Optimism in the air as high school football kicks off

It's the first week of high school football and optimism is in the air.

The Crusaders of Cardinal Gibbons. defeated Jordan High School Falcons 43-24 on Friday night.

It was a tough test for Jordan, which has had its ups and downs, facing a team that is a perennial power. But the Falcons, who made the playoffs last year under first-year coach Antonio King, are on the rise.

"I mean, the season is what it's about," King said before Friday's game. "We've been training long and hard since the season ended last year just like everybody else in the state, so to get here at this moment ... we're just ready to get out here and face a good Gibbons team today."

Other top games Friday night included Clayton vs. Wake Forest, Enloe vs. Southeast Raleigh, Middle Creek vs. Fuquay-Varina, and Rocky Mount vs. Tarboro.

FRIDAY NIGHT SCORES

American Leadership Academy- Johnston 59, Rose Hill Union 0

Andrews 42, Rosman 14

Apex 14, Franklinton 12

Arden Christ School 26, East Burke 0

Ashe County 48, Wilkes Central 26

Asheville 42, Waynesville Tuscola 6

Asheville Erwin 56, Daniel Boone, Tenn. 0

Asheville School 49, Hayesville 7

Belmont South Point 28, Lincolnton 6

Brevard 35, Canton Pisgah 0

Burnsville Mountain Heritage 54, Forest City Chase 0

Cameron Union Pines 42, Erwin Triton 0

Cape Fear 30, Fayetteville Pine Forest 0

Carolina Forest, S.C. 48, West Brunswick 13

Catawba Bandys 29, Hickory St. Stephens 14

Charlotte Berry Tech 10, East Mecklenburg 6

Charlotte Catholic 26, South Mecklenburg 10

Charlotte Christian 56, Concord Cox Mill 7

Charlotte Country Day 21, Swain County 11

Charlotte Latin 28, Mitchell County 14

Charlotte Olympic 21, West Mecklenburg 20

Cherryville 20, Avery County 18

Claremont Bunker Hill 35, Morganton Freedom 28

Clayton 36, Wake Forest 21

Clayton Cleveland 35, Wilmington Hoggard 32

Clover, S.C. 28, Chambers 20

Concord 37, Monroe Piedmont 7

Concord Cannon 17, Christ the King High School 12

Concord Robinson 40, Hickory Ridge 6

Corvian 47, Charlotte Harding 8

Croatan 21, Washington 6

Davidson Community School 38, West Iredell 7

Dillon, S.C. 37, Scotland 21

Durham Riverside 52, Pittsboro Northwood 33

East Duplin 49, Holly Ridge Dixon 23

East Forsyth 44, Wake Forest Heritage 0

East Henderson 28, North Buncombe 22

East Lincoln 47, Belmont Cramer 24

East Rutherford 45, Bessemer City 0

East Surry 21, Robbinsville 19

East Wilkes 34, West Wilkes 6

Eastern Randolph 29, Eastern Alamance 0

Elizabeth City Northeastern 58, Bertie County 14

Fayetteville Britt 27, Hoke County 22

Fayetteville Byrd 40, Red Springs 14

Fayetteville Sanford 47, Topsail 41

Fayetteville Seventy-First 35, Richmond Senior 28

Fayetteville Westover 18, Hickory Home School 16

Fort Mill, S.C. 56, Ballantyne Ridge 0

Gastonia Ashbrook 29, Marshville Forest Hills 13

Gastonia Huss 44, Valdese Draughn 0

Greene Central 25, North Lenoir 0

Greensboro Dudley 53, Greensboro Page 7

Greensboro Grimsley 34, Winston-Salem Mt. Tabor 12

Greensboro Smith 22, Oxford Webb 14

Greenville Hurricanes, S.C. 25, Mooresboro Jefferson 21

Havelock 51, Wallace-Rose Hill 14

Hertford County 20, Gates County 12

Hickory 48, Lenoir Hibriten 0

High Point Christian Academy 48, Southlake Christian 6

Huntersville Hopewell 54, Charlotte Garinger 0

Indian Trail Porter Ridge 45, Mint Hill Rocky River 7

Jacksonville 28, Southwest Onslow 14

Jacksonville Northside 44, Clinton 0

Jacksonville White Oak 68, East Carteret 18

Jamestown Ragsdale 14, Northeast Guilford 10

Jones County 34, Liberty Christian 0

Kannapolis Brown 28, West Rowan 26

Lake Norman 23, North Mecklenburg 0

Lake Norman Charter 48, West Columbus 8

Latta, S.C. 49, East Columbus 6

Lawndale Burns 32, Gastonia Forestview 7

Lee County 56, Northern Durham 12

Maiden 30, Newton Foard 0

Monroe 32, Central Davidson 7

Montgomery Central 34, Carrboro 6

Mooresville 66, Davie County 20

Mount Airy 50, North Surry 14

Mount Pleasant 31, China Grove Carson 14

Mount Zion Christian 38, Hobgood Academy 6

Mt. Holly Mountain Island Charter 55, Cabarrus 6

New Bern 51, Willow Spring 7

New Hanover County 13, Greenville Rose 7

Newton Grove Midway 34, Newton Grove Hobbton 0

Norfolk Academy, Va. 34, Currituck County 21

North Brunswick 48, East Bladen 0

North Duplin 50, Chocowinity Southside 8

North Forsyth 32, East Bend Forbush 6

North Gaston 24, East Gaston 7

North Johnston 30, South Lenoir 0

North Lincoln 27, West Lincoln 14

North Pitt 34, Martin County 32

North Raleigh Christian 42, Wake Prep 21

North Rowan 46, East Rowan 6

North Stanly 28, Anson County 6

North Wilkes 27, Elkin 21

Northwest Guilford 33, Burlington Williams 16

Northwestern, S.C. 45, Cornelius Hough 44

Pasquotank County 45, Northwest Halifax 8

Pender County 74, Lejeune 7

Perquimans 27, Manteo 0

Person High School 35, Louisburg 6

Pfafftown Reagan 20, Waxhaw Marvin Ridge 13

Pikeville Aycock 48, Goldsboro Rosewood 20

Pinetown Northside 24, Camden County 3

Polk County 30, Madison County 0

Providence Grove 33, East Davidson 14

Raleigh Cardinal Gibbons 43, Durham Jordan 24

Raleigh Millbrook 17, Friendship 13

Raleigh Ravenscroft 22, Morrisville Green Hope 20

Raleigh St. David's 36, Pungo Christian 14

Raleigh Wake Christian 28, John Paul II Catholic 16

Reidsville 28, Western Alamance 3

Richlands 28, South Brunswick 14

Roanoke Rapids 14, Northampton County 8

Robert B. Glenn 27, Thomasville Ledford 6

Salisbury 20, North Davidson 12

Shelby 32, Kings Mountain 16

Siler City Jordan-Matthews 16, South Davidson 8

South Columbus 48, West Bladen 6

South Garner 27, Smithfield-Selma 7

South Granville 20, Green Level 18

South Johnston 21, Princeton 20

South Rowan 21, Monroe Union Academy 17

SouthWest Edgecombe 62, North Edgecombe 0

Southeast Guilford 44, Southern Guilford 6

Southeast Raleigh 49, Raleigh Enloe 15

Southern Alamance 63, Graham 0

Southern Lee 41, Western Harnett 6

Southern Nash 65, East Wake 42

Southern Pines Pinecrest 62, Knightdale 18

Spring Lake Overhills 20, Hope Mills South View 18

St. Pauls 26, Pembroke Swett 7

Statesville 36, Alexander Central 21

Surry Central 45, Alleghany County 7

Sylva Smoky Mountain 34, Cherokee 21

Tarboro 30, Rocky Mount 0

Trinity Christian 21, Metrolina Christian Academy 12

Warsaw Kenan 48, Swansboro 6

Washington County 22, Gaston KIPP Pride 8

Watauga County 14, Asheville Roberson 0

Waxhaw Cuthbertson 42, Monroe Parkwood 0

Wendell Corinth Holders 35, Raleigh Sanderson 3

West Cabarrus 28, Northwest Cabarrus 21

West Charlotte 36, Palisades 6

West Craven 50, Pamlico County 20

West Davidson 27, Trinity Wheatmore 20

West Forsyth 19, Asheville Reynolds 13

West Henderson 51, Newton-Conover 33

West Johnston 37, Harnett Central 34, OT

Western Guilford 29, Southwestern Randolph 0

Whiteville 37, Bunn 7

Wilmington Ashley 34, Raleigh Athens Drive 16

Wilmington Laney 21, Greenville Conley 17

Wilson Fike 27, Wilson Beddingfield 23

Wilson Prep 34, Ayden-Grifton 28

Winston-Salem Carver 34, North Moore 22

Winston-Salem Parkland 41, Lexington 28

Winston-Salem Reynolds 52, High Point Central 0