 2-0 against a very good Burns team that lost to Crest in its opener.

Clover’s Gaston County road trip

Clover completes the Gaston County portion of its schedule when it visits Forestview Friday. The Blue Eagles have won 14 straight against Gaston County opponents, a streak that began in 2005. Forestview is 0-5 against Clover during that stretch, including a 28-16 setback last year. The Jaguars are looking for their first win in the series since 2004. Forestview QB Calvin Johnson (sprained shoulder) is said to be a game-time decision.

Freshman production

Hunter Huss freshman running back Kerrion Moore has made a quick transition from middle school to varsity, rushing for 106 yards in each of his first two games. The 5-foot-7, 165-pound Moore has also scored three TDs, with all three of them coming in last week’s 48-6 win over Bessemer City.

Off and running

Of the area’s undefeated teams, some are regulars at this sort of thing while others aren’t. Clover is 2-0 for a sixth straight season. Lincolnton has won its first two games for the first time since 2003 and third time in the last eight seasons. East Gaston, though, is 2-0 for only the sixth time in school history and first since 2003. West Lincoln has made its second straight 2-0 start and 13th in school history.

Player to watch

Chris McDowell, RB, East Gaston

The junior fullback has topped 100 yards rushing in both games so far and ranks fifth in the area at 141.5 yards per game. He’ll need another big night if the Warriors want to upset South Point.

DID YOU KNOW?

The last time South Point started 0-2 was in 1996, but losing two in a row to open the season isn’t as rare in Belmont as you might think. This marks the Red Raiders’ 10th such start.

RADIO LISTINGS

Pregame show (6-7 p.m.) — 1050-AM/1590-AM

South Point at East Gaston — 1270-AM

Maiden at Lincolnton — 1050-AM

Clover, S.C., at Forestview — 1450-AM

Cherryville at West Henderson — 1590-AM