Southern Wayne, Goldsboro seek form tonight in the city

By Justin Hayes
Published in Sports on September 5, 2017 3:14 PM

• Print
• Email

When last seen two weeks ago -- in a post-game kneel following a 34-6 loss to Eastern Wayne in the second annual Wayne County Classic -- Goldsboro High football coach Elvin James delivered a one-note recounting of the affair for his players.

"They punched us in the mouth," he said of the Dubs. "If you can't play with pain, this game ain't for you."  

Ahem.

And if his players are to avoid another such soliloquy tonight following their tilt with county rival Southern Wayne, they would be wise to display a more inspired sideline-to-sideline effort -- one that, in all likelihood, will involve heavy doses of junior tailback Xzavior Bowden.

Through two games, the six-foot two, 225-pounder has been a terror between the tackles, grinding out 295 rushing yards and scoring four touchdowns.

Bowden plays all three downs, runs at you, through you and can fire up the jets for separation when called for --  in other words, a multi-faceted proposition.

And if Southern Wayne is to stop him, it will have to deploy a brand of discipline and physicality notably absent in its first two contests.

In the season-opener at Wilmington Ashley, the Saints played the Screaming Eagles to a standstill at the break, only to watch the hosts score 27 unanswered points to close the affair.

On the road at James Kenan a week later, Southern started slowly and never properly objected as the Tigers pushed and shoved their way to 55 points.

Ouch.  

So, what gives?

Have the host Cougars, still stinging no doubt from the chirp of their coach's diatribe, found a newer, tougher version of themselves in the past 11 days?

It's likely they have.

And what of these Saints, who are closer to home this week, yet still searching for the spark that allowed them to defeat GHS 71-24 a year ago -- it's likely they've done a fair amount of soul-searching as well.

Kickoff is 7 p.m. at Cougar Stadium.