We’re past the halfway point in the 2024 high school football season, and our Johnston County schools are jockeying for position.

Here is Week 7’s slate:

C.B. Aycock at South Johnston, 7 (JoCo Sports Game of the Week)
Fike at Smithfield-Selma, 7
East Wake at West Johnston, 7
Eastern Wayne at Princeton, 7
North Johnston at Spring Creek, 7
Southeast Raleigh at Clayton, 7 (CRN and 102.3 FM)
Cleveland at Fuquay-Varina, 7:30 (JOCO Radio)
American Leadership Academy at Southside, 7

happy homecoming?

I was pleased to read on social media that South Johnston quarterback Tyler Williams’ ankle injury isn’t season ending, but since he went down early in the game against Smithfield-Selma, the Trojan offense hasn’t quite been the same.

Maddox Sills shifted over from his usual tight end position to take the snaps last week against Fike, and South (3-2, 1-1 QC 3A) managed 178 yards of total offense in a 24-0 loss.

So it’s not an especially good time to welcome unbeaten C.B. Aycock to town for Homecoming, and the Golden Falcons are, pardon the pun, flying high. Thomas Zietlow’s squad is averaging 45 points per game and has an average margin of victory of about 33 points.

The Massey Index loves Aycock here, tabbing the Falcons as a 18.5-point favorite. Aycock has also won the last two games in this series, including a 35-14 win in Pikeville last fall.

South’s most likely path to victory is to play great defense and shorten this game with a good ground game. It’s tough to see the Trojans springing an upset any other way.

vengeance, party of one

Last fall, West Johnston played a game at home against East Wake on four days rest, and came up short in a 13-6 contest. That game meant the difference between 6-4 and 5-5 at season’s end — and more importantly — put the Wildcats behind the Warriors in the Quad County 3A standings, which ultimately kept them out of the playoffs.

I’m guessing that someone besides me has brought that up for West Johnston (3-2, 1-1) this week as it prepares to make the short trek to Wendell to face them again this week. Both squads enter this contest at 1-1 in Quad County 3A play, so getting on the right side of .500 is a priority for both of them.

The computer shrugged when I typed it in, installing West as a 1.5-point favorite. Southern Wayne is a common opponent, with East Wake beating the Saints 48-14 and West winning that game, 48-6.

West Johnston has a slightly better win (against 4-1 Harnett Central), so I’ll go along with the computers in what should be another close affair.

still searching

Smithfield-Selma continues to plug away, in search of an ever-elusive victory. I believe in what Stanley Williams is trying to do over there, but it’s going to take time.

The Massey Index isn’t confident that the Spartans will break their streak this week, tabbing Fike as a 33.5-point favorite. Based on what we’ve seen from both teams so far in 2024, I really can’t disagree with the computer’s analysis.

back on course

With five games remaining on the schedule, Corinth Holders (4-1, 1-1 Greater Neuse River 4A) has doubled its win total from last year.

I have a friend in Roxboro, who told me this about Coach Carl Smith Jr.: “He’s going to win games. That’s what he does.”

An admirable trait in football coaches, to be sure. last week, the Pirates erased a 10-point deficit in the final 10 minutes to slip by Willow Spring, and they’ll try to keep things going at South Garner Friday night.

Now, we’ve talked about the Massey numbers and how sometimes, they’re goofy as all get out. This is one of those times. Somehow, fresh off a 49-24 loss at Cleveland, the Titans (1-3, 0-2) are 3.5-point favorites.

I don’t see it.

coming for the throne?

I think recent history dictates that, until another team beats them, the Cleveland Rams are the kings of the Greater Neuse River 4A.

Two other 5-0 teams, Southeast Raleigh and Clayton, will meet Friday night at Nixon-Fowler Stadium in what we might call a No. 1 contender’s match.

On the surface, this looks like a clash of the titans. The Massey Index isn’t convinced, picking Clayton as a 29.5-point favorite.

Now, that feels a tad high to me, but Clayton has played a slightly tougher schedule. So, while I’m not necessarily on board with the nearly 30-point margin, I’m down with the favorite part.

speaking of the rams

Cleveland takes its 5-0 mark on the road to Fuquay-Varina this week, where the Bengals (2-3, 0-2) will try to avoid going 0-2 against Johnston County schools this season.

The Massey folks don’t like their chances, giving Cleveland a 98 percent chance of winning as a 34.5 -point favorite.

That feels a little high, especially when there’s some recent history that suggests that Fuquay-Varina tends to be tougher to beat at home (Cleveland won the last meeting there, 21-13 in 2022).

Don’t get me wrong. I like the Rams, but I’m not so sure about the margin.

starting the sprint

It’s been an up-and-down season for Princeton (2-3), but the Bulldogs thumped Clinton, 42-20, last week to tune up for this week’s Neuse 6 opener at home against Eastern Wayne.

I remember when last year’s score (52-15, EW) came across my Twitter feed. I almost cussed on the air during my broadcast.

The Warriors (3-2) are off to a decent start this season, and both teams will be looking to start conference play with a bang this week.

The Massey Index has installed the Bulldogs as a 6.5-point favorite, and I could certainly see it going that way. The loser will be behind the eight ball, so both teams will be up for it.

starting the sprint, part 2

North Johnston edged Lakewood, 8-7, to wrap up a 3-2 nonconference slate, and the Panthers will look to run their winning streak to three when it visits Spring Creek.

I don’t mean any harm, but while the Gators (0-5) may be a bit better than they were last season, they’re still one of the weaker 2A teams around.

The computers agree, choosing North Johnston as a 39.5-point favorite. As hot as Kaleb Pone and the Panther offense has been, this feels like a pinball wizard kind of game for them.

on the road again

After their game against West Bladen was cancelled, the American Leadership Academy Patriots (4-1) enjoyed a bye week in advance to this week’s 97-mile journey to Chocowinity to face Southside (0-5).

Now, the Seahawks have had some very good teams in recent years, but the well seems to have run a bit dry recently.

The Patriots, who began this season as Massey Ratings stepchildren, are a 6.5-point favorite. This is a tricky game, because a couple of Southside’s losses are close ones to good teams.

Should be a fun one to track Friday night.