Welcome to Week 10, Sampson County Football fans! Big games are the norm these days as conference action heats up. This week, by far the biggest matchup is over in Duplin County as Clinton travels to take on Wallace-Rose Hill in what could prove to be the East Central Conference championship game. Locally, we have Midway hosting East Duplin, Harrells hosting Wake Christian, and Hobbton hosting Lakewood in our Nissan of Clinton Game of the Week. Elsewhere, Union will join Clinton in an out of county matchup at Rosewood. Tonight looks cloudy and cool so bundle up as we dive in to this week’s previews.
Union at Rosewood
Rosewood and Princeton look to be the No.1 and No. 2 teams in the Carolina 1A Conference with Union, Hobbton, Lakewood, and North Duplin competing for third place. The Eagles already have a pair of big wins over Hobbton and Lakewood and probably will add the Spartans to their resume. Rosewood enters the game at 7-1 with their lone loss coming at the hands of C.B. Aycock back in Week 1. Since then, they’ve gone on a 7-0 run including 55-7 and 40-7 wins over Hobbton and Lakewood. Rosewood and Union also share a common foe in Pender, both of which took wins over the Patriots: Union by the score of 34-22, and Rosewood 53-0. We’ll see if the Spartans can fare any better than their Sampson County counterparts that were not so lucky. Game time is 7 p.m.
Harrells vs Wake Christian
The Crusaders will wrap up their regular season of play tonight as they take on Wake Christian. The two teams share a few common opponents and across the board the Harrells experienced more success in all the games. Statistically, the Bulldogs are a pass-heavy team. Quarterback Angelo Donato has completed .479 percent of his passes at 135-of-282 for 2,028 yards. On the season, WCA has a season high of 745 rushing yards with no clear leading rusher. For Harrells, we’ll see if their Jack Laslo-led offense can continue to thrive and finish the regular season off with a win. Game time at Harrells is 7 p.m.
Midway vs East Duplin
The Raiders are coming off a disappointing loss to Wallace-Rose Hill last week and will no doubt be looking to get back into the win column. East Duplin marks Midway’s Homecoming game and to be fairly honest, this game is a winnable game for the Raiders. The Panthers enter at 4-4 overall and are 1-1 in the conference. Their first conference win came last week against James Kenan in a close 28-22 game. Midway defeated the Tigers fairly soundly two weeks ago so at first glance, this common foe suggests the Raiders may have the upper hand. For one half of play, Midway was right there with Wallace-Rose Hill but some halftime adjustments really saw the Bulldogs explode with a huge second half. Even with a big loss last week, the Raiders are still a solid team with a multi-threat offense. A win against East Duplin tonight could go a long way in lifting their spirits back up. Game time at Midway is set for 7 p.m.
Clinton at Wallace-Rose Hill
Now THIS game has all the makings to be a classic. The Bulldogs and the Dark Horses have a storied history and this one should add well to the mix. Both teams are run heavy with Wallace featuring Cameren Dalrymple and Kanye Roberts and Clinton showcasing Jaheim Faison, J’Daques Wallace, Boogie Smith, and several other honorable mentions. Both teams are loaded with weapons and feature a size and speed that should make for an electric atmosphere. With Wallace-Rose Hill and Clinton the last remaining undefeated teams in the East Central Conference, this game could potentially determine the champion of the conference. Should be a great one! Game time in Teachey is 7 p.m.
Nissan of Clinton Game of the Week: Hobbton vs Lakewood
This week’s Game of the Week sees a return to Hobbton High School where the Wildcats and the Leopards are set to do battle of the feline variety. After a great 4-0 start to the season, Hobbton has been spiraling downward in big losses to Midway, Rosewood, and Princeton and a close loss to North Stokes. With a 4-4 record entering the game, the Wildcats will look to keep from dropping below .500 and put an end to their 4-game skid. Can Grayson Rogers, DaCorris Morrison and company step up and put an end to their recent misfortune? For Lakewood, it’s certainly been an up and down season for the Leopards. They enter the game at 3-5 and 1-1 in conference play. A win against Hobbton could certainly lift their spirits. This game has the potential to turn into an offensive showdown and could go either way. Should be a good one! Game time at Hobbton is 7 p.m.
