Will Panthers Get Super Bowl Ring?

Here we are Super Bowl 50! Denver (12-4) versus Carolina (15-1).

This is almost like Dale Earnhardt and the Daytona 500 in a sense I guess. The Panthers have tried for over 20 years and have yet to win the big game! Maybe that's a little misleading. This is only the Panthers second trip to the Super Bowl. Anyhow, this is huge for the Carolinas who have always had hopes of the home team to win a Super Bowl.

Both teams are ranked among the top five in rushing defense and I believe rushing will be a huge deal. The Panthers are winning games when they rush for over 100 yards. Denver is winning by allowing teams under 84 yards a game.

Defensively, Carolina has the better line backing core, Denver the better corners. In the trenches on both sides of the ball, give me Carolina. Denver has the better receivers. Carolina has the better rush game. At Quarterback, nobody is better than Peyton Manning when it comes to football smarts. Cam Newton has played like the MVP all year. To review: trenches, rushing attack, linebackers and Quarterback all favor Carolina. The Panthers have won the last two times they have played in San Francisco. Why not make it a third? Carolina 24-13.

High School Basketball Roundup:

Boys: R-S Central (14-6, 9-3) won two of three games this past week. They will host East Burke in a huge game come Friday (2/5), then go to rival East Rutherford (2/8) on Monday and then host Burns to wrap up the regular season.

R-S Central got a HUGE win against Shelby last week, lost to Crest and ended the week with an easy win over Chase at home. The Hilltoppers, who are battling a little injury at the moment didn't seem too phased by that issue against a good Chase group.

"We were completely unselfish tonight," R-S Central Basketball coach Greg Wright said. "Tyrese (Tate) was solid on both ends of the floor and we gained the tempo and disrupted their offensive rhythm all together. I thought those were the keys that won us the game."

The Hilltoppers are in line for a playoff spot, but as far as seeding goes, it all depends on how they finish in the conference standings. Central is in a three-way tie for second at the moment and a half-game out of first.

East Rutherford (9-10, 4-8) split two games this past week. The Cavs beat Burns easily and then lost in over time to Shelby. They go to Crest on Friday (2/5), visit R-S Central Monday (2/8) for the rivalry and then host the another county rival, Chase on Friday (2/11) to end the regular season. For the moment East Rutherford is in position for a wildcard spot.

Chase (7-12, 3-9) have hit a setback by losing two games last week and four out of their last six games. If they want to make the postseason, they have go to win...now. The Trojans host Kings Mountain on 2/5, go to East Burke on 2/8 and entertain the East Rutherford on 2/11.

Thomas Jefferson might end up as a wildcard in the 1A playoffs as they have won three of their last four games. Of the four games remaining on the schedule, they have beaten one of those conference teams, which is Cherryville. The Gryphons will host them on 2/11.

While the regular season would end, the conference tourney starts on 2/15 and postseason play begins on 2/23 for those who qualify.

Girls: R-S Central (17-3, 12-0) continues to run through the conference undefeated, but they have a monumental game come this Friday (2/5) as they host East Burke. Should Central win, that would put a two-game stranglehold on the lead and allow them to win the conference since they would have swept East Burke and only two games remain in conference.

East Rutherford (13-6, 7-5) split last week's games, but needs to keep Draughn at bay if they wish to lock up a playoff spot. The good news is that they have already defeated three of the four teams remaining on the schedule. They also try to exact revenge on R-S Central at home on Monday (2/8).

Chase nor Thomas Jefferson will likely make the postseason.