Team of the Week: Hoggard a win away from perfect regular season
WILMINGTON, N.C. (WWAY) — Nine wins down, just one to go for Hoggard in the regular season.
The Vikings have already secured a third straight Carolina Coast Conference title and are now a game away from potentially entering the playoffs with a winning record.
Head Coach Craig Underwood has led his program to the state quarterfinals or farther each of the last two years, but feels the 2025 squad may not be as similar as the others.
(Photo: Colton Emswiler/WWAY)
“That’s a tough question,” Underwood said. “I think every team is unique. The think I’ve told these guys is we haven’t had a group be able to go undefeated through the regular season since 2017. So that’s been a while. They have a really special opportunity and they’re excited about that.”
Junior quarterback Matthew Boring has led an offense averaging 37 points a game.
He says he has confidence in all the guys around him as they prepare to visit Ashley on Friday.
“I think we have a lot of players on our offense that can make explosive plays,” Boring said. “From our running backs to our receivers, and then if I give them a chance, I feel like they’re always going to make a play. I feel like we really capitalize on that this season. Play as a team, play for the guy next to us. Hopefully we come out and we’re looking to go 10-0 and get the one seed for the playoffs.”
(Photo: Colton Emswiler/WWAY)
Underwood says his team may not be the most experienced that he’s coached, but that hasn’t stopped them from being considered one of the best in North Carolina.
“They’re a young group,” Underwood said. “A lot of them didn’t have a lot of time under the lights. But the way they came together and executed at a high level so quickly in some of those early games, they exceeded mine and the coaching staff’s expectations. The way they play together, it makes this a really fun run and I’m just hoping we can keep it going for a really long time.”
(Photo: Colton Emswiler/WWAY)
