Football: Area teams on the road tonight

By Justin Hayes
Published in Sports on October 5, 2017 11:27 PM

• Print
• Email

Have game, will travel.

Like it or not, such is the mantra tonight for eight of our coverage area's nine prep football teams, who are scheduled to visit various installations on the 1-A, 2-A and 3-A conference road map.

Without further adieu, a capsulized look at the schedule...

Goldsboro (4-2)

at

East Duplin (7-0)

Xzavior Bowden and the power-running Cougars travel to Beaulaville to face the state's 4th-ranked 2-A outfit, East Duplin.

"It is very important that we play assignment football on both sides," GHS head coach Elvin James said.  

"This game will be a measuring stick to see where we are as a program. I feel confident that our players will represent on Friday night."

Of particular interest to many is how Bowden, who has already rushed for over 1,000 yards this season, will fare against a physical, rugged East Duplin defense.

Spring Creek (3-3)

at

Wallace-Rose Hill (5-1)

Two weeks, two juggernauts.

That's life for Spring Creek in the newly-minted East Central 2-A conference, who fell to East Duplin 81-6 last Friday.

The league is simply relentless, and is ripe with talent, quality coaching and state champions at every turn -- something not lost on Gator head coachDaniel Robinson.

"We've been trying to move past last Friday's game by having an energetic, good week of practice," Robinson said.

Aycock (1-6)

at

D.H. Conley (5-1)

Following a 50-49 OT setback a week ago, CBA head coach Steve Brooks and his band of Blues brothers travel to Pitt County to finish this year's Greenville two-step.

"We have to stop one of the better QB's in our state and find a way to get our offense going," Brooks said. "It's their homecoming, so it would be nice to find a way to upset that and get back in the playoff hunt."

Eastern Wayne (3-3)

at

South Central (6-1)

Leander Oates and Co., who have dropped three straight after opening the season in top-flight form, travel to Winterville for a date with South Central High and dual-threat quarterback Dexter McDuffie -- who, at present, is outplaying just about everyone in Pitt County not named Holton Ahlers.

"(We have to) have a mindset that nobody is supposed to schedule you for homecoming, Oates said, "(and) capitalize on every scoring opportunity."

Last week, during a 38-26 setback to New Bern, the Dubs let four scoring opportunities fall by the wayside.

Lakewood (5-1)

at

North Duplin (6-0)

Good on good.

Such will be the scenario in Calypso, where rugged Lakewood saunters into town for a Carolina 1-A tilt with undefeated North Duplin.

"We need to control the ball, no turnovers, and run to the ball well on defense," ND head coach Hugh Martin said.

Southern Wayne (0-6)

at

J.H. Rose (2-5)

Expect plenty of fireworks in this one, as both teams feature mobile quarterbacks who have the ability to extend plays and throw on the run.

Hobbton (0-6)

at

Rosewood (3-3)

Eagle quarterback Tucker Chapin and tailback Michael Reid should be enough to pay the freight against Hobbton, who enters the contest winless in six starts.

Not that Rosewood is overlooking matters, however.

"We will have to match their intensity to get the first conference win," Rosewood head coach Robert Britt said. "We've had a very good week of practice so far."

Union (2-4)

at

Princeton (4-2)

Expect to see heavy doses of senior tailback Rahjai McPhatter tonight, who ran for 320 yards in a 53-50 road loss last week to Swansboro.

Much like Rosewood, the Bulldogs enjoyed a crisp week of practice and appear poised to pick up another win.

All that remains is to turn on the lights.

Halifax Academy (3-3)

vs.

Wayne Christian (0-6)

The Eagles, still searching for their first win of the year, host the Vikings at 7 p.m.