Saints, Cougars appear mirror images of each other

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on September 4, 2014 1:48 PM

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rcoggins@newsargus.com

DUDLEY -- Bragging rights aside, county rivals Goldsboro and Southern Wayne could easily be considered mirror images of each other just two weeks into the high school football season.

Each team has taken similar paths to an 0-2 start.

The Cougars continue to search for their identity with a first-year head coach. The Saints installed a new offensive package in the offseason that has sputtered at crucial moments due to either turnovers or penalties.

And each is hungry for success.

"I think that makes both teams a little desperate and dangerous," SW head coach David Lee said. "Who is going to play with the most passion and has the least amount of mistakes will have the advantage. I think they're a team like we are, a team that's going to get better as the year goes on."

Lee and GHS head coach Bennett Johnson designed similar practice plans for the 46th installment of the series, which kicks off Friday at 7:30 p.m.

Their agendas each included fundamental work, effort and mental preparation. Johnson went a step further, and challenged his team to bring good attitudes and energy to the field.

"We have to do a lot to improve ourselves and our team, things we have to fix in-house before we can worry about our opponent," Johnson said. "In the same breath, Southern Wayne is a good football team. They need a lot of our attention, also, because they are a very talented team.

"If we're not prepared, we're going to be in trouble come Friday night."

Goldsboro owns a decisive 30-15 edge in the series since 1966. However, Southern Wayne has won nine of the last 13 meetings since 2001.

To make it 10 of the last 14, the Saints must eliminate the turnovers and yellow flags that haunted them in a one-point loss at Smithfield-Selma. Offside penalties on either third or fourth down kept the Spartans' offense on the field, while poor decision making led to turnovers for Southern Wayne's offense.

Lee has seen improvement, but wants the players to let "go of themselves" and trust in both the offense and defense. He hopes they'll aggressively fly to the football against the Cougars, who -- says Johnson -- need to match that energy and physicality.

"I believe if you come out with energy and play physical, you can make plays that you normally don't make," said Johnson, whose team has yielded 83 total points this season.

"At the end of the day, it comes down to energy, effort and tackling."