Offense, and lots of it, was the story on opening night last week, as Beaufort County football teams prepare to stay the course in Week 2 tomorrow.

As expected, Washington fell short to perennial power Havelock, but it was the score itself that came as a bit of a surprise. The Rams’ defense held a young Pam Pack offense scoreless through the first half, utilizing their superior size up front to contain the host’s stable of young running backs, while the visitors spread the field with first-year starting quarterback Corey Cooper, who threw for 161 yards and a touchdown.

But that’s why Washington schedules Havelock every year — to get a viable nonconference test. With the bloated 50-13 final score came a handful of positives for the Pam Pack. Senior Brandon Jackson had a productive game defensively, notching 12 total tackles and recovering a fumble, while defensive back Hassan Credle reeled in two interceptions.

Remember, Washington’s poise went relatively unaffected by last year’s 37-6 beat down at the hands of Havelock. The team won the next 14 games en route to the state championship. The coaching staff is looking to put last Friday in the rearview, learn from it and regroup in time for a very winnable game against Tarboro.

Last Friday was a great test of character for Northside, which responded after a slow offensive start in the first half to beat Creswell, 30-12. Quarterback Jackson Midgette looked sharp, passing for 154 yards and two touchdowns with a 67-percent completion percentage, while fullback James Barrow and receiver Chris Slade also had a productive night.

But perhaps the biggest surprise for the undersized Panthers was their success against a sizable offensive line. Senior Tyler Dugger led the team with 11 total tackles and tallied two of the team’s five sacks, as Creswell was limited to just 64 yards of offense on the ground.

If Northside can patch its secondary, the team should have a pretty good shot at competing against North Duplin on the road tomorrow.

Against that same North Duplin team, Southside had one of the most dominant opening night performances in the entire state last Friday. The 50 points didn’t come as too much of a surprise, as Lawrence Brown, Dylan Lewis and Matt Baxter all had success running the football, but it was the defense that truly stood out.

The Southside front seven was relentless for all four quarters, rendering the Rebels’ ground game virtually useless. North Duplin, which knocked off the host in last season’s opener, finished with -24 yards of total offense.

The Seahawks will look to carry that momentum into tomorrow’s matchup with Dixon, the only 2-A team on their schedule.

 

WASHINGTON (0-1, 0-0 Eastern Plains) VS. TARBORO (1-0, 0-0 Two Rivers)

Time: 7:30 p.m.

Location: J.G. Choppy Wagner Stadium

Last season’s 35-point victory over Tarboro really exposed the disparity between the 1-A and 2-A classifications, but this year that gap has narrowed. The Vikings return a slew of dynamic playmakers on both sides of the ball, including running back Tay Battle and tight end T.J. Powell, two athletes who could be a threat to the Washington defensive line.

But it’s Washington size, depth and athleticism that give the Pam Pack a clear-cut advantage in this Week 2 matchup. After a productive game against Havelock, Jackson and Lexroy Brown should have little issue containing an offense almost entirely based on the run.

Despite facing a deficit early, the Vikings knocked off Nash Central, a team that failed to win a game last season, by the score of 40-12, but it was hardly a true test. Rocky Mount Academy transfer Jacob Hunter finished with 50 yards on the ground, while Battle, a senior, notched a game-high 100 rushing yards.

PREDICTION: WASHINGTON 37, TARBORO 14

 

NORTHSIDE (1-0, 0-0 Coastal Plains) AT NORTH DUPLIN (0-1, 0-0 Carolina)

Time: 7 p.m.

Location: Calypso

The Panthers certainly garnered some attention with a nice season-opening win over Creswell, but they face a North Duplin team desperate for a bounce-back win tomorrow. Coming off an embarrassing 50-0 loss, the Rebels are counting on sophomore William Archer, a dual-threat quarterback, to rebound, along with running back Tyree Payton and fullback Kenny Sheppard. The Rebels’ offensive trio will look to get its collective season yardage total back into the black.

Head coach Keith Boyd was overly impressed with his defense’s performance against Creswell, specifically the D-line. But now, it’ll be up to the secondary to prevent the big play, something the defensive backs and safeties struggled with last Friday.

With games against Southside, South Creek, Riverside and North Pitt scheduled in the coming weeks, tomorrow’s game is pivotal for Northside’s demeanor and possible playoff seeding down the road.

PREDICTION: NORTHSIDE 20, NORTH DUPLIN 13

 

SOUTHSIDE (1-0, 0-0 Coastal Plains) AT DIXON (1-0, 0-0 East Central)

Time: 7 p.m.

Location: Holly Ridge

Even for a 2-A school, shutting down the Seahawks’ running game is next to impossible. In order for Dixon to have a shot in tomorrow’s matchup, the Bulldogs will have to at least limit and contain what was a virtually unstoppable wing-T offense in the home opener. Brown rushed for a game-high 102 yards on 12 carries, picking up a rushing and a receiving touchdown, while fullback Lewis and Baxter contributed as well. On top of the go-to running options, head coach Jeff Carrow was able to utilize six other running backs in the system, each providing their own running style.

Coming off a 14-13 victory over First Flight in the opener, the Bulldogs will certainly have their hands full tomorrow. Dixon had marginal success running the football last Friday, tallying 218 yards with six different running backs. Seniors Will Joseph and Trentin Edgemond are the premier backs in the system.

Dixon’s Chris Morris has only been head coach for four weeks now, so it’s the Southside coaching staff that has the ever-so-important advantage of knowing what each athlete brings to the table.

PREDICTION: SOUTHSIDE 37, DIXON 7