High school football playoff previews for round one
There are 11 local teams in the NCHSAA playoffs. We have a preview for them all.
LELAND, N.C. (WWAY) – Ten area teams kick off playoff action for round one on Friday night.
West Columbus (the #2 seed in the 1A playoffs) received a bye and secured a spot in round two. The Vikings could potentially have a rematch from the regular season on their hands; if #18 Pender upsets #15 Warren County, West Columbus would host the Patriots. In the first matchup, West Columbus won 47-24 over Pender.
4A
#3 Hoggard (9-1) vs. #30 Chapel Hill (6-4)
The Vikings are rolling. Not only did they sweep the Mideastern, but they did also so convincingly.
There are college-level talented players at every almost position on the field for both offense and defense. WWAY does not have player of the year awards, but it would go to Viking quarterback Hudson Wilharm without doubt. The senior has passed for 1,660 yards and 18 touchdowns while completing 72% of his passes. He has two interceptions on the season. He’s augmented by a strong running game: the Vikings feature mostly three senior running backs in M’Kel Bellamy, Tamear Webb and Javion Joseph-Fontaine that have 986 combined rushing yards. But it would be a disservice to not mention the bruising offensive line that showcases Jason Smith, Michael Gibbs and Prince Oatman – all of whom will play on Saturdays, potentially at the Division One level. All of the aforementioned points are reasons they’ve averaged almost 30 points a game.
The defense has given up 67 points since September 1st, when the team defeated Wallace Rose-Hill 27-18. Their lone loss came week one, losing by a touchdown to #1 ranked Cleveland. They are spearheaded by DE/OLB Malakahi West and MLB Reagan Printy. While also having success lining up in different spots in the defense’s multiple looks, the reigning Player of the Year West seems at his best while haunting quarterbacks in pass rush situations, with 18 hurries and 10.5 sacks. Printy is inescapable and displays swift instincts dissecting runs quickly while closing the gap to the ball carrier: The senior has 122 total tackles, 14 for loss.
The biggest potential worry for the Vikings could be a lack of battle-tested experience in close games and being able to finish off opponents in adverse situations – however, you could say the same for their opponent. Chapel Hill had only one game this year decided by three touchdowns or less – win or loss.
#11 Laney (8-2) vs. #22 Middle Creek (6-4)
Other than a humbling 49-15 loss to Hoggard on September 21st, Laney has been as successful since September. The Buccaneers only other loss was to Havelock by a field goal. They gave up 19 points in October and are averaging 40.4 over their 5-game win streak.
The offense stars two of the best playmakers in the area that can single-handedly hurt defensive gameplan in RB Tyjhere Crudup and WR Hampton Roderick. On the ground, Crudup churns out 114.7 yards per game. Through the air, Roderick hauls in an average 100.8 yards per game. The duo has also scored 29 touchdowns. The Bucs are tough to beat with one of them on their A-game and almost impossible to stop with both.
The defense is fast and multiple. The strength of the group is the front four (and it’s depth). Seven players have combined for 25 sacks and 14 players have forced 24 turnovers. They’ll need superb performances from specifically the secondary Friday. Middle Creek’s WR Braylon Stewart is producing like one of the best in the state, averaging 112 yards per game and has scored 18 touchdowns. Sophomore WR Quin’Sir Waddell has started seeing action at CB, picking off a team-high two passes since converting. The best pass defense can sometimes also be a strong pass rush, eliminating the time quarterbacks have to deliver.
#24 Ashley (6-4) at #9 Pine Forest (6-4)
The Screaming Eagles are soaring this season relative to years past. It’s their first playoff berth since 2007 – making their playoff drought older than some of their players. It’s been one of the best seasons in school history. In August, not many people believed this team would be playoff bound outside of the young men on the team and the coaches in the locker room. Nonetheless, Ashley is confident preparing for a post-season game against a team with a matching record.
Look to Ashley’s offense to be a good litmus test of how the game will turn out. Other than a 14-7 win over New Hanover, Ashley has averaged 42 points a game in wins and only 13 in losses. It starts with the run: The Screaming Eagles have 21 touchdowns between two ball carriers in RB Jaelen Brewington and Wildcat QB Quinn Bentley. Senior receiver Dominic Michelangelo has hauled in 7 touchdowns, many coming off home-run passes from either a double move, double pass, or play action.
Ashley Defensive Coordinator Ashaad Yeoman has received much praise from Head Coach Dante Lombardi about the week-to-week gameplans and adjustments that he demands. Yeoman has that unit playing well, playing disciplined and creating turnovers. Last year, the team ranked last in many categories in the Mideastern Conference. Not anymore. The team has recovered six fumbles, intercepted six passes, and is anchored by two linebackers in Tyler Gladden and Vincent Agrillo who have usurped 100 tackles in the regular season. FS Quinn Bentley cleans up the back end when not acting as a battering ram in the Wildcat. But as well as Ashley has played this year, Pine Forest has played very strong, losing once since September 1st.
#26 New Hanover (5-5) at #7 Hillside (6-4)
The Wildcats have had a disappointing year coming off of last year’s 10-win campaign. But still the Wildcats find themselves in The Big Dance for the 22nd time in the previous 23 seasons.
The offense struggled in the Wildcat’s 4A portion of the Mideastern. Against Topsail, Ashley, Laney and Hoggard; New Hanover amassed 30 points combined and averaged 224 yards per game. When they are successful, they have ground success don’t turn over the football. In their five wins, the Wildcats have average 37 rushing attempts, one interception and two lost fumbles. In losses, the Wildcats have nine interceptions and two lost fumbles while averaging 24 carries. Hillside has intercepted 13 passes this season and forced 15 fumbles. The Cats will need to tote and protect the rock to pull off the upset.
They’ll also need to force turnovers. Outside of the Wildcats’ 30-21 win over North Brunswick in which New Hanover forced six turnovers, the team has created ten turnovers in nine games. For context, the 2022 Wildcat defense forced 27 total. LBs Alex Gibson and Nyheim Hines are their playmakers. They’ve tackled a combined 168 ball carriers, 27 for loss, and sacked quarterbacks 11 times. They will need to be at their best with the way Hillside attacks on offense: It’s going to be a slugfest. The Hornets have only 55 passing attempts on the year and zero touchdowns through the air. and could come down to special teams execution plus flipping field position.
3A
#9 North Brunswick (7-3) vs. #24 Person (5-5)
The Scorpions have had just the 5th 7-win season in the last 10 years. Yet they feel there’s more chicken on the 2023 bone. External factors such as limited practice time, access to facilities, and losing their leading rusher to a non-football related incident have hampered what has otherwise been a strong season. But they enter the post season on a high note, having just handled Ashley in their regular season finale.
The formula for success is no secret: Option attack with motions, multiple looks and different ball carriers. Over their varsity careers, senior RB Jabril Dashiell has rushed for 521 yards with 22 scores, and senior QB Tarron Green totals 1,036 ground yards and 13 touchdowns. RB Calvin Webb has exploded on the scene in the last three games and has seen an increase in opportunity: The junior has 345 rushing yards and four touchdowns in the Scorpions’ last two wins. Green has also tossed seven touchdowns through the air this season.
On defense, North has been up and down this season, with disastrous performances against the 4A Mideastern programs they defeated a season ago. Some of that can be attributed to unlucky health. DE Lavarr Sharpe has only played four games, and a handful of other seniors like OLB Kemonte Carter, MLB Carter Cox, CB Sytke Bryant, and S Jamien Pigford have all missed at least two games. When all healthy, like in last Friday’s 34-0 shutout of Ashley in the first half of the game, it’s a strong unit. They’ll need to focus on stopping Person’s RB Daejon Hodge. He has 1122 rushing yards, but has also completed six deep passes.
***The 2A and 1A extended written preview portion will be updated Monday***
2A
#6 Whiteville vs. #27 South Granville
#25 Trask at #8 Cummings
1A
#13 East Bladen vs. North Edgecombe
#18 Pender at #15 Warren County
#23 East Columbus at #10 Perquimans
