WEEK 5 PREDICTIONS
Conference play has arrived for Fayetteville's NCHSAA football teams, and this week's schedule has some intriguing matchups.
Four local teams carry unbeaten records into Week 5, with Seventy-First and South View squaring off in a game that will certainly help determine the United 8 Conference champion. Gray's Creek and Westover also sit at 3-0 entering league play, with fellow unbeaten Purnell Swett and traditionally powerful Pine Forest next on their respective schedules.
With a short schedule last week, the picks record was 2-1, pushing the season total to 17-8.
Here's what we've got for Week 5.
Terry Sanford (1-2) at Overhills (0-3), 7 p.m.
The Bulldogs can get a leg up on league play this week after a challenging nonconference slate has them prepared for battle.
Kamal Thames has been electrifying for Terry Sanford as a receiver and kick returner, and Rashid Jones is a dual threat as a receiver and running back paired with Johnathan Higgins-Simmons.
The Bulldogs' pass defense will be tested against Overhills QB Jordan Bryant, who averages 313 passing yards per game with receiver Isaiah Townsend (119.5 ypg) as his main target.
The pick: Terry Sanford
E.E. Smith (1-2) at Triton (2-1), 7 p.m.
The Golden Bulls will have to contend with a relentless Hawks rushing attack with three running backs averaging more than 75 yards per game in Javon Cowan (95), AJ Dewar (86) and Cemauri McDougald (76).
The pick: Triton
Westover (3-0) at Pine Forest (0-3), 7 p.m.
Don't let the records deceive you: This should be a battle.
Pine Forest has struggled mightily to start the season, but you can't count out a Bill Sochovka squad. And Westover is primed to seize its first All
American Conference title behind a stifling defense and steady QB Christian Frazier.
Home field should help the Trojans, who have turned to sophomore QB Ja'lynn Thomas while Latrell Carter and Jamari Jones man the ground game. But the Wolverines will be absolutely amped for coach Ernest King, whose program is ready for the next step.
The pick: Westover
Lumberton (0-3) at Cape Fear (2-1), 7:30 p.m.
The Colts are bound to be hungry after last week's topsy-turvy loss at Laney, and I expect they'll make a meal of the Pirates.
Cape Fear's Jeremiah Melvin (a Wake Forest commit) is coming off a nine-catch, 219-yard, three-touchdown performance in Wilmington, and he's averaging 128 receiving yards per game as quarterback Brice Mckenzie continues to improve.
The Colts also have running back Favour Murtala averaging almost 100 yards per game on the ground.
Lumberton has been dealing with fallout from gunfire in the parking lot during last week's game. No injuries were reported, and the game was completed Saturday with Red Springs winning 19-18.
The pick: Cape Fear
Douglas Byrd (0-3) at Jack Britt (0-3), 7:30 p.m.
Britt had a challenging nonconference slate to open the season, but the Bucs put up an admirable fight at Scotland last week and that momentum should serve them well against Byrd.
Sophomore receiver Javonte Brooks had eight catches for 133 yards against the Scots, and Britt employed a backby-committee running attack typically spearheaded by Amir Jackson, who didn't play at Scotland. Jabari Lee, Keith Tillett II and Cameron Williams provided the ground game along with quarterback Jackson Powell, who rushed for 48 yards.
Byrd continues to improve, but the U8 is a tough league and wins are hard to come by.
The pick: Jack Britt
Gray's Creek (3-0) at Purnell Swett (3-0), 7:30 p.m.
These two teams share the top of the U8 with Seventy-First and South View after nonconference play. But can they stay there?
Gray's Creek has shown steady improvement and a balance on both sides of the ball with star running back Javon Webb (193 ypg) emerging as Cumberland County's top rusher with 580 total yards to go with six touchdowns.
Swett is led by Darius Bethea, who averages 103 yards rushing per game and has accounted for five TDs.
The Bears are ready to break through, and they're set for a second straight 4-0 start to the season.
The pick: Gray's Creek
Seventy-First (3-0) at South View (3-0), 7:30 p.m.
Get your popcorn ready.
The Tigers have averaged 41 points in their three wins — two of them shutouts. The Falcons have averaged 40 points in their three wins with one shutout.
South View will have to find a way to slow down quarterback Deandre Nance, who has completed 79% of his passes and averages 103 yards rushing per game. Pair that with two RBs averaging over 100 yards per game in Jayson Franklin and Donovan Frederick, and South View's defense has its work cut out.
But the Falcons will be tested by Christian Rutledge, whose six-TD performance in South View's opener against Overhills turned heads across the state. He's averaging 177 rushing yards per game, and Tyriq Clarida is Cumberland County's top passer, averaging 206 yards per game.
Both teams have a formidable defense, with the Tigers' Dontario Austin leading the U8 with 41 total tackles.
The last time these teams played before becoming U8 conference mates was a third-round state playoff game in 2018, with Seventy-First winning 42-41 in overtime. South View hasn't managed more than a touchdown in each of their two meetings since.
Seventy-First holds the crown until someone can take it.
The pick: Seventy-First