Week 3 has arrived for our Johnston County football teams, which means by the time we wake up on Saturday, the season will be roughly a third of the way toward its completion.
The days are long and the years are short, I guess.
Anyway, South Johnston is taking the first bye week of 2025, and American Leadership Academy has to get on a bus instead of hosting a home game. Let’s sort it all out, shall we?
Before we do, here’s the weekly reminder about the podcast. Listen, subscribe, tell a friend. You know the drill:
Seaforth (0-2) at Princeton (1-1)
Last time out: Princeton fell to East Duplin, 42-20, while Seaforth lost to Southeast Alamance, 41-12.
Massey Rating: Princeton -34.5
Recent history: None (Seaforth is only a few years old)
Media: NFHS ($)
Breakdown: I’ll throw my hand up and say that I don’t know much about Seaforth. New coach Tolbert Matthews is working to establish a winning culture, or so I read in the Chatham Journal, but the Hawks are 0-2 against teams that I’m not sure are any good yet.
Princeton should have room to run the ball, based on the fact that Seaforth is allowing about 150 yards a night in that area, but the Bulldog defense will need to play a bit better than it did last time out.
Still, this feels like a get right spot for Princeton in advance of its rivalry clash with North Johnston next week.
Prediction: Princeton 40, Seaforth 21
Harnett Central (1-1) at Smithfield-Selma (0-2)
Last time out: Harnett Central lost to Overhills, 34-19, while Smithfield-Selma fell to West Johnston, 26-0
Massey Rating: Harnett Central -22.5
Recent history: Since 2007, Harnett Central is 10-0 against the Spartans, including a 42-6 victory last season.
Media: NFHS ($)
Breakdown: Harnett Central has done a nice job of changing its stripes in recent years, but the Trojans were doomed by four turnovers last week against what appears to be a pretty good Overhills side.
The Spartans, on the other hand, continue to seek their offensive mojo. Defensively, they’ve been pretty good. But the next time a Spartan crosses the goal line with the football will be the first in about nine months.
Not exactly a recipe for success.
Prediction: Harnett Central 28, Smithfield-Selma 7
South Garner at Corinth Holders
Last time out: South Garner pummeled Southern Lee, 69-19, while Corinth Holders lost to Cleveland, 52-13
Massey Rating: South Garner -.5 (virtually a pick ’em)
Recent history: The teams have split four meetings, and Corinth Holders won last year’s meeting, 40-20.
Media: Hudl (maybe)
Breakdown: I can’t remember the last time the Massey computer spit out such a close number, and at first glance, I can see why. South Garner has sprinted out of the gate this season, blanking West Johnston and putting up almost 70 points last week.
Corinth Holders followed up their season-opening win with a dose of reality against Cleveland, and that sets the stage for a pivotal game for both of these programs.
Clearly the Titans have improved since the last time these squads have met, and if they can get their ground game going, it will be tough sledding for the Pirate defense.
On paper, I’m a lean to South Garner. But this is the first home game for the Pirates, and I have a feeling they’ll have a point to prove in this one. Heart over head for me in this one.
Prediction: Corinth Holders 24, South Garner 21
American Leadership Academy at Fairmont
Last time out: ALA won a heart stopping, triple-overtime game with Bartlett Yancey, 54-46, while the Golden Tornadoes (great name) petered out against Forest Hills, 42-0
Massey Rating: ALA -20.5
Recent history: None
Media: None
Breakdown: Fresh off the first overtime win in school history, the Patriots are changing plans this week. Originally, this was scheduled to be a home game. Those pesky lights aren’t ready yet, however, and Fairmont declined the opportunity to play at 4 p.m. (when the temperature is projected to be about 90).
Go figure. Instead, it’s a bus ride down I-95, most of the way to South of the Border (site of my second date with my lovely wife and about 20 more minutes to my hometown of Marion).
If ALA is angry about this, it might have a chance to express it. Fairmont has been playing bigger schools, but have been unimpressive so far this season. The Patriots, on the other hand, continue to pile up points in bunches behind a punishing ground game led by senior running back Anthony Jimenez (27 carries, 396 yards and 7 touchdowns).
Prediction: American Leadership Academy 35, Fairmont 20
Clayton at Hoggard
Last time out: Clayton ran away from Southern Nash, 49-14, while Hoggard fought off Jack Britt, 44-40
Massey Rating: Clayton -6.5
Recent history: Clayton won a 2010 game, 20-14, and that’s the lone one recorded in the MaxPreps era.
Media: CRN (https://community-radio-network.mixlr.com/) and Hudl
Breakdown: I don’t normally put a lot of stock in high school football polls, and that’s coming from a guy who used to vote in the AP one back in the day. But thanks to Coach Scott Chadwick’s excellent game notes, we know that Clayton is fifth in the Carolina Preps 7A rankings, while Hoggard is sixth.
The teams are bunched together in the HighSchool OT polls as well, and all signs point to a fun one in Hanover County.
I’m never going to sneeze at a team beating Richmond County, no matter the circumstances, and the Vikings’ win over Jack Britt probably shouldn’t have been quite that close, based on the WRAL highlights.
Still, this is a solid Clayton team, and if there wasn’t a serious bus ride involved, I’d probably tout the Comets by a larger margin.
Prediction: Clayton 38, Hoggard 27
North Johnston at Rosewood
Last time out: North Johnston edged Holmes, 35-34, while Rosewood was tripped up by North Duplin, 39-19
Massey Rating: North Johnston -13.5
Recent history: Rosewood holds a narrow 9-8 lead in the MaxPreps era, including a 27-18 win last season.
Media: NFHS ($) and, per Twitter…
Breakdown: North Johnston played without its standout quarterback Kaleb Pone last week, and since we’ve not yet evolved to the point where teams put out injury reports, we don’t know his status for this one, either. Charlie Barnes did a reasonable impersonation last week, though, and I expect he could do it again against this Eagles team.
I’d be more worried about the QB situation, but Rosewood is really scuffling so far this season.
Prediction: North Johnston 30, Rosewood 16
Northern Nash at Cleveland
Last time out: Cleveland knocked off Corinth Holders, 52-13, while Northern Nash thumped Nash Central, 40-7
Massey Rating: Cleveland -24.5
Recent history: None
Media: Curtis Media (102.5 FM and jocofootball.com), JOCOradio.com and NFHS ($)
Breakdown: The Knights have won 13 of their last 14 games, and matched Cleveland’s feat of an unbeaten regular season a year ago. They’re back on the horse this year, with an impressive win over Rose to open the season, followed by a standard one against a county rival.
It’s a smaller school, but Northern Nash will be bringing plenty of talent to John Jacobs Stadium. I suspect that this game will play out much like Clayton’s with Southern Nash last week — close early, not so much late.
Prediction: Cleveland 42, Northern Nash 21