By Bob Sutton
Special to The Alamance News
Eastern Alamance is already a 2022 conference champion in football.
Southern Alamance tries to join that list Friday night.
Meanwhile, Graham and Cummings clash with quite a bit at stake as well.
Here’s a look at Friday night’s games:
Graham at Cummings
Cummings (5-3, 3-1) is in position to emerge as the top Class 2-A team in the Mid-Carolina Conference, which is a split league also consisting of Class 1-A members.
“We’re trying to gear up for playoffs and get ready and we’re trying to win it all this year,” Cummings receiver Khavarie Hightower said. “… It can’t be our last home game. I won’t let it be.”
The Cavaliers have won the past four meetings with Graham. Winning this week would add to Cummings’ résumé.
“Goals we know we’re trying to achieve,” running back Marione Enoch said, “to make it to the state championship.”
The Red Devils (4-5, 3-2) are aiming for their first above-.500 record in conference play since 2016. A victory for Graham would push Bartlett Yancey to the top spot among Class 2-A teams in the league if the Buccaneers (6-3, 3-2) win at Seaforth (2-7, 2-3).
Durham Hillside at Southern Alamance
These teams meet on the final night of the regular season to determine the DAC-VII Conference champion for the second year in a row. The venue has changed from a year ago, when Hillside prevailed 43-8 at home.
More recently, Southern (7-2, 4-0) failed to reach the 50-point mark for the first time in five games with a 44-36 decision last week at Durham Jordan.
Hillside (9-0, 4-0) has allowed a total of 41 points in its last five games, with most of those points coming in a 29-28 squeaker past Durham Jordan.
Orange at Eastern Alamance
Eastern (8-1, 5-0) already clinched the Central Carolina 3-A Conference’s top seed for the state playoffs, and the Eagles could lock up the outright league title by winning this game.
Orange (2-7, 1-4) has fallen on hard times despite whipping visiting Cedar Ridge 50-0 on Monday night. A second win this week would be a real stunner.
Northwood at Western Alamance
Western (5-4, 3-2) has a 2-2 record in home games, but the Warriors can secure third place in the Central Carolina 3-A Conference by winning.
Northwood (4-5, 2-3) has had just one conference game decided by fewer than 28 points. The Chargers have won their past two road games, topping Cedar Ridge and Orange in those.
Roxboro Person at Williams
Williams (6-3, 4-1) can sew up second place in the Central Carolina 3-A Conference with a victory. The Bulldogs haven’t won seven regular-season games since 2013, when there was an 11-game regular season.
Person (5-4, 3-2) was unbeaten in league play until the past two weeks, losing to Eastern Alamance and Western Alamance.
