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Tonight's games start at 7:30 p.m. Here's a look at the local matchups:

4-A WEST

No. 6 Monroe Sun Valley (9-3) AT No. 3 Ragsdale 12-0): Sun Valley lost consecutive games by a combined five points in mid-October, but won its next three handily to finish in a four-way tie atop the Southern Carolina 4-A.

The Spartans advanced by beating North Davidson 10-7 behind 198 yards and a touchdown from sophomore quarterback Ryan Smith, on whose shoulders their offense lives and dies. Smith, who went 18-of-25 and connected with six different receivers Friday, threw for 1,970 yards this regular season, the sixth-highest mark in school history. He has thrown 27 touchdowns against five interceptions and has completed 60 percent of his passes.

Running back Jadarrius Williams was bottled up against North but is three weeks removed from a 23-carry, 294-yard, four-TD night.

The Spartans are surrendering 22 points per game, but they held North Davidson to 3 yards per carry and 5-of-16 passing last week.

No. 10 High Point Central (9-3) AT No. 2 Dudley (11-1): Dudley sweated for a half against Smith but found all kinds of running room after halftime, scoring 33 unanswered points to win 47-20.

Now the Panthers offense will get one of its biggest challenges of the year against Central, which has held every one of its opponents except undefeated Reynolds and Ragsdale to 14 points or fewer.

"Fewer" made all the difference for the Bison last week against Glenn, as a blocked extra point by Roger Greene proved decisive in a 14-13 revenge victory. Central did surrender more than 150 yards to Glenn running back Josh Hawkins. But Dudley also looked vulnerable in the secondary against Smith quarterback Jeff Sims and was called for six holding penalties. First one to double digits might win.

3-AA WEST

No. 9 Harrisburg Hickory Ridge (7-5) AT No. 1 Northern Guilford (11-1): Hickory Ridge head coach Marty Paxton told the Winston-Salem Journal last week that "we knew that if we could hold down the big plays, we'd be in good shape" against North Forsyth.

The Ragin' Bulls answered loudly on that challenge, recording five turnovers, six sacks and a blocked punt while holding the Vikings to minus-37 yards rushing on 18 carries in a 25-6 win.

That credo will be tested to the brink against the Nighthawks, who laid another opponent to a merciless rest last week by scoring the first 56 points in a romp over Asheboro. Seven of Northern's nine touchdowns were 25 yards or longer, par for the course for the most explosive offense in the county.

Hickory Ridge got 237 yards on 43 carries from 5-foot-7 running back Brian Baltimore last week, but the Bulls have only once topped 30 points, a mark Northern has shattered in every game but three.

3-A EAST

No. 7 Western Alamance (9-3) AT No. 2 Hertford County (12-0): Hertford, tied for second in the AP's latest state 3-A poll, might have been a little let down by only dispatching Jacksonville White Oak 35-9 in Round 1.

The Bears hadn't allowed a point since Oct. 2, having scored more than 200 unanswered in finishing off a perfect regular season. Now they host the surging Warriors, who squeezed Washington into submission last week after surrendering a 55-yard touchdown run on the game's second offensive play.

Western held Washington's quarterback to 15 rushing yards on 13 carries and 2-of-13 passing after that mishap, winning 21-6. The Warriors played Eastern Alamance and Northern Guilford tough for stretches and should not find themselves out of place here.

2-AA EAST

No. 6 Bunn (9-3) AT No. 3 Reidsville (12-0): The engine of Bunn's offense, sophomore quarterback Montrel Cooke, might remind fans of the most recent player to guide Reidsville's offense, do-it-all QB Ray Ray Butchee. Cooke, a 5-foot-11, 150-pound phantom who can run and throw the ball with skill, ran for two touchdowns and completed 8 of 12 passes last week in a 21-19 win over Richlands, the Wildcats' fourth straight.

The Eagles have some size on the line with three 260-plus-pounders and have held four of their last six opponents to single-digit scoring.

The teams met in the 2005 state semifinals, but Bunn is now coached by first-year man Chris Miller, who told the Raleigh News & Observer that the only way to end Reidsville's 44-game win streak is "to play our best game and get a little lucky."

Contact Tom Keller at 373-7034 or tom.keller@news-record.com