After a 16-6 loss at SouthWest Edgecombe on Sept. 6, Eastern Wayne sat at 1-2 overall. The Warriors then edged Greene Central, 20-14, to jumpstart what as become an eight-game winning streak.
That burst included a 30-18 win at Princeton on Oct. 4 — a game that helped them secure a Neuse 6 title and a high seed in the 2A East bracket.
After breezing past Northwood, 44-14, last week, Eastern Wayne (9-2) welcomes Princeton to Goldsboro for a second-round playoff game.
The Bulldogs (7-4) began their own five-game winning streak in the wake of the loss to the Warriors, took out North Johnston in the regular-season finale to earn second place in the league standings and sunk East Carteret, 55-18, on the road last week to reach this round.
And if the phrase “familiarity breeds contempt” was ever applicable, it would be here as the usual niceties between opposing coaching staffs were not observed this week.
Media watch: This is the JoCo Sports Game of the Week. Pregame is at 6:40. It’s also available on WGBR 98.3 FM/1150 AM in Goldsboro.
Series: The teams have split four meetings in the MaxPreps era — all in the last four seasons — with Eastern Wayne winning the last two.
Stat pack: Eastern Wayne likes to spread you out and sling it around to a bunch of guys who are dynamic in open spaces.
When they choose to run it, they can go big with Jay Whisonant, or smaller with Jalen Harris, and both are gaining just shy of six yards an attempt. The quarterback, Izeiah Oates, is the leading rusher. But make no mistake, he’s got an arm, too. He’s also blessed with good football IQ, as one might expect from a coach’s son.
It’s hard for me to get a good read on the Warrior defense, since I saw them play against a depleted North Johnston squad. They tackle well, and were disciplined in that game, though they weren’t really challenged the way they will be this week in the game I saw.
Meanwhile, Princeton’s stat sheet looks as it always does:
The change from previous years is in the yards per carry. It’s down from Princeton’s 2022 team (9.5), but up from last year’s total of 6.9. We’ll talk more about Kadyn Haire in a bit, but he has 553 yards and nine touchdowns in the last four weeks.
The defensive stats are incomplete on MaxPreps, and we’ll touch on that in a minute, too.
When Eastern Wayne has the ball: It’s hard to conceive a worse 2A matchup for the Princeton defense than Eastern Wayne. Princeton has struggled defending the pass this season, including allowing 245 yards in last week’s game.
Oates had 238 yards and three scores in the game back in October, and went for 375 and six scores in a 55-15 rout last fall. Eastern Wayne is going to line up in the spread, throw short if Princeton sags back, and deep if they press up.
How the Bulldog secondary holds up is the number one key to this game.
When Princeton has the ball: Haire didn’t play in the Oct. 4 game, and when he carries the ball more than 14 times in a game, Princeton hasn’t lost yet this season. Teo Mcphatter is a revelation as a freshman, Austin Lewallen is rock solid but Haire is the talisman.
When he’s right, so is Princeton. Obviously, a big night on the ground produces yardage and points. But it would also shorten the game, and keep that Warrior offense parked in neutral.
Massey Index: Eastern Wayne -2.5
Prediction: “You must think Princeton is going to win,” someone asked when I announced the Game of the Week assignment. Well, I think they can.
It’s not going to be easy. Go back and re-read that paragraph about the Warrior offense. That’s a real concern for the Bulldogs. There’s a reality out there when Oates goes crazy and Princeton gets run out of the yard.
But there’s also one where Princeton grinds the Eastern Wayne defense down, and makes just enough plays on defense to pick up a win.
I’m leaning toward the latter.