Eastern Wayne tabbed 4th in preseason ECC 3A-4A football poll

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on August 6, 2014 1:46 PM

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J.H. Rose, the 4-A eastern runner-up, garnered three first-place votes and 31 points. Reigning league co-champion D.H. Conley collected 23 points, followed by 3-A eastern runner-up Eastern Wayne, which compiled 22 points.

Much-improved South Central is fifth with 20 points. County rivals Southern Wayne and Charles B. Aycock had nine points apiece.

"When people look at a split conference, they tend to think half of the conference is a little bit weaker," New Bern head coach Bobby Curlings said. "We've got quality teams on the 3-A level. The 4-A teams are strong, obviously, after what the conference did in the playoffs last year.

"I don't think there's going to be an outright favorite. I think it's going to come down to the end like it did last year."

League coaches picked Eastern Wayne to finish anywhere from second to fourth in conference play. The Warriors return 17 starters off of last year's team which halted a 26-year playoff victory drought and wound up with a program-best 11 wins.

Sixth-year head coach Bubba Williams, like last year, will undoubtedly develop a scheme to put his skill players in positions to help the team win on Friday nights.

It's all about self belief.

"If we can gain some confidence early (in the season) like some years I've been here, we get on a roll," Williams said. "If we get knocked around early, it's kind of hard to regain that confidence. That's key for us."

South Central returns 15 starters.

The Falcons, directed by second-year head coach Tim Carter, appear more confident this season. One ECC coach thinks Carter's talent-ladened club led by 2,000-yard performer Shawn Furlow just might upset the apple cart.

"I think the sleeper in this whole thing is going to be South Central," DHC head coach Brian Paschal said. "I just feel like they're going to be a pretty good team. The conference was competitive last year and we had some really good games.

"I think it's going to be kind of the same this year."

Charles B. Aycock started last season 3-0, but finished 4-8 overall with first-year head coach Steve Brooks.

One year later and wiser, Brooks said the Golden Falcons must get "bigger, faster, stronger" to survive in a league with five heavyweights that bring their best each week. Aycock's lone ECC victory was a 42-35 shootout over Southern Wayne in Pikeville a year ago.

"We've got to get better every single day," Brooks said.

Southern Wayne made some changes in the offseason that won't be noticeable until it scrimmages next week. With six returning starters and just 10 lettermen overall, the Saints will put their youngest team on the field during David Lee's tenure as head coach.

"We're going to be relying on a lot of sophomores and juniors, so we're going to be as young as we have been in a long time, which is good and bad," Lee said.