Week 1 is in the books, and as expected, we learned quite a bit about our local squads.
We knew Clayton and Cleveland were pretty good, and we found out that Corinth Holders and South Johnston were ready for tough road challenges. We also saw North Johnston lay down a marker against a rebuilding Beddingfield team, and their rivals, Princeton, fend off a pesy Ayden-Grifton squad.
Just go back and read the Week 1 recap, will you? I need the web traffic.
Let’s turn the page to Week 2, which features a little Thursday night football (South), a pair of all-county games and enough storylines to, well, fill this post.
FIKE at South johnston
Record since 2004: Fike has won five of the eight meetings in the MaxPreps era (2004), including a 24-0 win last season in Quad County 3A play.
Ask the computer: Massey Index: Fike -13.5
Media Watch: NFHS ($)
Breakdown: These former conference rivals face off in a pivotal Week 2 game on Thursday — a popular Labor Day tradition for some of my coaching buddies. The Demons started slowing before thumping 3A North Moore, 47-20, last week while South Johnston’s offense managed a single touchdown in a 7-2 win over Smithfield-Selma.
The Trojans played without standout running back Holt Langston, who I’m told was “unavailable” for Week 1. As the leading returning rusher in 6A, per my pals at High School OT, his loss was keenly felt last week, and would be again here.
Fike is short on numbers and experience, per its season preview in the Wilson Times, but Beddingfield transfer Sam Finch has brought stability to the quarterback spot. He was 13-of-14 for 193 yards and four scores in the opener.
So, it boils down to how effective South can be running the football against a younger, thinner defensive front, which would shorten the game and keep Finch and company off the field.
It’s only a hunch, but this feels like a get right spot for the Trojans. Plus, I’m not convinced North Moore is any good.
Prediction: South Johnston 21, Fike 14
smithfield-selma at west johnston
Record since 2004: West leads the recent series, 13-8, including a 28-24 win last fall.
Ask the computer: Massey Index: West Johnston -13.5
Media Watch: NFHS ($)
Breakdown: This game is fascinating, if for no other reason than someone will have to score. Smithfield-Selma had the ball stripped away on the way into the end zone last week against South, and despite the fact that the defense turned that into a safety on the next play, those were the only points of the night for the Spartans.
Of course, that was two more points than West Johnston managed against South Garner in a 20-0 shutout. The offensive stats from that are borderline obscene, and the most telling is 29 rushing yards on 23 carries.
On paper, this screams defensive matchup. I’m not so sure, though. There’s no way these two offenses will be that bad again. It’s boring and cliches, but turnovers and penalties are going to be huge in this one.
I came into this season really high on West Johnston, but that Week 1 offensive effort has me shook. I’m going to stay on the train for at least one more week, though I see this one as a coin flip game.
Prediction: West Johnston 21, Smithfield-Selma 14
princeton at east duplin
Record since 2004: Princeton has won all three meetings, including a wild 58-57 decision back in 2022.
Ask the computer: Massey Index: East Duplin -26.5
Media Watch: NFHS ($)
Breakdown: I didn’t learn anything I didn’t know about Princeton in its win over Ayden-Grifton, but I learned plenty about East Duplin.
The Panthers blanked Wallace-Rose Hill, 21-0, last time out, and a team that my friends at the Jacksonville Daily News tout as “experienced and talented” looked every bit of that last week.
East Duplin made quite a statement in that opening week win, and Princeton will have its work cut out for it, particularly on defense, on the road in this one.
Prediction: East Duplin 42, Princeton 35
north johnston at JH holmes
Record since 2004: The teams have not met in this time period.
Ask the computer: Massey Index: Holmes -13.5
Media Watch: None
Breakdown: I feel like the Massey computer spit out a lot of 13.5 numbers this week, and like last week, I’m not feeling this one.
The Panthers bounced Beddingfield, 40-0, last week and while I don’t think the Bruins are all that good, that’s still a nice result. The Aces, meanwhile, lost at 3A Pasquotank, 21-14, in the season opener. Mason Byrum’s last second heave to the end zone was knocked away in what sounds like a fun contest.
To me, the biggest challenge is the 122-mile bus ride for North, but as has been written here already, this is the sort of thing Kyle Schenk’s squad should try and get used to.
The same theory I applied to West and SSS applies here. Holmes will most certainly play better, but I still like the road team in this one.
Prediction: North Johnston 30, Holmes 27
american leadership academy at bartlett yaNCEY
Record since 2004: No previous meetings
Ask the computer: Massey Index: Bartlett Yancey -7.5
Media Watch: None
Breakdown: We don’t know much about Bartlett Yancey. I mean, they thumped Northern Durham, 44-0, last week. But the Knights are terrible.
They didn’t fill out HighSchool OT’s preseason survey, which always annoys me. And they didn’t enter the offensive stats in MaxPreps. So, the Buccaneers are run kind of like Bill Belichick’s Patriots used to be.
So we’re flying blind as far as the opposition for the actual Patriots in this matchup, which trounced Lejeune last time out. Well, let’s do some guessing…
Prediction: ALA 28, Bartlett Yancey 21
Southern nash at clayton
Record since 2004: Clayton won the only meeting recorded in MaxPreps, 21-0, back in 2004.
Ask the computer: Massey Index: Clayton -23.5
Media Watch: Curtis Media (102.3 and jocofootball.com), Wearecrn.com and Hudl (hat tip to Wesley Outland)
Breakdown: Southern Nash runs the double wing, or as it’s called in CFB 26, the flexbone, and the Firebirds ran it up and down the field in a 42-26 win over Knightdale. Speaking of offensive power, the Comets had it in spades in a 52-12 win over Wilson Prep.
Stopping the flexbone can be tricky, but penetration from the defensive line is a good start. Fortunately for Clayton, it has some talent in that area.
Like last week, this game will probably become a question of who has the best players and the most depth, and the answer to both of those questions is Clayton.
Prediction: Clayton 42, Southern Nash 21
corinth holders at cleveland
Series Record: Cleveland leads this series, 13-1, with the lone Pirate win coming back in 2014.
Ask the computer: Massey Index: Cleveland -33.5
Media Watch: JOCO Radio
Breakdown: Both teams hit the road in Week 1 and returned with wins. Cleveland’s pasting of Pinecrest was eyebrow raising, and Corinth Holders showed some grit in holding off North Brunswick’s comeback attempt.
History favors the Rams, as these two teams haven’t played a game within single digits since 2017. That scar tissue is for the fans more than the current rosters, but it’s there all the same.
I like what Carl Smith is doing in Wendell, but this is a bridge too far for the Pirates.
Prediction: Cleveland 38, Corinth Holders 14