The Principal’s Office- November 11, 2007

Hey! How did you find my home office? Well, come on in and excuse the mess. I have been battling the flu for a week, and my secretary sent all of my paperwork home for me to do! Take a seat and let’s talk a little 3A Cape Fear Valley football!

The playoffs began last week with five CFV advancing to the “dance” and from what I have been able to read and hear, all of the teams in the league represented themselves well!

In 3AA action:

Triton went up the road to face the team that eliminated them in the first round in 2006, the Southeast Guilford Falcons. This was certainly an interesting contest, as the two teams had some familiarity with one another, and with both teams featuring explosive offenses that could score at will and defenses that enjoyed success at intervals, but had lapses on occasion. In the end, the Hawks prevailed with a big 20-10 win that sends them back on the road to Granville County to face the Warriors of J.F. Webb High School. The Warriors, coached by John Hammett, were in a 3-way tie for first in their league, the Mid-State 3A, and feature a high-octane offense that averages 30 points per game and a defense that only yields 17 points per game. Triton has rebounded nicely from the two losses that ended their regular season and is brimming with confidence. This will be a battle, and will come down to strategy. I see Triton in a 28-27 thriller.

Harnett Central welcomed the Hornets of Western Guilford from the tough Triad 3A conference. As billed, HC’s offense put on a show, but their defense had trouble with WG’s offensive attack to pull of the mild upset 49-46. Coach Marc Morris has a good young squad down there in Angier, and they always work very hard in the off-season. With 2 good quarterbacks returning along with Darius McKoy and some size on both sides of the lines, HC will be ready for CFV forays in 2008!

In 3A action:

Union Pines, enjoying their best season in years, went to the Rocky Mount Athletic Complex as the decided underdog against Hall of Fame Coach B.W. Holt’s Rocky Mount Gryphons, champions of the NEW-6 Conference. Behind sophomore Marquavis Alston’s three touchdowns, the Gryphons cruised into round 2 - winning 28-0. Union Pines had a great year, finishing the regular season at 7-4 and being in firm contention for the CFV championship until late in the regular season. Congratulations to Coach Baker and the Vikings on your good year.

In the FNFRDU.net game of the week, South Johnston and Southern Lee locked horns once again down in Four Oaks, with Southern Lee pulling off the upset, 24-21. The Cavaliers went into the locker room at half up 7-0, but it was apparent that both squads made some adjustments in scheme as the scoreboard came to life during the fourth quarter. This was a hard-fought contest that was full of emotion on both sides. Jeremy McLeod was the big one for the Cavaliers, scoring two second half touchdowns and playing defense as well. For the Trojans, they displayed a “never quit” attitude that made them the CFV regular season champions, and battled back until the end. Both defenses hit hard and pursued great to the football, with most tackles being of the gang-tackling variety. South Johnston had a great year, and with the core of their squad returning in 2008, they have a great chance of repeating as CFV champions.

Next up for Southern Lee are the Saints of Southern Wayne, the champions of the Eastern Carolina 3A conference, coached by Bob Warren. They finished their league slate unbeaten at 5-0 after starting the year 2-4 against a tough non-conference schedule. The Saints average 24.5 points per game, while their defense surrenders an average of 21.5 points per contest. They disposed of conference foe Wilson Beddingfield in the first round by a 29-26 score, and are ready to defend their turf against the Cavaliers for what they hope will be a likely rematch in the third round against Rocky Mount, a team that handed the Saints a 49-7 loss early in the season.

My prediction: Both teams appear to be mirror images of others, with both playing well at times, yet being vulnerable to the big play. The key, as always, will be offensive efficiency, defensive tenacity, and special teams. Look for Southern Lee to travel to Dudley, North Carolina and play hard and come out with a 35-18 victory.

It has been a great year for Cape Fear Valley teams, hasn’t it? A lot of folks expected the CFV title to rest in Sanford or Angier, but Joe Salas and his boys shook up the world and won the league! As a good buddy of mine in Harnett County says, “that’s why you gotta play the games!”

We’ll be back next week to see how Triton and Southern Lee did, so until then,

Have a great holiday, and remember those who paved the way with their lives!

HDL

The Principal’s Office- November 5, 2007

Welcome to the office, everyone out there in cyber-land! The 2007 regular season is over, and after all of the dust, blood, sweat, tears, and Cramer-gesic has settled, the South Johnston Trojans are the 2007 Cape Fear Valley Champions! Congratulations to Joe Salas and his crew for a job well done!

Before we go into the playoff mode, I’d like to review the final week of the regular season:

Harnett Central def. Triton: This game was tight, with HC coming out on top in a thrilling 17-14 come from behind victory to secure 2nd place in the league. HC will enter the 3AA playoffs as a number 5 seed, hosting my homeboys from Guilford County, the Hornets of Western Guilford, while Triton will enter as a number 12 seed and face another group I’m familiar with, the Falcons of Southeast Guilford.

Union Pines def. Western Harnett: The Vikings finished their best season in recent memory at 7-4 after starting off 6-1, suffering a trio of tough losses in the league. Their reward? A #14 seed and a trip up US 1 to 264 East to play the 10-0 Gryphons of Rocky Mount. Nobody is giving the Vikings a chance, but I disagree (read my comments below for more details).

South Johnston def. Grays Creek: The Trojans went to work on the Bears, securing the conference championship and putting themselves in position to vie for a #1 seed in the east. The luck of the draw was with them somewhat, as they entered as with a 10-0 record and a rematch with Southern Lee that lots of folks are anticipating.

Southern Lee def. Overhills: The Southern Lee defensive unit known as DX played a whale of a game against a very talented Overhills squad, holding them to 200 yards of total offense, and rebounded nicely after a heartbreaking 27-26 loss to Harnett Central just 4 days earlier. The Cavaliers discovered on Saturday afternoon that they’d make a trip to Four Oaks in the first round as the #15 seed, and are excited about their prospects.

NOW, before we look at the first round of the playoffs, let me speak to Overhills, Grays Creek, and Western Harnett.

Overhills played a great game on Friday night, and showed some promise this season. They are loaded with athletes on the varsity and JV teams, and I believe that their future is bright. They have a sophomore athlete named Devonte Jefferson, a 6’5, 180 pound lefty QB who WILL be a high division 1 prospect! They have some good young coaches on staff (what’s up, coach Bell!), and if they commit in the weight room, in the classroom, and in the summer, who knows? Lastly, our prayers and thoughts are with Jason Swartzer, the young man who sustained a neck injury on Friday night. We stayed with him on the field until the ambulance came, and my son prayed for him as well, as he went through the same thing last year vs. Grays Creek. I know we talk a lot of mash on the boards, but when someone’s child sustains such an injury, it helps to put things in perspective-that it’s just a game.

Western Harnett will be a team to watch in ’08. I predicted that they would break their losing skid this year, and they had several nights where they were close to doing such. I like their QB, Jared Bohn, and I had the pleasure of working with their burly RB, Josh Burch for a couple of years before he transferred to Western. Their JV team did well this year, and I have no doubt that they too will make some noise in 2008.

Grays Creek was hurt by a lack of depth and youth this year, but that situation will help them in 08, as the reliance of young players in key positions will give them the experience they need to be game tested and ready for the rigors of high school football. I’m sure the Bears will come back strong next year.

Now on to the playoff picture…
In 3AA, Triton will go up 421 to play Southeast Guilford out of the Mid-Piedmont 3A. Southeast is VERY PHYSICAL and very well coached, but so is Triton. Triton had a hiccup against Grays Creek that somewhat put them in a funk for their finale against Harnett Central, and it is critical that the Hawks shake it off and focus on the Falcons. In a battle of 2 physical teams, look for Southeast to pull away in the fourth quarter for a 24-21 victory in Pleasant Garden, NC.

In the second 3AA game involving a CFV team, the Hornets of Western Guilford representing the Triad 3A conference, who finished 6-5 overall and 3-3 in the league, will travel down 421 to come to Angier to face the Trojans of Harnett Central. This will be another intriguing match-up, as WG is prone to give up a lot of points, as although they had a winning record, they gave up more points than they scored in ’07. Harnett Central is clicking right now, and given they’re playing in Angier, I will have to give the nod to the Trojans IF their young QB keeps his poise and the defense continues to play as hard as they have been since their loss to SJ.

In 3A action, I do not envy the draw that Union Pines got. Rocky Mount is no stranger to state playoff action, and they are no stranger to CFV teams, having faced Grays Creek in the first round last year. Union Pines will attempt to control the ball and the clock, milking time off the play clock down to 1 before they snap the ball, and run up the gut with Gallimore and running the bootleg with Monroe. Rocky Mount will try to score quickly and often, and will be frustrated with UP’s slow-down style of play. UP’s defense hasn’t seen this sort of speed and athleticism this year, and the Vikings cannot go into Rocky Mount intimidated by their Hall of Fame coach OR the Gryphon tradition. In the end, Rocky Mount will prevail, 35-7.

Lastly, in a highly-anticipated rematch of an October 5 meeting in Sanford, the Southern Lee Cavaliers will travel to Four Oaks to take on South Johnston. A lot of folks are wondering why Southern Lee is excited about being a #15 seed, the same seed they had last year when they were upended by Southwest Edgecombe 36-6. In that October 5 game, the Cavaliers left 3 extra points on the field, and surrendered an 80-yard touchdown run to Tony Davis late in the game that ended it to give SJ a 29-25 win. Both coaches will use a direct approach to prepare their boys-Salas with the fact that their portion of the bracket is very manageable, and Lee with the idea of payback for 2 pretty hard losses to the Trojans in 2006 and 2007. It may be interesting for the fans of both schools, as it appears as if there’s no love lost between Cavalier and Trojan faithful. South Johnston will look to win big to send clear messages to their half of the bracket that they’re for real, and should have been a #1 seed. The Cavaliers will look to play more efficient football, and not waste time getting plays in and cutting down on penalties (their Achilles ALL season). On the defensive side of the ball, Southern Lee will have to get stellar play from their D-Line and make sure that SJ’s linemen cannot execute the blocks that enable Davis and Sneed to get free on the counter and to make their initial hits on the ball carrier count. The linebackers on both squads will have to do a good job in defending slants and tight end patterns, and the DB’s on both sides must concentrate on NOT letting ANY receiver get behind them and NOT get caught up in bird-dogging to see what’s going on in the backfield.

Prediction? If SJ executes and plays relatively mistake-free football, they’ll try to run away from the Cavaliers and aim for 40+ points. IF the Cavaliers learn from their past 11 games, and look at the playoffs for what it is-a march to the finals-lose and go home, then they will bring some emotion and intensity and TEAMWORK and win the game. My call: Southern Lee 28, South Johnston 24 in a shocker.

As always, we’ll see. I’ll be back this time next week for round 2!

HDL

The Principal’s Office- October 30, 2007

Good Tuesday evening, football fans! Well, Cape Fear Valley action certainly was full of suspense, surprises, and twists during the much-needed monsoon of Friday, October 26 and the mud-fields of Monday, October 29. We didn’t fare well with our picks, did we? After a pretty good run of weeks with 4-0 and 3-1 records, we went 1-3, with the only upside being South Johnston’s 1-point win over Union Pines to enable SJ to clinch the conference championship on Monday evening. Western Harnett, Triton, and Southern Lee all took one on the chin, with Southern Lee facing the dubious distinction of having to defeat Overhills for the second consecutive year to enhance their playoff seed.

Here’s what up:

This week’s games are all about seeding. The teams that are going know they’re in, but things are still in the air about who they’ll play in the first round. South Johnston will probably be a 3 seed in the 3A east, while the rest of the CFV 3A squads will be 8-below, and the 3AA squads will be 5-7’s.

Southern Lee vs. Overhills: Special teams doomed the Cavaliers, as three points were left on the field in their one-point loss to Harnett Central. Before the Cavalier faithful begin the “wait ‘til next year” chants, they can win their regular season finale in Spring Lake, and pray for a favorable seed on 11/9. More than likely, the Cavs will face either Western Alamance or Eastern Alamance in the first round.

Triton vs. Harnett Central: Triton’s world was rocked by Grays Creek on Monday night, suffering an improbable 10-7 loss. This game is key, however, as both are 3AA playoff teams fighting for seeding. HC has some weapons, as does Triton. The game is in Angier, so let’s look for HC to take this one.

Western Harnett vs. Union Pines: I really expected WHHS to pull off the stunner against Overhills, but playing in the quagmire on Friday night seriously limited their passing attack, and OHHS was able to put 7-8 in the box and control the tempo and win the game. UP will power the ball all night and take a big win over the Eagles.

South Johnston vs. Grays Creek: Grays Creek shook up the football world Monday night with that upset victory over the Hawks. Highly improbable that they can duplicate that effort on Friday night, but as I said in an earlier blog, Grays Creek will be alright, possibly as soon as next year, given Lovette played several youngsters at key positions this year.

Good luck to the CFV teams in the playoffs.

Peace!

The Principal’s Office- October 23, 2007

Wow! Another instance of “A day late and a dollar short!” Before you hop on me for being negligent and derelict in my duties as blogger, I have to tell you that I was waiting on the results of the South Johnston-Overhills game before I wrote this edition. I checked in this morning and saw that South Johnston won the game, so this makes this blog fairly simple and short.

With two weeks left in the regular season, it is safe to say that South Johnston has wrapped up the conference championship. With all due respect to Union Pines, there’s just too much momentum going on in Four Oaks, and even if the Trojans stumble against the Vikings, they share the title with the winner of the Harnett Central/Triton game IF Harnett Central gets past Southern Lee and IF Triton gets past Grays Creek.

We went 4-0 last week with our picks, bringing our season total to 17-3. Here’s what’s up for this week:

Grays Creek vs. Triton: Triton is in the thick of things after their thrilling victory over Union Pines last week. They will win this one to set up a regular season finale that will determine their seed in the 3AA playoffs and perhaps conference title implications.

South Johnston vs. Union Pines: Senior Night in Four Oaks. Not very many seniors on the team for the Trojans. Underclassmen may play inspired football and put on an offensive exhibition. Playing two games in 1 week is tough, and Union Pines is hungry for redemption after two high-scoring affairs vs. Harnett Central and Triton. UP will score some points, no doubt, and will test the Trojan defense. This is the FNFRDU.net game of the week, with South Johnston pulling this one out in the fourth quarter.

Southern Lee vs. Harnett Central. Both teams need a win for various reasons. The Cavaliers are looking to sew up a playoff spot, and a win would help them in seeding to avoid a #15 or #14 seed. The Trojans can hope for a South Johnston stumble, then play Triton for an opportunity to share the conference title. Southern Lee has won 2 straight, putting up 40 points in each instance. Harnett Central has won four straight, averaging 45 points per game in the process behind a freshman quarterback. Both defenses need to come out ready to play, as points will be scored, and it is possible that several players on both squads may need intravenous fluids because they’ll have to go both ways for the purpose of putting the best athletes on the field. Key for Southern Lee: Special teams and initial points of contact on the defensive end. The Cavaliers are going to have to make their tackles count, and not let Darius McKoy get second effort yards. The Trojans are going to have to do the same, and not have lapses along the defensive front and secondary. This is the runner up for the FNFRDU.net game of the week, with the outcome and nod going to the Cavaliers in an upset.

Western Harnett vs. Overhills: This is the week Western Harnett breaks the skid. I was very impressed with their squad, as they have some athletes, and they play hard. Overhills will show some battle fatigue from their game vs. South Johnston, and may not be focused on the Eagles. Sophomore QB Jared Bohn and Senior WR Victor Stewart will have a nice game, and look for bulldozer FB Josh Burch to have another nice night.

Once again, here’s the scenario:

In the playoffs: South Johnston, Triton, Harnett Central, Union Pines
Needs 1 more victory for certainty: Southern Lee
Needs to win 2 more: Overhills
Out: Grays Creek, Western Harnett

TTFN!

The Principal’s Office- October 15, 2007

What’s up, acquaintances, associates, and friends? I guess you can sneak in for a few minutes in between all of the parent conferences, teacher leadership meetings, and teacher observations I have to do this week. I know foremost on your mind is what is up with the Cape Fear Valley title race and who might be in and who might be left out of the playoffs that begin on November 9!

Well sit down, and let me talk to ya! What you’ll hear isn’t anything new, but as always, things are always subject to change around here in the Cape Fear Valley.

First, we’ll recap last week’s games. We went 4-0 with our picks, bringing our season conference prediction total to 13-3! That’s not bad, and I thank you for your helpful advice and input on making those choices. There was some good football played throughout the conference last Friday night, with perhaps the biggest surprises coming out of the South Johnston-Western Harnett game. We talked about SJ disposing of the Eagles without much fanfare, but the Eagles came to play, and it was a good game, with the improving Eagles holding the explosive Trojan offense to 28 hard earned points.

And what about the offensive shootout between Harnett Central and Union Pines? At first, it looked like a runaway, with my source actually leaving before the game ended, but the Vikings staged a furious rally in the fourth quarter, but fell short. Now, there is a log-jam for second place, with Triton, UP, and HC all with 1 conference loss with 3 conference games left to play.

Things WILL get interesting this week. Here’s why.

Harnett Central at Grays Creek: Let me be the first to tell you, Grays Creek, despite their record, is a good team, and will be okay in 2008. They lost their starting QB to a knee injury, but are young on both sides of the ball, and will be looking to avenge some of the bad bounces they are enduing and will endure this season. Harnett Central will come to town on a roll, having found their offensive swagger, but showing some question marks defensively, especially against the run. Grays Creek runs the counter VERY WELL, so this could be interesting. But, in the end, the Trojans will pull away and move to 4-1 in the league.

South Johnston at Overhills. This is the Cape Fear Valley Conference Game of the Week. It comes down to this: South Johnston wins, they win the conference championship. If Overhills wins, it will be the upset of the year in the league, no doubt. South Johnston had some distractions last week with homecoming 2007 and all, and Overhills played Triton very tough and displayed some tenacity. My source at the game indicated that the Jaguars have some swagger, and are in “Believe” mode, which means that if they put together another 4 quarters like they did against the Hawks, they’ll be hard to beat. Here’s the deal: The Jaguars will have the home field advantage and emotion on their side. For three quarters, it will be a hard-hitting, action-packed game. But, in the fourth quarter, the Jaguar defense will wear down, and the Trojans will run the counter and some zero routes to perfection and pull away.

Triton at Union Pines: Both teams enter with 1 loss in the league. UP has already clinched a playoff berth, and is looking to solidify their chances for a home game in the first round. Triton is looking to go 5-4 overall and increase their seeding in the 3AA playoffs. This game will be one with some very hard hits requiring some Motrin and rest for both teams on Saturday, as the Hawks love to hit, as do the Vikings. UP showed the ability to put points on the board against Harnett Central, and their running game will be on display as their 240 pound bulldozer will try to soften the Hawk D-line for Travis Monroe’s bootleg keepers. In overtime, however, the Hawks will win this one!

Western Harnett at Southern Lee: There are playoff implications in this one, too. Bryan Lee’s Cavalier’s win this one, they’re probably in the 3A playoffs. The Cavs are playing with a “1 game at a time” approach, looking at the Eagles as another hurdle they have to jump if they wish to finish 1 up in the conference standings and with a 7-win season. The Cavalier offense came to life against Grays Creek, getting stellar performances from Aaron Mellette, Raymond Brown, Princeton Tabon, Jeremy McLeod, DeShawn Scott, and the O-Line, which enabled the aforementioned players to score touchdowns and give Dante Alston the time he needed to throw 2 touchdown passes. The Cavs defense also performed well, shutting Grays Creek down after a back and forth first quarter. The problem for the Cavs was special teams, an area the Cavs have to tighten if they are to be successful Friday night. The Eagles are playing on adrenaline. They performed well on the road against South Johnston, almost pulling off a monumental upset. Western Harnett will travel up Hwy 87 and fight hard, but the Cavaliers will pull away in the third and fourth quarters, as DX (the Cavalier Defense) will come up with their biggest performance of the year to help the Cavs move to 2-3 in the league, setting up additional hurdle jumps against Harnett Central and Overhills to achieve their goals.

So, at this stage, who’s in and who’s out?

In: South Johnston, Union Pines, Harnett Central
Needs more wins: Triton, Southern Lee
Maybe: Overhills, with 2 more conference wins
Out: Western Harnett and Grays Creek

Okay, I have to run! See you next week at this same time, same office!

HDL
The Principal’s Office

The Principal’s Office- October 9, 2007

Okay, okay, I’m a little late on the job this week. It’s been a distressing, draining, emotional, taxing, trying, and worrisome week for us in Cavalier Country as we look at the CFV conference standings and see us in the dubious position of being tied for (GASP) last place. I wouldn’t have ever believed in a lifetime that we would be in this position at this stage in the season, but it is what it is. Some are overjoyed at our struggles and travails, while others kind of sit back and say “Heck. It wasn’t that long ago that we were getting beaten ‘til the scoreboard stopped working. They’ll be back.”

That’s the difference, I guess. There are “haters,” there are those “rabid fans,” and then there are those who follow their squad and cheer them on regardless of the outcome and say and do encouraging and positive things to keep their sport teams focused on whatever objectives and goals were set prior to season’s beginning.

Then there are the pernicious and vicious people who like to come on message boards and incite cyber-riots. I asked the gentlemen at FNFRDU.net to temporarily shut down the SLHS message board because I had grown weary of reading all of the unnecessary verbiage coming from the aforementioned “haters” who relish in the thought of hiding behind a screen name to bash other schools, teams, kids, etc. It’s amazing, because in retrospect, a lot of the haters seem to be adults with an innate knowledge of football, football philosophy, and language associated with the game. It’s cool though. The “haters” out there are the ones who drive the competitor in us all to pull that extra rep, do that extra set, run that extra lap, and all other things associated with intrinsic and extrinsic motivation.

My favorite high school team in North Carolina won’t win the conference this year. Maybe not even next year or the year after that. But as I said a long time ago, every dog has its day. Right now the sun is shining bright in Cameron and Four Oaks, but to everything there is a season; a time to laugh and a time to cry. A time to win and a time to lose. Our time is coming. Trust me.

Now on to Cape Fear Valley football.

Week eight promises to be one of exciting football action, with some pivotal match-ups being played this Friday night that will have an impact on post-season aspirations of some teams, and on seeding for others who have already clinched a spot in the party that begins on November 9. Here’s what I believe:

Southern Lee vs. Grays Creek: Yep, it’s do or die time for the Cavaliers. No doubt about it. The boys showed some spunk against South Johnston, but were hurt by defensive lapses at all the wrong times. IF the Cavaliers have any desire to be invited to the dance that begins on November 9, they have to put together a complete game, and not wait until the second half to start playing ball. They will make the drive to Southeastern Cumberland County on Friday night and will win their first game in a little under a month by pulling away in the fourth quarter to even their record and build some momentum.

Triton vs. Overhills: I like the underdog. It has been stated on many occasions that the Jaguars are very talented, have speed at key positions on offense, and are very athletic, but for some reason, just can’t put it all together. Triton, as stated by me on numerous occasions, isn’t very flashy, but always finds a way to get the job done. This one will be intriguing and exciting at first, featuring a close first half. But then, Triton will make some adjustments and pull away in the second half and do it big, winning by at least 3 touchdowns.

Harnett Central vs. Union Pines: UP has won five straight. Legitimately, those guys could be undefeated if not for a hiccup at Pinecrest. Still not feeling how they celebrated on our field/in our stadium when they beat us a few weeks ago on our homecoming (a little personal, eh?), but heck, they played a good game. HC has found some offensive rhythm over the past couple of weeks, and it looks like their defense has improved as well. This will be the CFV Game of the Week in my opinion, with the Trojans handing UP a hard-luck loss.

South Johnston vs. Western Harnett: The sun is shining mighty bright in Four Oaks. Message board fighting, ill-will and acrimony among Trojan/Cavalier fans notwithstanding, SJ will probably win the CFV. They have a good squad, good coaching, and a nice fan base. They’re on a roll and should dispose of Western Harnett without much fanfare. They have a good young team, and if they can stay humble, who knows. I would dare not refer to their remaining opposition as “Chihuahuas,” but I don’t see them losing in the league this year, so I guess they can be the “Big Dawg” for now.

Okay, enjoy the rest of your week. I’ll try to make my deadline next time!

HDL
The Principal’s Office

The Principal’s Office- September 30, 2007

Come on into the office, friend! I hope you had a superb weekend! Mine was pretty cool. We came off of our homecoming with our dance that ended at 1 a.m., and I’m glad that all of the festivities and glitz associated with homecoming are over. Now we can get back to a calmer routine around here as we transition to the middle-end of the fall sports seasons.

As you can see, my office is full of good luck charms, trinkets, rabbits feet, turtle shells, pig knuckles, four-leaf clovers, and horseshoes. Let me put these away right fast so we can chat for a little while about the Cape Fear Valley Conference games coming up this week.

Grays Creek @ Union Pines: The Bears are coming off of a 1-point loss to Overhills, while the Vikings ruined Southern Lee’s homecoming with a big win. Union Pines will continue their clock management ground game and celebrate their 2007 homecoming with a win over the Bears to move to 3-0 in the league to set up late-season showdowns for playoff position and conference championship implications with South Johnston, Harnett Central, and Triton.

Harnett Central @ Overhills: Seems like the Trojans have regained their offense and a little of their swagger with two pretty good offensive showings behind a 9th grade quarterback over the last 2 weeks. Overhills still has some of the best talent and best athletes around, but it won’t be enough to contain the various weapons that Harnett Central brings to the table. Harnett Central will be one of those teams that, in the end, will have some say about who will claim the conference championship.

South Johnston @ Southern Lee: Post-game interview commentary notwithstanding, the Trojans have caught everyone’s attention. The Trojans are riding a serious high, playing with and displaying TREMENDOUS intensity on both sides of the ball. The Cavaliers are struggling to piece everything together and put something positive on the left side of the “W and L” column. This game could be the defining moment for both teams. If South Johnston wins, their coach’s post-game commentary will become prophecy. If Southern Lee can put things together, sustain some offense, and the defense turns up their intensity two levels, they can win and build on positive momentum to close out the regular season and make the playoffs. I say Southern Lee does it this week, silences critics and folks who are looking past them, and begins the march to a good season and the 3A playoffs.

Triton @ Western Harnett: Triton left it all on the field against South Johnston last week, and Western Harnett once again competed hard and showed some spunk against Harnett Central. Triton will grind out a key conference win in Lillington to even their league record and position themselves for showdowns against Union Pines and Harnett Central for seeding position for November 9.

You think I should put away the trinkets and beads? Okay, I’ll listen to your advice. My pastor would be agitated if he knew that I was relying upon those to help the Cavs break out of their skid, anyway. I’ll take your advice and keep my boys encouraged!

Come back at the same time next week so I can holler at you about the week that was and will be in the Cape Fear Valley (hey, that rhymed!).

The Principal’s Office- September 24, 2007

Is that a knock I hear at my door? Hold on, I’m coming! Let me finish praying for courage, strength, and wisdom after a tough weekend here in Sanford.

Okay, welcome to my office, it’s great seeing you again!

Well, the first week of the conference season is over, and the picks we talked about last week were pretty accurate EXCEPT for one horrific debacle in Harnett County involving my favorite squad this side of I-40. For the record, we were 3-1 last week, bringing our season total to 16-6.

Before we start chatting, I have to be rather laconic during our conversation. I have to be in Fayetteville for our North Carolina High School Athletic Association regional meeting, so I have to be pretty short-winded today. Nothing against you, my friend; I just have to be in Cumberland County in a few minutes.

Here’s what’s up this week in the Cape Fear Valley:

Grays Creek vs. Overhills: The Bears got back into the win column with a shut-out of Western Harnett on September 21, and they will move to 2-0 in the league with a win against the Jaguars. The Bears’ defense did a good job of keeping Western Harnett off the scoreboard, and I look for their positive momentum to continue against the Jags. Expect a positive performance from both sides of the ball from the Bears.

Harnett Central vs. Western Harnett: The Trojans are coming off of a tough loss to South Johnston on September 20, having displayed somewhat of a “youth movement” against the SJ Trojans, starting several underclassmen. Western Harnett continues to display spunk in their performances, but could not muster any offense against Grays Creek, and they probably won’t find overwhelming success moving the ball against the Trojans. Harnett Central will take this one, but I don’t envy Coach Morris. He has a decision to make: Play the junior QB who waited patiently in the wings for Rodney Cox to move on, or play the freshman who moved the ball well against South Johnston. Decisions, decisions, decisions!

South Johnston vs. Triton: Perhaps an early preview of two teams who may well end up winning the conference championship? Maybe. Triton is 2-3, and coming off of a complete dismantling of Southern Lee. South Johnston defeated “The Man” on last Thursday, so they can lay claim to the inside track to the CFV title. Both teams like to pound the ball, yet the Trojans of South Johnston will have the edge because of the efficiency of both their running and passing games. SJ will win the game, further solidifying an earlier discussion we had where we agreed that the Cape Fear Valley championship may very well run through Four Oaks.

Union Pines vs. Southern Lee: Union Pines came correct with a 44-22 thumping of rapidly slipping Overhills. Southern Lee was, well, shellacked last week in a game that many prognosticators expected and predicted them to win. The UP coaches and players are licking their chops right now, because they believe that SL is vulnerable and still “the same old Southern Lee” that I overheard some of the SL critics call them, and believe that the SL defense is too shaky to stop the run. To make matters more interesting, it’s homecoming at Southern Lee, and I don’t think the UP boys appreciate being a homecoming opponent (even though SL was theirs last year). SL, on the other hand, has some things they have to figure out. I was going to put all of them in In-School Suspension for their ugly performance against Triton, but it’s over, and the Cavaliers have to figure out a way to bounce back, have a successful turnaround, and become a complete team and play for 4 quarters to mark their return to solid football. This one is going to be interesting. Union Pines wins if Southern Lee cannot or does not wish to tackle John Gallimore or defend the double threat that QB Travis Monroe brings with his arm and his legs. If Southern Lee performs up to potential, and not shoot themselves in the feet with penalties and turnovers and missed tackles, they’ll win. Either way, the Cavs will be without the services of 6’4/280 sophomore tackle Blade Shoop, so somebody (anybody) on the defensive line will have to step up. Whichever team wants this one will take it. I say it will be Southern Lee by a close, close margin.

The Principal’s Office- September 17, 2007

Good Monday morning, everybody! It is truly a great day around here at Southern Lee High School, as the students here are buzzing because they will receive progress reports today that should summarize their performance thus far after 3 weeks of instruction AND everyone around here in Cavalier Country is still buzzing about Saturday night’s victory in the second annual Brick City Bowl vs. Lee County High School. We’ll talk about that and much more. Bring your posterior in here and let’s sit and chat a little about the goings on in the Cape Fear Valley 3A Conference!

I guess I should be excited about my picks for last week’s games. I went 4-0, but there’s good news and there’s bad news. First, I went 4-0 in my picks which brings my season total to 13-5. The bad news is that I picked against Cape Fear Valley teams in all but one of the contests. NEWSFLASH to the CFV: I absolutely despised picking against CFV teams during the non-conference slate, and our overall record in non-conference play was 12-20. Even in that figure is some good news-most of the teams in the league played competitive 4A and 3A teams, and when we went down to 2A and 1A teams, they were teams that were either coming off of playoff years OR have the potential to do some good work in their leagues this year. Well, the tune-ups are over, and it’s time to start jockeying for position for Friday, November 9.

Here’s the deal:

Grays Creek (0-4) at Western Harnett (0-4). Something has to give in this one. Quite frankly, I am mystified by the Bears’ 0-4 start. I’ve been tempted to go back into my storage closet and break out my old-school “Board” of Education (I know some of you remember those if you were raised in the ‘70’s), but I think Coach Lovette and his Bears will roll into Lillington and pick up a hard-fought victory over the Eagles. Playing at Western Harnett is always tough, and Coach Wyrick’s boys will put up a fight, but in the end, Marquan Brown will be the difference maker. Grays Creek 34, Western Harnett 28

Harnett Central (1-3) at South Johnston (3-1). In the Battle of the Trojans, I’m going with South Johnston. Although South Johnston has played in the opinion of some, the “softer” non-conference schedule, they’re clicking on all cylinders and have some confidence about themselves and what they’re doing. Harnett Central has played some excellent 4A competition, and came out 1-3, which is not bad considering that they lost to Fuquay-Varina (Tri-8 favorite), Hoggard (destroyed Rose last week), and Terry Sanford (should contend for the 2 Rivers). But in this one, the lingering effects of a 3 quarter shut-out loss to Terry Sanford will carry over into Four Oaks, and the Trojans of South Johnston will take a 29-24 win over the Trojans of Harnett Central.

Overhills (1-3) at Union Pines (3-1). The Jaguars vs. the Vikings presents an interesting match-up for football fans coming to Wilhoit Stadium down in Cameron. Overhills started strong, yet has faded coming into the conference schedule. Union Pines has put up some points, but did so against two 1A teams, and were then pushed in their other 2 games against Pinecrest (a loss) and Granite Hills, California (a win). Overhills can score, but it looks like defense has been an issue for them. The winner of this game will be the one who scores last. Union Pines 35, Overhills 33.

Southern Lee (3-1) at Triton (1-3). Southern Lee is coming off an emotional win over county rival Lee County High School on Saturday night by a 32-17 count. Junior running back Raymond Brown led the Cavs with 273 yards and 3 TD’s, while the Dante Alston to Aaron Mellette connection continued to click for a fourth score in as many games. Triton has played tough this year, falling to New Hanover, Clinton, and Triple S, while taking a 20-point victory over Green Hope out of the Tri-8. Triton will attempt to bottle Raymond and Aaron, but Southern Lee has about 7 other offensive weapons that Offensive Coordinator Mike Short can turn to. Defensively, both units have done a good job, with Southern Lee surrendering 15 points per game thus far, led by Defensive Coordinator Mike Sartain’s unit dubbed “DX” which is led by Kenneth Lindsay, Antonio Singletary, KJ Sanders, Jacob Nicholson, Blade Shoop and others that held Lee County’s D1 stud Jay Hollingsworth to 53 yards on Saturday. Triton’s defense surrenders 23.3 points per game thus far, and given 15 is less than 23, I will pick Southern Lee to avenge last year’s 27-14 loss at Cavalier Stadium by a 35-14 count in Erwin on Friday night.

I must say that it has been an absolute blast working quadruple-time as principal, dad, student, and blogger this year. Thanks for helping me to keep stuff balanced so I could have some fun in this job! Your presence in my office has certainly made a positive difference around here!

Well, it’s time for me to get back in the hallways and classrooms. It’s going to be a busy day today, because on top of working with all of the cool teachers and students at Southern Lee, I have to get ready to host the presentation of the Brick City Classic trophy! Maybe you can come back to join us in the celebration, so until next time, I’ll see you on the halls, with a signed, dated, and timed hall pass, of course!

The Principal’s Office- September 10, 2007

Hey, what’s up?!? I thought I saw someone with my peripheral vision standing there. I bet you want to talk some Cape Fear Valley Football, don’t you? Well, given I’m preparing for a big PTSO rally on Wednesday night, as well as the BIG cross-town rivalry game with Lee County High School on Friday, I suppose I can show some off-task behavior for a few minutes.

Have you checked out the conference standings lately? I’m distressed that only three teams-South Johnston, Southern Lee, and Union Pines are sporting winning records at this stage of the season. This means two things: First, our league is either playing a murderous non-conference slate to get the teams ready for the rigor of conference play OR our teams are falling into the hands of the critics and naysayers who say that our league is soft in football. Second: When it’s time to play those conference games, it will show that anybody can beat anybody on any given Friday night-Just as I predicted back in July when you first visited.

Here’s the deal:

Grays Creek: I don’t know what’s up with the Bears. There’s talent there, and the 0-4 start has me stumped. I have watched a little film, and it looks like they’ll use the bye week to work on some things defensively. The Bears will rebound and win some conference games, but at this juncture, they are not looking like the team that several prognosticators, including me, had picked to contend for the CFV championship.

Harnett Central: The Trojans will return to action against Terry Sanford on Friday. This is an intriguing match-up in my book, and could challenge for the FNFRDU.net game of the week. The Trojans had an off week after their loss to 4AA powerhouse Hoggard, and should be eager to hit the field against Terry Sanford. Plenty of points will be scored, but the Trojans will take another tough loss before they open conference play in their quest to repeat as conference champs.

Overhills: The Jaguars are one of my favorite teams for one simple reason: They’re loaded with athletes! Buzz to Overhills: YOU’RE NOT PLAYING UP TO POTENTIAL! Let’s see, you’re playing Pine Forest on Friday. Hmmm. This should be an interesting match-up as well. I know a little about Pine Forest, as our boys in Sanford scrimmaged them in August. They’re tough, physical, and should pose a challenge. As much as I hate to say it, the Jaguars are going to have to wait another week to get that second win of the year, but I still say that IF Overhills plays up to their potential, they’ll be a pretty good team!

South Johnston: After dropping from what I heard was a pretty good game to county rival Smithfield Selma, South Johnston will have a bye week to prepare for their conference opener on September 21. Again, I think the conference championship may pass through Four Oaks before it’s all said and done on November 2.

Southern Lee: The Cavaliers woke up during the fourth quarter and put away a much-improved Pinecrest team 43-19 on Friday night. Fullback Darius Britton was the workhorse, carrying 15 times for 153 yards and 2 scores. Jeremy McLeod added 95 yards, and Raymond Brown, Princeton Tabon, and James Butler all had at least 5 carries for the Cavs, who used a variety of weapons against the Patriots. Marshall University commitment Aaron Mellette had 2 touchdown grabs, and freshman Skakeer Alston had his second TD of the season from big brother Dante. Defensively, the Cavs got 4 sacks from junior linebacker Jacob Nicholson, and punishing hits from pretty much everyone, but I have to give a shout-out to ends KJ Sanders, Nick Bracken, and Charles McLean who hounded the QB all night, as well as LB’s Nicholson, Trent West, Antonio Singletary, Kenneth Lindsay, and Terrell McIver. The secondary is improving, and if PCTV comes up with game highlights, you’ll see Aaron Lassiter, Mike Foxx, Cameron Reed, and Julian Martin laying the wood from time to time! This week the boys will make the 3 mile trip to Nash Street to play the Yellow Jackets of Lee County High School. Okay, here’s the controversial pick, one that’s sure to conjure all kinds of drama: Southern Lee 33, Lee County High School 20!

Triton: The Hawks have a week off to get ready after their tough loss to perennial powerhouse Clinton. Again, don’t sleep on Triton. They are dangerous, and will make the playoffs with some quality CFV conference wins over teams who don’t take them seriously!

Union Pines: The Vikings went 2,987 miles and won 21-14! With the win, the Vikings move to 3-1 overall and have a bye week this week to overcome jetlag and wind down before preparing for their CFV opener on September 21.

Western Harnett: Showed some spunk in their loss to 4A Lee County on August 31, and I think that their confidence level rose substantially with their second-half performance against the Jackets. Unfortunately for Coach Wyrick and the boys, it won’t be enough against yet another 4A opponent, Cape Fear. The Eagles will break into the win column, but it won’t be this week. Keep working hard, though, because your breakthrough is coming!

Awww man, look at the clock! We’ve been sitting here talking football, and I have visitors in the lobby! Let me get at you later! Go out and enjoy a game this week, maybe the Southern Lee-Lee County High game! Hope to see you there!

HDL

The Principal’s Office- September 01, 2007

Another football week is in the books, and the first week of academic instruction across North Carolina concluded Friday night with some pretty fair Cape Fear Valley football action. For the first time, I made some picks involving CFV teams last week, and went 6-2. This does not bode well for our league, because for the second consecutive week, CFV teams did not fare well in non-conference play, going 3-5 against a variety of 4A foes, with the exception of Union Pines, which beat 1A North Moore. As I told some Southern Lee boys Friday night, they can be upset about their loss to Page Friday and Saturday, ask the Lord for strength, courage, and reckless abandon on Sunday, and go back to work on Monday. That’s how this game goes=”That’s why you play the games, gentlemen!” Herm Edwards.

Here are some thoughts for the upcoming week:

Grays Creek will be on the road against Cape Fear, and after two consecutive bad outings, look for them to right the ship with a 28-13 victory. I was very surprised by the outcome of the Terry Sanford game, and I hope that morale doesn’t become an issue down there in Cumberland County.

Harnett Central will enjoy an off week this week to reflect after two consecutive losses to 4A teams that are predicted to win their respective conferences-Fuquay-Varina and Hoggard. They return to action on September 14 against Terry Sanford that should prove to be an exciting game.

Overhills hung tough with 4A Lumberton, falling 21-14. Based upon their first few games, it seems like their defense has improved, but the unit will be put to a stern test against West Johnston on September 7. The Jaguar secondary will be tested early, but I think Overhills will make the necessary adjustments and take a 28-22 victory.

Southern Lee played 4A Page High School out of the Metro 4A conference and took a disappointing 27-26 loss, wasting a 12-carry, 200 yard performance by Raymond Brown. A holding penalty negated a 37-yard touchdown reception. Another holding penalty negated a lengthy Jeremy McLeod run that would have been a crucial first down. A roughing the passer on fourth down gave Page an automatic first down and a touchdown on the next play to end the first half. 2 missed extra points, and from what I read in two media outlets, an admitted officiating mistake gave Page the ball back after they’d fumbled deep in their own territory. 3 interceptions thrown by the Cavalier quarterback put a tired, but vastly improved Cavalier defense back onto the field with little or no rest. The Cavaliers cannot continue to shoot themselves in the foot with penalties and concentration issues if they expect to contend for the conference championship. BUT…this is a second-year varsity program without the benefit of vast experience, so these types of things will happen. A renewed commitment to personal excellence, SELF-DISCIPLINE, execution, and excellent practice/fundamental habits can help them to bounce back against Pinecrest on September 7. Pinecrest is 100% better than what they were last year, and they will be juiced against the Cavs, remembering the 63-0 pasting from last year. But that is what it was-last year’s game, and if Southern has another week like they had last week, things could be interesting. Southern Lee 20, Pinecrest 14.

South Johnston looks like the prohibitive favorite to win the league this year, using a stout defense, a multi-faceted offense, and some good coaching to enter this leg of the season 3-0. Their 10-7 victory over Clayton was a far cry from my 40-14 prediction, and I couldn’t help but notice that Dee Walden’s name wasn’t in the box for any receptions or carries. I wonder if he’s injured or was being held out. Either way, they’ll take the field at Smithfield Selma on Friday. This should be the FNFRDU.NET game of the week, with the Trojans taking a 28-18 victory to move to 4-0 on the year. If they can stay healthy and their guys stay disciplined, they will reap the benefits of their off-season hard work in the weight room, indoor track, outdoor track, and summer regimen and do some positive things in the post-season.

Triton got into the win column with a victory over Tri-8 4A Green Hope. Triton is one of those teams that always manage to win 7 games per year in a quiet, and sometimes ugly fashion. They won’t have a lot of glitz and glamour, but they get the job done. They will host Clinton on September 7 and take another win by a 29-13 count.

Union Pines rebounded from their setback to Pinecrest to defeat North Moore 35-0. The Vikings will pack up and head to Granite Hills, California for a cross-country match-up that will be a nice sight-seeing and east coast-west coast high school football style showcase. Union Pines will bring their ground game featuring 5’10 240 pound John Gallimore and 6’3 185 pound Travis Monroe against a west-coast spread offense. Given I don’t know much about Granite Hills other than their 3-8 record from a year ago, I’ll say Union Pines 24, Granite Hills 17.

Western Harnett showed some spunk on August 31 against Lee County High School, coming back from a 41-7 halftime deficit to lose 41-21. The Eagles are showing weekly improvement, and after their bye week, I look for them to break into the win column on September 14 against Cape Fear. Western Harnett is one of those teams that’s hard to figure out. They have a lot of kids, they’re big and strong and fast at key positions, but are struggling to piece it all together. Like Southern Lee, they’re young, and it will take some time. Note: Their JV’s are pretty good, having defeated Lee County 22-18 on Thursday night, so the future looks bright in Lillington.

Please enjoy your Labor Day holiday and put away those white shoes and pants, as it would be a violation of the dress code to wear them after Labor Day. I’m certain you don’t want to be sent to the principal’s office for a dress code violation after such a great start to your year, would you? Let me sign your hall pass so you can get back to what you were doing!

The Principal’s Office-August 26, 2007

Hello, Cape Fear Valley Conference fans! We are two good weeks into the 2007 season, and there has been some pretty fair football played around the Lee/Johnston/Moore/Harnett/Cumberland county region. All of the CFV programs have a game or 2 under their belts, and although it’s early, some programs are thinking playoffs and others are considering changing gears to panic mode. Here is the deal…

By and large, it was not a good week for the conference as a whole in non-conference competition, as our teams went 2-5 on Friday night. The games were competitive and exciting, however, and just like many coaches before me have said, “these non-conference games won’t determine the conference championship” and “these games allow us to experiment and tinker with a variety of things before conference play begins.” These are true statements, and the boys around the league should have a good week of practice and perform well in week 3. Here’s how our guys did on Friday, August 24:

Grays Creek lost to county rival and mother school South View 35-6. It seems as if the Tigers effectively neutralized Grays Creek’s offensive weapons and pretty much stole the spirit of the home-standing Bears. I know it was a devastating feeling for GC to lose to their arch rival at home, but the game is behind them and it’s time to focus on their next opponent, one that’s on a roll, the 2-0 Terry Sanford Bulldogs. It seems that teams have read the advanced scouting reports and believe that if Marquan Brown is successfully contained, Grays Creek can be beaten. Look for Terry Sanford to do a variety of stunting and blitzing to confuse and frustrate Grays Creek and take the ballgame by a 27-14 score.

Harnett Central took the pre-season Tri-8 favorite Fuquay-Varina Bengals to overtime only to fall 21-14. This was a hard-hitting contest that was well-played and well-coached. Both squads were prepared for the variety of offensive maneuvers each team presented, and in the end, a fumble made the difference. Harnett Central is a lot like Grays Creek, with opposing defenses determining containing Desmond White and Darius McKoy may mean victory. Lincoln Morton has a great arm, and is a big, durable QB, but is not the scrambler like the guy who ran for the equivalent of I-95 for four years down in Angier. The thinking is: Force Morton out of the pocket and he’s vulnerable. Things may not get easier for the Trojans as they venture down 421 to Wilmington to play 1-0 Hoggard, a team that thrashed traditional powerhouse New Bern 39-13 on August 17.

Overhills enjoyed an open date and now faces 10 consecutive weeks of football. The hope is for the Jaguars to remain healthy and in optimal physical condition, because they have a real shot of making a post-season appearance. They were impressive in their season opener, but the “haters” are screaming about the win being against a 1A program that has struggled in recent years. Guess what, however? A lot of the “haters” who doubt the Jags will have to read about them taking a win against the 0-2 Lumberton Pirates on Friday. The Overhills guys are really talented and have some good speed at key positions. They could very easily enter conference play at 3-1 and cause some discomfort among league teams. Only time will tell if they play up to their potential.

South Johnston defeated West Johnston 31-10 to move to 2-0 on the season, getting a good all-around performance from their offense and defense. From what I was able to determine, there was good balance offensively on the ground and through the air, and the defense did a good job of performing against a team that had a little more depth than 1A Princeton. Again, South Johnston is a team that will figure prominently in late October in the CFV. Their next opponent, Clayton, has a little momentum as they snapped a 13-game losing streak on Friday night. It won’t be enough against the Trojans in Four Oaks this Friday night. Look for South to move to 3-0 with a 40-14 victory.

Southern Lee wasted no time in showing the general public their offensive prowess against Cardinal Gibbons in Sanford. Cardinal Gibbons attempted an onside kick to begin the game, and the guys recovered the ball and scored in 7 seconds on a 58-yard pass from Donte Alston to Aaron Mellette. Before Cardinal Gibbons could call the Diocese for support, they were down 21-0. The offensive output was truly outstanding, with the unit producing 550 yards of total offense. The offensive line helped Raymond Brown, Jeremy McLeod, Darius Britton, Princeton Tabon, and James Butler combine to rush for 471 yards, with Dante Alston connecting with Mellette and his younger brother Shakeer Alston for touchdown passes. The Cavalier defense, a unit that has been maligned by all sorts of media types, limited the Crusaders to 200 yards of total offense, including special teams. “DX,” the unit’s nickname, picked off 6 passes, getting 2 interceptions each from Aaron Lassiter and Cameron Reed, and 1 each from Frank Binns and Mike Foxx. The run defense, anchored by the linemen and linebackers, applied all sorts of pressure and kept the Crusaders from gaining positive momentum. Completing the great evening was the debut of placekickers Jake Brower and Michael Torres from the soccer team, with Brower’s kickoffs going deep and Torres going 6 for 7 on extra points. Next up for the Cavaliers is a tough Greensboro Page team out of the Metro 4A conference that lost 14-7 to traditional power Northeast Guilford. If the Cavaliers can shore up the run defense, shed stalk blocks, and cut down on some of the penalties, they should pull out a 34-14 victory in Sanford on Friday night.

Triton fell to New Hanover 27-7 down in Wilmington, and appeared to be flat. At 0-2, they will have to regroup and start anew vs. the Green Hope Falcons. Triton, just like Overhills, has some good athletes along with top-flight coaches. Look for the Hawks to begin their turnaround on Friday night. They too will be a team that will cause some discomfort for some teams in the CFV.

Union Pines hurt my feelings. I picked them to defeat Pinecrest primarily to put the rest some of the more obnoxious posts from some Pinecrest supporters (read: Players) in another forum where they were prognosticating skating through a “weak,” as they described it, non-conference schedule of Cardinal Gibbons, Union Pines, Saint Pauls, and Southern Lee. Quite naturally, I took exception to this, and knowing what I know of Union Pines, I felt that stopping Travis Monroe and John Gallimore would be too daunting a task. Well, what do you know, before UP could breathe, they were down 21-0 and had to play catch-up the rest of the evening. The Vikings outscored the Pinecrest 27-12 in the second half, but it wasn’t enough as they fell 33-27. They return to action Friday night against North Moore, and I look for them to rebound from that tough loss and take a 31-14 victory. They’ll pack their bags and head to California for what should be a good team-building and fact-finding excursion. One fact is certain, however: Pinecrest is a different team, and I’ll congratulate them on their success. You won’t find me “hating!”

Western Harnett took their own well-manicured field as heavy underdogs against 2A Northwood, a team along with Burlington Cummings, which is predicted to contend for the Mid-State 2A title. The Eagles fell behind quickly, but then rallied to close the gap to 4 points before giving up 2 Tobias Palmer touchdowns in the fourth quarter to take a 38-20 loss. The loss to Northwood should be viewed as a momentum builder for Western Harnett after they took that thumping at the hands of Fuquay-Varina the week before. I see weekly improvement for the Eagles, but that elusive first win won’t come on Friday, August 31. They’ll make the short 9-mile drive to Sanford to play the Lee County High School Yellow Jackets who are still smarting from their season-opening loss to Harnett Central. I had the opportunity to speak with the Jackets’ Jay Hollingsworth and Jamal Miller (two really quality and classy young men), and they indicate that adjustments have been made and that the Eagles should expect a much more focused Yellow Jacket team in Paul Gay Stadium. Again, I stand by my previous statement that Coach Wyrick’s boys will win some games this year, but I don’t feel comfortable saying it will be this Friday night.

Well folks, I think I’ve been too long-winded in this edition. Maybe I’ll work on being more concise and laconic the next time. At this time I’ll sign your hall pass and send you back to class. Don’t get a disciplinary report written up on you and have to come back by my office on less-than-pleasant circumstances between now and next time. As Bruce Banner would say: “Don’t make me angry. You wouldn’t like me when I’m angry!”

The Principal’s Office-August 18, 2007

For all of us high school football fans who have grown weary of Barry’s pursuit of the home run record, or Mike’s Bad Newz Kennels, or Beckham’s arrival to the states, never fear, the start of the 2007 high school football season is HERE!

I had the opportunity to visit the fine Paul Gay Stadium on the campus of Lee County High School on Friday night to take a look at the 2007 edition of the Harnett Central Trojans take on the Lee County High School Yellow Jackets to determine a few things:

1. With both being common opponents for Southern Lee, I wanted to do a little advance scouting.
2. How would Harnett Central’s offense perform in the post-Rodney/Kevin/Deshawn/Jacques era?
3. How would Harnett Central’s defense perform with 8 new starters?
4. How would Lee County perform in the post-Kennedy/Imhoff era?
5. Would my sore lower back (squatted a little too low with too much weight the other day in the weight room) hold up for the entire game?

All of my questions were answered, and I’ll share those with you, along with reports from around the league from a relatively successful opening night.

Harnett Central won the ballgame 55-28, displaying a proficient passing game and powerful inside running from Darius McKoy. Their offensive line did a good job of opening holes for McKoy and Lincoln Morton when they chose to run inside, and Morton had enough time to find Desmond White and Jim Ealy for touchdown receptions. Defensively, they did a good job swarming to the football, gang-tackling the Jackets’ Omar Murriell and Jay Hollingsworth, but the duo did combine for more than 200 all-purpose yards against the Trojans. The Jackets’ defense seemed to key on McKoy, and in so doing, was vulnerable to the passing game. Morton was an efficient 9-14 for 159 yards and 4 TD’s on the evening, showing good poise in the pocket.

Overall observation: Harnett Central will still light up the scoreboard, but they’ll be vulnerable defensively to teams that can run the ball effectively to the outside. Lee County will do fine in their conference as well, as their defense will firm up as the season progresses and they’ll gel offensively behind Murriell, Hollingsworth, QB’s Dakota Hart and William McIntrye and their mammoth offensive line that averages 6’1/240.

In other CFV games, the following observations exist (teams featured in alphabetical order):

Grays Creek: lost to Pine Forest 49-33. As expected, Marquan Brown put on a show. The NCpreps.com Pre-Season 3A Player of Year had over 225 yards receiving and rushing, and played DB, but it wasn’t enough for the Bears against their 4A opponent. It seems like depth may be a problem for Grays Creek, but it’s early, and I’m sure that Coach Lovette will have his DCoordinator to make some adjustments after today’s film study.

Overhills: Thrashed Red Springs 48-6 behind the athleticism of their offense and defense, led by Nelson Cherry and Rodney Williams. This is a big win for the Jaguars, who have now matched their win total from 2006. I told anyone who would listen that Overhills will cause some problems for some teams in and out of the league this year, as they’ll be guilty of looking at their past struggles and scheduling them as the featured opponent for Youth Football Night, Homecoming, Senior Night, and Cute Baby Discount Night. Look for the Jaguars to use this game for positive momentum for the 2007 season.

South Johnston: Smashed Princeton 46-0, successfully unveiling their new quarterback, and showcasing the speed of their defense, power of their O Line, and versatility of their offense. Pick your poison-Tony Davis or Dee Walden. I was surprised that they pitched a shut-out, because many observers felt that they would struggle defensively. The South Johnston Trojans are another team that could make some noise in the upper division of the league and challenge HC for the championship.

Southern Lee: The Cavaliers were off on the 17th. Half of the boys attended the HC/LCHS game, and the other half attended the Pinecrest/Cardinal Gibbons game in Southern Pines to do some advance scouting. The Cavs open on the 24th against Cardinal Gibbons, and will travel to Southern Pines to play the improved Pinecrest Patriots on September 7. The Cavs hosted 3A East Rowan for a scrimmage on Wednesday, August 16, and came away with a 24-20 victory (the JV defense allowed 1 score against East Rowan’s varsity). Dante Alston connected with Carlos Jennings, Raymond Brown, and Aaron Mellette for touchdown scores, and Jeremy McLeod capped the scoring for the Cavs with a 55-yard touchdown run. The defense, led by Antonio Singletary and Josh Rice, matched up well against the big and physical O Line from East Rowan, and did a good job of making good contact at the line of scrimmage, but will go to work to work on gang-tackling and wrapping up at the line of scrimmage. The Cavs also received some great pre-season news when they learned that Dante Alston, Raymond Brown, and Aaron Mellette were named to the NCpreps.com Pre-Season 3A All-State Team (Honorable Mention).

Triton: Took a tough loss to Triple S in overtime, 22-16. I encourage the Hawks not to fret, however. From everything I heard and had a chance to read about, it was a good game, and there is cause for optimism in Erwin. An early non-conference loss should not hurt Triton, as it will be used as an evaluation tool for their staff to make adjustments to prepare for their CFV slate and a potential run at the conference championship.

Union Pines: Put a licking on Chatham Central, 58-6. Eight touchdowns is a lot of offense! Most observers also felt that UP’s defense would be a question mark, yet their performance on Friday evening should serve to erase some of those doubts. Some naysayers will argue their performance was against a 1A program, but a win is a win, and it’s hard to argue with a 52-point victory margin. UP is an interesting squad to prepare for. They have several weapons on offense to compliment their Jerome Bettis-type fullback John Gallimore, and now it seems like the defense is a formidable unit.

Western Harnett: Took one on the chin against the Tri-8 favorite Fuquay-Varina, 56-3. Yes, I did say that Western Harnett would not go without a win this year, and I stand by that prediction. FV is a tough draw for anybody, especially on opening night. Although there were very few bright spots against the Bengals, Coach Wyrick’s guys will tough it out and come back ready for their next opponent.

Overall performance for the league: 4-3 against a variety of opposition, ranging from 1A to 4A. Some new friends remarked to me that they were pulling for our conference to perform well in non-league play because they had grown weary of the criticisms of our league being the “One and Done” league in state playoff competition. If the preparation of the teams, their enthusiasm and effort on Friday night, and the hopes that their coaches, players, and fans have for the individual teams are any indication of the potential success of the CFV, then I’ll go on record and say that the CFV will be a much-improved league this year!

And yes, my back held up last night, but I’m on it today with a Shaquille O’Neal-endorsed Icy Hot Back Patch!

Until next time, make sure you have your hall pass, go back to class, and remember that you’re always welcome in “The Principal’s Office!”

From the Principal's Office - Aug. 13, 2007

The countdown is on! Season openers for most area high school football teams will be played THIS FRIDAY, August 17, and the Cape Fear Valley will be in action, ready to showcase the fruit that is ready to be harvested after months of preparation since they last took live snaps last November. I have had the opportunity to observe a few scrimmages involving Cape Fear Valley programs over the past few days, and I would like to posit these thoughts for your reading pleasure…

Awhile back, I told any and everyone who would listen that BALANCE would be the buzz word in our league. From what I was able to gather from the Harnett County scrimmage held at Western Harnett, everyone looked eager, and everyone made eagerness-related mistakes that will get worked out prior to their respective season openers. Western Harnett showcased some good athleticism and a few new wrinkles on offense, and I will go on record here in this forum and declare that Coach Wyrick’s Warriors WILL NOT endure another winless season.

Overhills looked very athletic as predicted, and I even saw a little Wing-T mixed in their offensive sets. Rodney Williams, one of the BEST ATHLETES in the conference, has been moved to receiver to maximize his talents. Defensively, the flew around the football, and did a good job of bringing pressure to the QB’s they saw.

Triton looked good, showing some athleticism and intensity on defense. I think they will be one of those teams I spoke of in my last blog that could move up and contend for the CFV championship.

Harnett Central is, well, Harnett Central. When I lived in Durham and Northern Durham was the kingpin of the PAC-6, they had shirts that read “We don’t rebuild, we RELOAD.” This applies to the Trojans. I enjoyed Desmond White’s brief snippet on this site, and I agree with you Des, whoever picked you guys to finish 2-9 was really “trippin!” HC has speed on offense, speed and experience on defense, along with some really good coaching.

I have not had the pleasure of watching Union Pines, South Johnston, and Grays Creek scrimmage as of today, but I have read lots about them, and if the games were decided on paper, the conference championship would be split 5 or 6 ways according to the high praise the Vikings, Trojans, and Bears have been receiving lately. UP will continue to build on positive momentum from last season and a great experience trip to California coming in September. South Johnston has a new QB, but still has that Four Oaks size available to block for Tony Davis and get Dee Walden open. Grays Creek has a new QB to replace 3-sport stud Blake Smith, and some marquee names in Marquan Brown and Chris Enos, and they are motivated (as I understand it) by my pick of Union Pines ahead of them on another high school football site.

Then there’s Southern Lee. I just finished talking with Coach Bryan Lee, commending him and his program on a job well done at the Short Stop Jamboree on Friday. I was in Eastern North Carolina Friday and Saturday visiting relatives in the Hertford, Bertie, and Martin County areas and I was wearing, as always, some Southern Lee paraphernalia. Some gentlemen I knew from my days as principal of a high school in that area came up and told me that they had been to the Short Stop and Harnett Jamboree, and that Southern Lee looked really good. Still rough around the edges defensively and guilty of losing intensity sometimes, but nonetheless, they looked good. They could not believe that this was only our second varsity season, and they felt like with another year, the Cavaliers could contend. That’s great news if you’re a Cav fan, but with the majority of our offensive and defensive linemen being seniors, our strength coach, Mike Sartain, is going to have to begin growing a new breed of linemen effective yesterday! We’re going to get good effort from some student-athletes like Blade Shoop, Shane Yarborough, Nate Cochrane, Ernest Kamara, Kyle Dorman, Diego Pena, Jonathan Matthews, Toby Tobin (also a competitive powerlifter), Charles McLean, KJ Sanders, Josh Rice, and Kenneth Lindsey-OUR O and D linemen. They don’t get a lot of publicity, but they will be the ones who will hold the key to Southern Lee’s placement on November 3rd’s Cape Fear Valley standings and State 3A playoff seeding.

All of this to say, dear readers, that PARITY is the buzz word in the league this year. On ANY given Friday night, you may see a top-tier team drop a heartbreaker to a team the media experts said in the off-season would be a lower-tier team (You know, like when Corso and Herbstreit didn’t give UCLA a chance in Heaven against USC in ’06!). In our league, ANYTHING can and probably will happen. We’ll let the fun begin on August 17! I’ll be in Sanford covering Harnett Central vs. Lee County High School as both teams start anew-the Trojans in the post-Rodney/Kevin/DeShawn/David McKinnon era, while the Jackets will showcase their post-Trey Such/Rashon Kennedy/Antonio Trapp lineup that will still feature a D-1 running back and some hard-hitters on defense.

Have a great week, and always remember that you have a free and SIGNED pass to the Principal’s Office!

The Doctor’s FIRST Blog! - Aug. 6th, 2007

Kickoff for the Cape Fear Valley 3A Conference is only 2 weeks away, with a few August 17 kickoffs that are certain to bring a sense of excitement, joy, and relief to a few of the teams that have been working out in the weight room, participating in 7 on 7’s, making the rounds to team camps and combines, and even chatting it up on the internet message board of their choice, saying things that, quite frankly, could end up as bulletin board fodder for the opposition and tilt the balance out of kilter for the seemingly very balanced 2007 Cape Fear Valley Conference.

I can start this blog with a pre-season prediction from someone other than me (I was trying to get a thread started and could only get a few nibbles), and I’ll take their professional prognostication, along with their pre-season selection for Player-of-the Year and put it under some of what I call “objective scrutiny.”

Here’s what someone else predicted (I think they may be EXPERTS):

#1. Harnett Central
#2. Grays Creek
#3. Southern Lee
#4. Triton
#5. South Johnston
#6. Overhills
#7. Union Pines
#8. Western Harnett
Pre-Season Player of the Year: Marquan Brown, Grays Creek

These picks somewhat resemble what I offered somewhere else, but I believe that there will be some movement this season because on ANY GIVEN FRIDAY, some very interested things could occur that could shift the power of balance of the league out of Angier and into another location-Sanford or Erwin, possibly.

Briefly, here’s a look at the CFV…
Harnett Central has to replace 17 starters, but I think they committed enough time and energy in building their junior varsity program and weight program so their varsity program will sustain. Lincoln Morton impressed me the 2 years he was the JV quarterback-he’s big, strong, and has a rocket arm. He’s not as mobile as Rodney Cox, but then again, who is? Darius McKoy will do a great job in the backfield, and they have speed at wide out with Desmond White and on defense. Until someone knocks them off, they’re still the Ric Flair of the CFV (TO BE THE MAN, WHOO, YOU HAVE TO BEAT THE MAN!)

Grays Creek has 2 identified D-1 prospects in Chris Enos and Marquan Brown, and I recall that they just lined down and pushed people around last year. A lot of their kids played both ways, though, and that bothered me. But, they still have Marquan, and if he hits the outside, there aren’t enough pursuit drills around that can teach you how to catch him. What concerns me about them will be how they respond from possible scarring after their 62-14 first round disaster at home against Rocky Mount in the ’06 playoffs.

Southern Lee could win the league, they could come in second, they could come in third, or they could come in last. Where they place depends highly on their DEFENSE. Southern Lee has plenty of offensive firepower, that’s for sure, with quarterback Dante Alston (25 TD’s last season) having his pick from a stable of receivers led by D-1 prospect Aaron Mellette. Mike Boyd, Carlos Jennings, DeShawn Scott, Damien Steadman, and Mike Tipton all looked impressive in 7 on 7’s, and the running game is just as potent, as junior Raymond Brown (1200 yards in ’06) returns to lead a stable of backs featuring big and sturdy Darius Britton and James Butler, and swift and elusive runners Jeremy McLeod, Damien Steadman, and Princeton Tabon. Defensively, a year in the weight room and on the track team should help a defense that surrendered 31 points per game. Look for the Cavaliers to have a new defensive look, with a “something to prove” attitude available for public viewing on August 24 against Cardinal Gibbons in Sanford.

Triton goes about their business quietly and efficiently. Their weight room is pretty good, and the kids get in there and lift from what I gather. They finished 7-4 last year and took a first round exit, but there is reason for optimism in Erwin. They played HC and GC very tough last year, and will move some players up from a pretty good junior varsity team. They could easily move up a spot or two in this ranking.

South Johnston will have the daunting task of replacing Scott Hockaday, but they still have Antonio Davis and Dee Walden. The alleged weakness behind South Johnston is that they will have to rebuild that sizable offensive line that Davis ran behind last year. South Johnston participates in indoor track and features an organized weight lifting team-things that will help them to surprise some expert prognosticators this year.

Overhills will feature one of the best pure athletes around in Nelson Cherry, and some of the best pure athletes in the conference-PERIOD. The question is are there enough of them to make some noise in the CFV?

Union Pines probably won’t appreciate being picked this low (HEY, I didn’t do it!). Their numbers, enthusiasm, intensity, and effort have tripled during the Baker/Furrie Era, and with “The Beast of the East” John Gallimore carrying the mail, I like their chances to improve upon their pre-season assignment. Like Southern Lee, defense will be the determining factor with this team, and if someone can slow down the 5’10, 225 pound bruiser, they’ll be forced to go to the air-something they did with limited success in ’06, BUT they have a Rodney Cox-like QB in Travis Monroe, and folks are all abuzz about him!

Western Harnett announced that over 100 candidates came out for football on the first day, and they have some players. After a 0-11 campaign in ’06, there’s nowhere to go but up for Coach Wyrick’s Warriors. I see them causing some trouble for an overzealous team that’s scheduled them for homecoming or youth day, or church program night and are looking past them to the next big opponent. Only time will tell.

Player of the Year Candidates: Marquan Brown is legit-believe me, but in case he pulls a groin or something, here are a few who could get a few votes:
Darius McKoy, Lincoln Morton, Desmond White, Raymond Brown, Dante Alston, Aaron Mellette, Damien Steadman, Antonio Davis, Dee Walden, Chris Enos, John Gallimore, Julian Martin, and Travis Monroe.

Well, that’s it until later on this week! I’ll be headed to the Southern Lee/Cape Fear HS scrimmage later in the week, and I’ll be at the 8/17 Harnett Central/Lee County High School clash and provide MORE good stuff on the PREMIER 3A conference in North Carolina-The CFV!