SW Edgecombe 28 Tarboro 14

[SWE'98]

I agree. The drainage corrections they made a few years ago have done wonders for the field. It still holds a bit on the sidelines, but its much better than the 09' playoff year which could be argued that it costed us a state championship...

Ahhhh yes.....the Reidsville game. Can't forget it. Down 0-14 in the first, tied it at 14 at the half, got down 14-22, scored and missed the 2 to make it 20-22, and had a chance to win it with a walk off field goal, only to botch the snap and get tackled at the 1 during the scramble. Smh. First fg attempt all season. Yeah, the field that night was akin to a pig sty. But honestly, it may very well have slowed the Rams down in our favor. We have never been particularly strong vs air attacking teams, (ask Northeastern, TW Andrews) other than Beddingfield. Them, Northeastern, Rose, and at one time, West Craven are the only teams I can think of right off the top of my head that pass a lot here in the east. It's just not something we have to practice in these parts.

 

[SWE'98]

Congrats to SWE on a very deserving win. Too many mistakes by a young Vikings team to have a chance playing a very well experienced SW team. 23 seniors wow this might be your year to make it to the Championship game. No complaints about the field they both had to play on the same one. Last time we lost to SW we won the State Championship hope that's a good sign! Once again well played game!

We HAVE to do it this year. This is our best chance as any that we have had in awhile. The players are disciplined and have bought into the concept of team, and the schedule favors us. Washington and Farmville are down this year, and they are the most powerful teams we have to face going forward, minus the playoffs. Marcus Williams is the bullet in the chamber, and he MUST stay healthy in order for us to be successful. The defense is getting better and better. My nephew is the starting OLB, so I'm particularly paying more attention to that side of the ball than ever before. I will admit that I was surprised at how well we were able to contain one of the best rushing attacks annually in the state. I was not surprised at our ability to move the ball, given that our o line is the strongest part of the team, however, I saw a lot of hands on hips from Tarboro's defense early in the game. I know the team is young, but I hope the success of the past few years hasn't become a detriment. What I mean is I hope that the current and upcoming Vikings don't think that those horns on the helmets mean automatic success. I do know that they will be ok the rest of the season. 10-1. Well, North Edgecombe might cause problems. But 10+ wins regardless before it's all over. But in order to get past James Kenan, the young Vikings are going to have to grow up. But I think I speak for most Cougar fans when I say good luck to Tarboro the rest of the way.

 

[SWECOUGARS]

Ahhhh yes.....the Reidsville game. Can't forget it. Down 0-14 in the first, tied it at 14 at the half, got down 14-22, scored and missed the 2 to make it 20-22, and had a chance to win it with a walk off field goal, only to botch the snap and get tackled at the 1 during the scramble. Smh. First fg attempt all season. Yeah, the field that night was akin to a pig sty. But honestly, it may very well have slowed the Rams down in our favor. We have never been particularly strong vs air attacking teams, (ask Northeastern, TW Andrews) other than Beddingfield. Them, Northeastern, Rose, and at one time, West Craven are the only teams I can think of right off the top of my head that pass a lot here in the east. It's just not something we have to practice in these parts.

Try playing in it... We practiced field goals every practice during the playoffs knowing it might come down to needing one - nailed 90% of them (SWE has never really been a kicking team either). I just knew we were going to make it had it got to Sturgil's hands (holder). Instead, he had to get 5 yards up the field just to recover it and try to make a play on the best defense we had seen all year. Heart wrenching to say the least... This is our year though. SWE hasn't had the "BOOM" in their squad since that game - other than that East Duplin 1st round playoff win in 2012. They are playing very sharp football right now and the powerhouses in the conference from last year are weak right now. I see a 11-0 regular season which would guarantee us 2-3 games home in November. It would be bitter-sweet to see the rams come back to Pinetops should they make it that far this year...

 

[SWE'98]

Word is, the Rams aren't playing good ball these days and have a lot of their faithful up here very upset. Seeing them come back to Pinetops would only mean that they are in the eastern bracket again, which would be something I would be totally against, just as I was with TW Andrews being in the east. But I guess in order to call yourself the best team, you have to prove that you can beat ANY team, so my east/west argument is moot. But I certainly see 11-0 and a #1 seed, which means that all four per championship rounds would be in Pinetops as long as we win. I just hope that we can get past the third round this year. Since the Cobb era began in 2004, we have made it there four times, only to end there, twice at home and twice on the road. But this year.....this is the year.

 

[SWECOUGARS]

Word is, the Rams aren't playing good ball these days and have a lot of their faithful up here very upset. Seeing them come back to Pinetops would only mean that they are in the eastern bracket again, which would be something I would be totally against, just as I was with TW Andrews being in the east. But I guess in order to call yourself the best team, you have to prove that you can beat ANY team, so my east/west argument is moot. But I certainly see 11-0 and a #1 seed, which means that all four per championship rounds would be in Pinetops as long as we win. I just hope that we can get past the third round this year. Since the Cobb era began in 2004, we have made it there four times, only to end there, twice at home and twice on the road. But this year.....this is the year.

Very true. I still don't under stand why there isn't a definitive line that separates the eastern and western teams... Reidsville is a heck of a trek from Pinetops. Makes places like West Craven and Washington seem like they are right down the road. That 3rd round curse has beat us down for long enough - SWE is long overdue for a trip to Chapel Hill in December. With the #10 running back in the state, an O-lineman/LB being looked at by UNC Pem and others, and defensive standouts all over the field, you are very right my friend... this is the year.

 

[SWE'98]

Very true. I still don't under stand why there isn't a definitive line that separates the eastern and western teams... Reidsville is a heck of a trek from Pinetops. Makes places like West Craven and Washington seem like they are right down the road. That 3rd round curse has beat us down for long enough - SWE is long overdue for a trip to Chapel Hill in December. With the #10 running back in the state, an O-lineman/LB being looked at by UNC Pem and others, and defensive standouts all over the field, you are very right my friend... this is the year.

I get the east/west divide thing. I just don't like it. Let's say each bracket has 64 slots, but only 63 teams from the east won enough to qualify, while 65 teams from the west qualified. They move one over from the west to even out the brackets. That's MY understanding. I may be 100% wrong, because I'm pretty much just guessing, although it would seem like if that's the case, they would take that 65th team and move them, instead of an 11-0 team like they did the times we played Reidsville and Andrews. And I don't know about overall, but the last time I checked, Marcus Williams was the #1 2A running back in the state. Don't quote me on that either. I usually make sure I'm accurate before I post, but I'm just winging it this morning.
Going to the North Pitt game?

 

[SWECOUGARS]

I get the east/west divide thing. I just don't like it. Let's say each bracket has 64 slots, but only 63 teams from the east won enough to qualify, while 65 teams from the west qualified. They move one over from the west to even out the brackets. That's MY understanding. I may be 100% wrong, because I'm pretty much just guessing, although it would seem like if that's the case, they would take that 65th team and move them, instead of an 11-0 team like they did the times we played Reidsville and Andrews. And I don't know about overall, but the last time I checked, Marcus Williams was the #1 2A running back in the state. Don't quote me on that either. I usually make sure I'm accurate before I post, but I'm just winging it this morning.
Going to the North Pitt game?

When you put it that way, it does seem unfair. Maybe its an attempt at cutting down the travel distance for teams. Theoretically speaking, If a beach team were to make the playoffs by the skin of their teeth as the 65th team in the east and got moved to the western bracket and had to travel to the mountains to play a top seeded school, that would be a much longer drive than if you took the closest team in the east that made the playoffs, no matter their record, and send them to the west bracket just to balance things out and then decide the seeding. I still see holes in the scheme though - what happens if there are 65 teams that qualify for the playoffs in the east and the west? Do all the 4 win teams draw straws to see who doesn't make it in?

You are correct. He is #1 in 2A. Last time I checked, he was #10 for the whole state - all divisions. Yes, ill be at the game tonight. May be a bit late to this one as work is bogging me down nowadays - but should see the start of the 2nd quarter if all goes well.