The Daily Southerner, Tarboro, NC

Sports

September 12, 2008

Vikings set for Warriors

Calviin Adkins

The Tarboro Vikings will put its three-game winning streak on the line against county rival North Edgecombe 7:30 p.m. Friday night in Tarboro. Prognosticators are not giving the Warriors, who are looking for its first victory of the season, to much of a chance. But Vikings coach Jeff Craddock is not overlooking the Warriors.

“When two rivals play, you can throw the records out the window because anything can happen,” Craddock said. “We know that North Edgecombe will play its best football against us and we must be ready.”

If the Vikings are “ready” like they have been in previous games, the Warriors will have its work cut out for them. During this young season the Vikings potent offense, led by quarterback Jeremy Bellamy, has outscored its opponents 120-7. In three games Bellamy is leading the team in rushing and has scored six rushing touchdowns and passed for one, plus two of the senior’s TD runs were called back due to Vikings penalties.

“He’s been a pleasant surprise for us,” Craddock said.

Bellamy is not the only offensive weapon that the Warriors must be concerned about. Vikings running back Demarius Harper is the second leading rusher on the team. Harper is strong and a threat to score any time that he touches the ball.

On a down note for the Vikings, Jamal Farmer was injured against Northern Nash and could miss two weeks. Farmer is a vital part of the Vikings’ running game.

Defensively the Vikings has crushed it first three opponents and that not good for the struggling Warriors’ offense. The Vikings are coming in the game with two consecutive shutouts as the blanked the Washington Pam Packs and Northern Nash. Nash Central, who scored late in the fourth quarter when some of the Vikings’ second and third string players in the game, was the only team to score against the Vikings.

Coming into the fourth week, Craddock said practices has been up beat and his team is ready to play against their rival North Edgecombe.

Tarboro is favored to win by at least four TDs.



Warriors vs. Vikings



North Edgecombe is looking for answers to help them break out of a three game losing streak and it will be hard for them to find it Friday night against the Vikings.

After three weeks the Warriors are struggling with conditioning problems and to add insult to injuries the team has a lack of depth in several positions.

Last week North suffered a bitter 59-14 defeat against its other County rival, SouthWest Edgecombe.

“The guys said they were fast,” Warrior Coach Danny Ward said about the Cougars. “I told them if you think SouthWest is fast, wait until you see Tarboro. We got out work cutout for us.”

If the Warriors are to have a chance of winning, its defense must not allow big plays by the Vikings. Offensively the Warriors must sustain long drives to keep the ball out of the Vikings hands. The Warriors must also be turnover free.

North will be playing without its starting fullback and linebacker Quinten Higgs. Higgs was injured in the first quarter against SouthWest. Running back Lavoris Anderson is also on the injured list and will not play tonight.



Cougars vs. Jaguars



After losing its first game of the season, SouthWest is coming off a big victory against the Warriors and is pumped up for game three against the Farmville Central Jaguars.

The Jaguars, who are traditionally a good football team, are searching for its first win of the season. The bad news for the Jaguars is Cougar quarterback Greg Horne will return from injury after sitting out last week due to injury.

“Chris (Ellerbee, the Cougars JV QB) did an outstanding job but we were able to run about 65 percent of our plays,” said Cougars coach Raymond Cobb. “With Greg back, we can run 100 percent of our plays. We’re happy to have him back.”

Cobb said he scouted the Jaguars on Monday night. He said at least 10 of the Jaguars starters were suspended.

“That will not be the same team that will play us on Friday,” Cobb said. “We have to be prepared.”

Against the Warriors, the Cougars garbled up 517 yards including 452 yards rushing. Roger Evans led the team rushing with 7 carries for 108 yards and one TD.

The Cougars are favored to win by three TDs.

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