LUMBERTON — While school in Robeson County reconvenes on Monday, the close of summer begins with an official’s whistle blow and the sound of the opening kickoff on Friday, making football players few of the only happy students on campus now.
An offseason’s worth of work and preparations finally comes to a close Friday night, marking the beginning of upsets, surprises, blowouts and showstopping performances on the gridiron.
After a forgettable season picking games last fall, I’m hoping for a better season this time around in year No. 3.
Pine Forest at Purnell Swett
Purnell Swett interim coach Robbie Brown mentioned this week how the last three seasons in this matchup has been a back-and-forth series between these two teams. If history were to follow in rhythm, that would mean that Purnell Swett is due for a win at home. But history might not take account the amount of talent that Pine Forest returns this year.
Led by future Tar Heel D.J. Jones, the Trojans should be entering this season looking to make up for unfinished business last year with a close loss to Scotland one game short of the state championship game, and Friday marks the first step to possibly winning back-to-pack Patriot Athletic Conference titles.
Pine Forest 35, Purnell Swett 18
Terry Sanford at Lumberton
The Pirates enter this game with a lot of questions and a tough opponent to try to find some answers against. Defensively, the matchup with Terry Sanford will be trial by fire for Lumberton, with the only returners being pair of linemen in the trenches surrounded by a group of underclassmen with virtually no varsity experience. That unit takes on a veteran offense.
The Bulldogs enter the season without a home field as the stadium on campus in Fayetteville was demolished over the summer and will be rebuilt before next season. With no home field, Terry Sanford should have no trouble making themselves at home at Alton Brooks Stadium on Friday.
Terry Sanford 49, Lumberton 12
Red Springs at North Johnston
Both teams face near mirror-images of themselves in the opening week matchup. Senior-laden teams that feature balanced offenses meet to prepare for tough conference schedule. The only difference was the records from a year ago when Red Springs nearly doubled what North Johnston posted last season, but the Red Devils can’t take the Panthers lightly.
The Red Devils had a flair for the dramatic last season with close losses and this game should be very similar facing a veteran team on the road. But the group with lots of scars from close losses last year should be able to find a way to escape this one.
Red Springs 29, North Johnston 23
St. Pauls at North Edgecombe
Playing the tough teams in that area of Eastern North Carolina, North Edgecombe has faced its fair share of talented running backs and stout defenses. St. Pauls will be a different team cut from the same mold of those teams based around standout running back Marqueise Coleman and a group of linebackers ready to take the step up to the leaders on the defense, like the Bulldogs linebackers from a year ago.
The game will be a test for both teams, but St. Pauls brings a new mindset into this season, and that should be a major deciding factor against the Warriors.
St. Pauls 35, North Edgecombe 21
Fairmont at Forest Hills
Forest Hills starts off its two-step of Robeson County non-conference opponents against Fairmont at home before it comes to Red Springs next week, and gets to take on a Fairmont team that has to replace the production of county Heisman Jordan Waters that was a one-man wrecking crew on offense last year. Newcomers from South Robeson add another layer of mystery to the team entering the season.
With an exodus of leaders and contributors on offense from a year ago, the new Yellow Jackets in starting roles will face a tough test in a Fairmont front seven with veteran players that should help out the Fairmont offense that is still working out some kinks early on.
Fairmont 21, Forest Hills 10
