This football season is the first under the N.C. High School Athletic Association rule that mandates 11 (or 10) games in 11 weeks as opposed to playing 10-11 games in 12 weeks.

It was meant to reduce the overlap in football and basketball seasons - and that was something I was all for.

If schools such as Athens Drive and Middle Creek made the second round of the state football playoffs, the basketball team was forced to postpone its first few games because they didn't have enough non-football varsity players to make a team.

But for all of the good the new rule does with helping basketball season get off to a stable start, it complicates football scheduling.

Some of the coaches I've talked to don't want their bye week, but were all but forced to have it because no non-conference team could be found. Others wanted to use one, but could not because the athletic department needed to schedule another home game to help its financials.

If there's another way to reduce the overlap between seasons, that should be pursued. But being forced to play two games in one week because a make-up game can't be scheduled, after already being forced to take (or not take) a bye week, is too much forcing on area football programs.

Cary grad plays Mudcats: Cary High graduate Cory Harrilchak will be returning to Wake County this weekend as the Mississippi Braves visit the Carolina Mudcats.

Harrilchak, who is batting .258 with 10 home runs and 54 RBIs, was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft and has since worked his way up to double-A ball.

The Mudcats and Braves will play a five-game series starting Thursday and going through Monday. They will be the final games of each team's season.

Grace drops CA: For the first time in any sport, Grace Christian of Raleigh defeated Cary Academy. The Lady Eagles (5-2) volleyball team handed the Chargers - who were ranked 8th in the N&O rankings - a 3-1 loss (25-19, 25-12, 25-27, 25-19).

Junior Lydia Rooth had 19 kills and 10 digs in the win. Senior libero Lauren Christian had 18 digs.