Southside and North Duplin had been opening the season against each other for a few years. This time around, they’ll revisit their rivalry in their respective non-conference finales. They’ve had some epic encounters before, and both going into this week 4-0 makes it that much more anticipated.

Elsewhere in the county, Washington hosts a Bertie club it’s not nearly as familiar with. Northside hopes to get back in the win column at Manteo. The Panthers and Redskins don’t have a storied series, but Keith Boyd and first-year Manteo coach Sport Sawyer have quite the history.

Here are some non-conference finale recollections:

 

Southside at North Duplin, 2016

Southside and North Duplin last met at the beginning of the 2016 season. The game had been postponed to that Monday due to weather. The Seahawks scored three touchdowns in the second half — two in the third quarter — to stave off the Rebels, 28-23. North Duplin rallied with 15 points in the fourth, but Joe Myers (195 yards of offense and four tackles) and the Seahawks were too much to overcome.

“We dug, we clawed and we found a way to win,” Southside coach Jeff Carrow said after that game. “It was an ugly ball game all around.”

 

Northside at Washington, 2012

Until last week at Northside, the Panthers and Pam Pack hadn’t met on the gridiron in five years. This week will be the first time in as long that Northside coach Keith Boyd has been opposite of former Washington coach and first-year Manteo leader Sport Sawyer. Sawyer has gotten the best of Boyd in the past with the most recent being a 42-0 loss. Boyd is looking most forward to coaching against his colleague and friend again.

“I know they got the best of us,” Boyd recalled. “Those were the years they were going deep in the playoffs. … Sport is a great guy and a great coach. We’re good friends. We talk much. We’re kind of looking to going back down there. Coach (Walt) Davis spent 10 or 12 years down there. They’re great people. It’s a friendly rivalry.”

 

Washington at Kinston, 2013

Washington and Kinston are 2-A Eastern Carolina Conference foes nowadays. The two had been non-conference rivals in the past. When they met in Week 5 in 2013, it was the Pam Pack that was able to secure the win in enemy territory. Then-junior Markel Spencer rushed for 223 yards and four touchdowns as Washington edged the Vikings, 26-21.

“Winning a tight game against a good opponent gives the team great confidence heading into conference play,” coach Jon Blank recalled. “I believe the next week we ran into a Farmville Central team that was undefeated and averaging a lot of points. We got into a battle with them and had the confidence to pull out the victory. That was the beginning of a great run that year.”