Schedules for the 2010 Northwest 1A/2A football season have been released and The Mount Airy News sports department has picked the top 10 games to watch around the area.

Top 10 games to watch for the 2010 football season

Mount Airy at Starmount 8/20/10

The Granite Bears kick off their season again in 2010 with a tough Ram squad. Mount Airy began its title defense a year ago with an emphatic 41-28 opening week win to quiet critics. This season, with a number of questions, the Bears will once again look to make a statement from the get go. Starmount boasts quarterback Jake Barr, one of the most versatile players in the area, along with bruising runner M.J. Bryant, who burnt the Bears for a big touchdown a year ago.

North Surry vs Forbush 8/20/10

The Greyhounds started their season hopeful against the Falcons a year ago but were let down with a 32-20 loss. This season the Greyhounds will hope to build on the foundation created in a less than stellar 2009 and get retribution against their former conference foes. With a good number of starters returning and a full year under second year coach Brian Hampton, this season the matchup against Chris Johnson’s Forbush squad could serve as a barometer for how far the Greyhounds have come from a year ago.

Mount Airy vs Thomasville 8/27/10

In one of the biggest non-conference regular season wins in their recent history, a year ago the Bears “upset” the Bulldogs 28-21 in Thomasville. In 2010 Mount Airy will be a different look team, but will have the luxury of the home crowd in this early season matchup which will give fans a good look at the Bears against top-notch talent.

Mount Airy at West Stokes 9/24/10

In last season’s matchup the Bears trailed at the half for the first time before blistering West in the second half for 29 unanswered points to end with a 60-21 win. The Wildcats return much of their offensive firepower from a year ago and figure to be one of the teams to beat heading into the Northwest 1A/2A Conference season. West relies on quarterback Austin Fleming and speedy back Jeremy Cuthrell.

Surry Central vs East Surry 9/24/10

No matter on which side of the field you stood, this game a year ago was nerve racking. The Cardinals eventually held off Central 19-14 but the Golden Eagles looked to be on the way to an upset during much of the second half. With the loss of Hunter Diamont, who torched Central for 289 yards in the win, the Cardinals will look to avoid another nail biter against an in-county opponent while Central will hope to have another shot at the near miss.

East Surry vs West Stokes 10/01/10

In perhaps the biggest regular season win of the Cardinals 2009 season, East muscled its way past a motivated West Stokes team 17-12 to move to 6-0. The Cardinals trailed early but relied on quarterback Hunter Diamont and a dominate offensive line to push past the Jimmy Upchurch led Wildcats. In 2010, the Cardinals will hope to continue their success in this burgeoning rivalry against a West Stokes team poised for a break out year.

Mount Airy vs North Surry 10/15/10

The annual meeting of the Greyhounds and Granite Bears is always an occasion. Over the past several seasons Mount Airy has dominated the field, including 2009’s 66-0 drubbing at Charlie Atkins Stadium. But 2010 is a new season and Bear and Greyhound faithful will hope to see a classic matchup, or at least a ‘W’ for their team. This season marks the 52nd such meeting between the two rival schools.

North Surry vs Surry Central 10/22/10

This in-county rivalry should take on even more meaning this season with playoff implications abound. Surry Central defeated the Greyhounds 48-26 a year ago for its first win of the season on homecoming led by 150 yards rushing from senior quarterback Dave Wilmoth. This year the Greyhounds will look to defend their home field in this late-season battle, while Central will hope to continue the trend.

Surry Central vs North Stokes 10/29/10

The Golden Eagles will look to build moment in their second season in the Northwest 1A/2A Conference and this late-season matchup could be important for playoff seeding. Last year the Eagles had the Vikings on the ropes only to falter down the stretch, 38-28. Monty Southern and his team should be hungry for revenge on their home field with just one game remaining in the regular season.

Mount Airy vs East Surry 11/05/10

For the past two seasons, the feel of this game has been nothing short of a “conference championship” type atmosphere. This game will once again punctuate the final week of the regular season with one of the most highly anticipated rivalries in the area and perhaps the region. East Surry has not lost in conference play to anyone but Mount Airy for the past two seasons while the Bears remain undefeated. Mount Airy stunned the Cardinals on their home field a year ago with a 30-6 win, highlighted by a halfback pass at the end of the first half to suck the air out of the raucous Cardinal crowd.

East Surry

St. Stephens 8/20/10

Starmount 8/27/10

@ North Lincoln (Denver, NC) 9/03/10

BYE 9/10/10

Bartlett Yancey 9/17/10

@ Surry Central * 9/24/10

West Stokes * 10/01/10

@ Bishop McGuinness * 10/08/10

@ South Stokes * 10/15/10

North Stokes * 10/22/10

North Surry * 10/29/10

@ Mount Airy* 11/05/10

Mount Airy

@ Starmount 8/20/10

Thomasville 8/27/10

@ Ashe County 9/03/10

Parkwood 9/10/10

BYE 9/17/10

@ West Stokes * 9/24/10

Surry Central * 10/01/10

@ North Stokes * 10/08/10

North Surry * 10/15/10

@ Bishop McGuinness * 10/22/10

South Stokes * 10/29/10

East Surry * 11/05/10

Surry Central

@ Elkin 8/20/10

@ East Wilkes 8/27/10

Wilkes Central 9/03/10

@ Trinity 9/10/10

BYE 9/17/10

East Surry * 9/24/10

@ Mount Airy * 10/01/10

West Stokes * 10/08/10

Bishop McGuinness * 10/15/10

@ North Surry * 10/22/10

North Stokes * 10/29/10

@ South Stokes * 11/05/10

North Surry

Forbush 8/20/10

Elkin 8/27/10

@ Starmount 9/03/10

Ashe County 9/10/10

BYE 9/17/10

@ Bishop McGuinness * 9/24/10

North Stokes * 10/01/10

South Stokes * 10/08/10

@ Mount Airy * 10/15/10

Surry Central * 10/22/10

@ East Surry * 10/29/10

@ West Stokes * 11/05/10

* indicates NW 1A/2A Conference game