Prep notebook: Open date comes at good time for Goldsboro

By Staff Reports
Published in Sports on September 16, 2013 1:47 PM

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Doubting its confidence after an 0-2 start, Goldsboro High finds itself carrying some momentum into its bye week.

There are still plenty of questions.

The Cougars must find some depth since they faced some awkward situations against county rival Charles B. Aycock on Friday evening. Four key players -- two linebackers, one offensive lineman and one defensive lineman -- weren't on the field. Goldsboro head coach Eric Reid was forced to move Justin Cates to middle linebacker and switch Sterling Dodson to outside linebacker.

"We had to make so many adjustments on the fly," Reid said.

Don't forget the injury sustained by Rasheid Malette. The senior running back sprained his ankle with 3:24 left in the third quarter, and did not play the remainder of the game.

"The open week is coming at a good time," Reid said. "(Tonight's win) is going to be a good building process for us."

And a much-needed break to heal.

The Cougars (2-2 overall) entertain Jacksonville Northside on Sept. 27 and visit 4-A juggernaut Scotland County the following week.

Scoring at will

DUDLEY -- Southern Wayne is known for a grind-it-out style of offense that wears down opposing defensive lines and moves the ball by force rather than finesse.

That was not the case against North Lenoir on Friday night. The Saints broke free for scoring plays of 20, 26, 40 and 43 yards. They also put up 27 first-quarter points in a 52-33 victory at the Doyle Whitfield Athletic Complex.

"I have never seen a first quarter like that," Southern Wayne head coach David Lee said. "It was not really the way we usually operate, but I am definitely not going to turn down points. Any way we can score we will take it."

Southern Wayne compiled a season-high 411 yards -- 357 rushing and 54 passing.

Not used to this

Eastern Wayne is off to its first-ever 4-0 start in program history.

The Warriors began the season 3-0 in 1975, 2004 and 2007. In the past three years, however, they were a combined 2-8 through the first four weeks of regular-season play.

Eastern Wayne is off this week and opens Eastern Carolina 3-A/4-A Conference action Sept. 27 at South Central.

"I guess in the past it was effort and wanting to," sophomore tailback Kamone Best said. "They didn't have it then. But now, we've got the chemistry, we've got the effort and everything we've need. We've got the talent.

"Some of the guys who have graduated have told us we need to push harder because if they could come back and do it all over again they would."

Two goals

Charles B. Aycock was denied its first 4-0 start since 1994 and just the sixth such beginning in program history.

But the Golden Falcons still have plenty of goals.

"Now we're going to find out what kind of football team we are," first-year CBA head coach Steve Brooks said after a 40-30 loss to county foe Goldsboro High.

"We've got two goals. We don't lose two in a row and we don't lose at home. So, they've got two big challenges ahead."

Miscellaneous

Quick facts about teams in the News-Argus readership area:

• Rosewood had its modest two-game win streak snapped against Coastal Plains 1-A Conference teams Friday evening. The Eagles are 7-5 against CPC teams since 2004, but the CPC leads the overall series 33-30 during that same span.

• Goldsboro scored in its 92nd straight game.

• James Kenan reached double figures in a game for the 20th straight occasion.

• Eastern Wayne is riding its first four-game win streak since 2010 when it shared the Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference regular-season championship with Triton.