jjohnson@heraldsun.com; 419-6667
DURHAM -- Another full slate of non-conference games is on the slate tonight for area football teams.
Hillside and Southern will be playing teams from Cumberland County, while Northern and Riverside will be facing Wake County teams. East Chapel Hill and Carrboro will be the only local head-to-head matchup.
Hillside (2-1) will be traveling to Fayetteville Smith (1-2) to try and get it second win in a row. The Hornets will be taking on a team that lost in overtime in its last outing because of a game-ending fumble return.
Southern (2-1) will be hosting Fayetteville Douglas Byrd (2-1), a team that played for the state 4-A title last season after knocking off Hillside in the semifinals on a last-second field goal following a controversial penalty call.
The Spartans are coming off a disappointing 10-0 loss at Wake Forest-Rolesville and are looking to bounce back with a win against one of the better teams in the state.
"We learned that you can't take anyone lightly," Southern coach Adrian Jones said. "We've got to treat everyone we play like they're a powerhouse. We turned the ball over too many times last week and we can't do that against at team like Douglas Byrd."
Riverside (2-1) is coming off a thrilling win over Chapel Hill that the Pirates pulled out in the last minute. Riverside coach Todd Spell said he hopes the emotions of that win carry over to tonight's matchup with Garner (1-2).
"Even though Garner has only one win, we know what type of team they really are," Spell said. "It's going to be a tough game. They're going to come after you. They're a traditional power and they're not used to getting off to a slow start."
Northern (0-3) is trying to end its slide to start the season against Raleigh Millbrook (2-1), which lost in its last outing by a point. Northern coach Anthony Sullivan said his team should match up better against Millbrook than it did against Greensboro Page, which handily defeated the Knights 63-27.
"I don't think we'll play another team like Page," Sullivan said. "We didn't bring our best game, and I don't think it would have made a difference if we did against them. With Millbrook, I think our programs are very similar and I think we'll be prepared because we both run the same type of offense and defense so we see it every day."
Jordan (2-1) will travel to face Greensboro Grimsley (0-3), a team that was shut out by Hillside to open the season. Jordan coach Mike Briggs said he was wary of Grimsley because of the size and athleticism.
"They're big and athletic regardless of how they've played," Briggs said. "Even though we've got a lot of seniors, I think we're still inexperienced. It will be a good test for us."
Cedar Ridge (2-1) will be hosting Southern Vance. The Red Wolves have won two in a row for Coach Lou Geary and will be taking on Southern Vance for the first time.
"We're getting better each week," Geary said.
After opening the season with a win, Carrboro (1-2) has lost its last two games. But East Chapel Hill (0-3) is also searching for a win, which would be its first.
Chapel Hill (0-3) will travel to play undefeated Northwood (3-0).
