TARBORO —
All three county football teams begin their toughest part of the schedule tonight. They begin conference play and the non-conference records are thrown out the door and mean nothing, because each team is trying to win their respective conference title.
The road isn't going to be easy for each team during the first week of conference action. Even though all three teams are playing at home, the home field advantage doesn't really matter anymore.
For North Edgecombe, they will get their top offensive player back tonight. Senior fullback Darius Phillips will return to the field after he was cleared by doctors last Thursday to play. He was released and could've played against the Tarboro Vikings, but head coach Keith Parisher decided it would be best if he gave Phillips one more week to get ready.
Phillips fractured the top of his foot two days before the jamboree and hasn't played a down of football yet. He is excited that he will be able to return to action tonight against the Southeast Halifax Trojans.
North Edgecombe defeated Southeast Halifax last year 22-12, but the Trojans have most of their team returning.
The Warriors struggled offensively last week against the Tarboro Vikings. They weren't able to move the football up and down the field like they wanted to do. Parisher was pleased with his teams performance, because he said they did exactly what he asked of them and they never gave up.
The SouthWest Edgecombe Cougars first conference game is going to be tough just like their non-conference schedule when they travel to play Kinston. They defeated the Cougars 40-12 last year in conference action. When the two teams met in the playoffs SouthWest had improved and Kinston only defeated the Cougars 26-6 to eliminate them from the playoffs.
Cougars head coach Raymond Cobb put together a tough non-conference schedule, because he knew it wouldn't do anything but help his SouthWest team come conference time.
Even though the Cougars are 1-3 Cobb doesn't seem worried about the record, because he knows his talented group will bounce back and prove that they are a good football team.
SouthWest dropped a tough game to Rocky Mount last week when both teams traded touchdowns throughout the entire contest until there was less then two minutes left and Rocky Mount scored and then recovered an onside kick which led to another Rocky Mount TD to give them a 33-24 victory over the Cougars.
Cougar senior running back Gerald Hinton was held scoreless last week for the first time this season, but he wasn't held down from gaining big yards.
In four games this season, Hinton has gained 502 yards off of 56 carries and has scored eight TDs. He is averaging 14 carries a game, 125 yards per game and 8.9 yards per carry.
Cougar sophomore Barry Smith has added a spark to the offense. He has gained 134 yards on 23 carries and has scored two TDs.
Fullback Devante Williams has added to the offensive attack as of late. He has 26 carries for 146 yards and has scored a TD.
For the Cougars to be successful they are going to have to score against Kinston and keep Kinston's offense shut down. Cobb is going to have to play his style of football and control the clock and put long extensive drives together to keep Kinston's offense off the field.
The Tarboro Vikings are hoping with Saiid Murphy and Quentin Roberson back on the field this week they will be able to remain undefeated. Tarboro will be hosting the North Pitt Panthers tonight in both teams first game of conference action. Tarboro defeated North Pitt 32-21 last year.
Murphy has been sidelined for three weeks with an ankle injury and Roberson was held out last week so he could rest his hamstring.
Vikings head coach Jeff Craddock made a move last week that proved to be instrumental to the Vikings defense. He moved Travonne Marshall to middle linebacker. Tarboro allowed only 148 yards of total offense last week against the Warriors.
Tarboro has their offense clicking on all cylinders right now. They are averaging over 300 yards a game of total offense.
Roberson is the leader of the Vikings offensive attack. He has gained 541 yards on 40 carries in just three games and has scored seven TDs. He is averaging 13.5 yards per carry.
Marshall has only 29 touches and has gained 334 yards and scored four TDs. Marshall is averaging 11.5 yards per carry.
Quarterback Aaron Moore has been a big impact player for the Vikings. He is averaging 14.1 yards per carry. He has gained 282 yards on 20 carries this season and scored six times.
Tarboro defense is going to have to step up to the big challenge though, because North Pitt is looking to come in looking for revenge.
Tarboro hasn't lost a conference opener in over four years and they want to keep that streak alive.
Sports
Related Photos
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Tarboro Vikings quarterback Aaron Moore hands the ball off to fullback Travonne Marshall during the second quarter last Friday against the North Edgecombe Warriors. Marshall gained 57 yards on two carries and scored a touchdown. For The Daily Southerner
Conference action begins tonight
- Sports
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Chatt wins NC East District tourney
SouthWest Edgecombe Cougar Ryan Chatt recently won the North Carolina East District golf tournament through the Optimist International Junior Golf Championships. The match was held at Scotch Meadows Country Club in Laurinburg.
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Diver with Tarboro ties named academic all-America
BLACKSBURG, Va. — Ryan Hawkins, a rising senior at Virginia Tech University and grandson of Archie R. Hawkins of Tarboro, has been named to the Capital One Academic All-America At-Large team.
Hawkins, a diver, earned a spot on the third team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America. -
Tarboro beats SouthWest 16-11
Tarboro and SouthWest battled it out Friday night in the 15-under Nash County Babe Ruth League at Municipal Stadium. It was a game that included 30 walks, 13 errors and 27 runs scored. Tarboro was able to hold on and win 16-11.
SouthWest, who is winless this year, fought back time and time again and took advantage of 18 walks and the six errors Tarboro committed. SouthWest has a team filled with 13 and 14-year olds playing against older players. They were able to hold their own though and take advantage of different situations. -
Jones, Pittman starting new semi-pro team in Tarboro
If you had a dream of playing professional football, but were never given the chance out of high school or college, now is the time for you to become a professional.
Three citizens in the community came up with the idea to organize a semi-pro football team and came up with the team name, East Carolina Buccaneers.
Mike Jones and Marty Pittman are co-owners of the organization. -
LITTLE TARHEEL CHAMPIONS
Pizza Inn won the Little Tarheel League baseball championship through the Tarboro Parks and Recreation Department. They had a 10-1 record this season and in the last six seasons, Pizza Inn has won six straight titles and have a record of 66-13. Members of the championship team are from left to right, kneeling, Deshawn Moss, Clark Dupree, Ricardo Hernandez, Seth Paramore, Landon Riley, Eric Moss and Tobais Joyner. Middle row, Hunter Gardner, Mason Riley, Justin Rameriz, Mike Wiggins, Eli Williamson, Eric Jones and CJ Joyner. Back row, coaches Ken Oliver, Mike Riley, Bo Dupree, Nick Oliver and Bill Howerin.
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Tars drop season opener 8-7 to Nash County
Fielding errors and throwing errors played a big part in the Tarboro Tars season opener loss Tuesday night at Municipal Stadium. Nash County defeated the Tars 8-7 in the Coastal Plains Senior Babe Ruth league opener.
Tarboro trailed three times in the game and twice they made comebacks. After the second comeback, they took the lead, but that didn't last long after the Tars defense fell apart. -
New punishments need to be added in MLB
The main question remains about Major League Baseball. Why do the same players names continue to appear when it comes to using performance enhancing drugs (PEDs)?
Last year, Commissioner Bud Selig said that they were going to crack down on drug testing, but the fact is how many players have been tested so far through this season? -
10 Under Champs
The Riptide won the 10-under girl's softball league through the Tarboro Parks and Recreation Department. They finished the season with a 7-2-1 record. Pictured from left to right, kneeling, Hannah Scott, Autumn Partain, Rena Harris, Kaliyah Lynch, Hailee Whitehurst, Hailey Boyette, second row, Sarah Harrell, Carly Webb, Taylor Williams, Alysia Braswell, Ziniya Tillery, Yasmine Shannon. Back row, Coaches Van Webb, Ken Williams and Ross Whitehurst.
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Tarboro Parks and Recreation scores
The following scores are from the baseball and softball leagues played at Indian Lake Sports Complex through the Tarboro Parks and Recreation Department.
Baseball
Little Tarheel League
Pizza Inn 14 WRL Farms 4
Leading hitters – Pizza Inn – Justin Rameriz 4-4, Hunter Gardner 3-3, Mike WIggins 2-3, Eli Williamson 2-3, Tobias Joyner 1-1 WRL Farms – Ryan Scott 2-2, Layton Dupree 2-2, Tanner Wittig 1-2, Dillon Johnson 1-2 -
Thorne chosen to play in Powerade game
Tarboro Lady Vikings soccer phenom Shayla Thorne has added another accolade to her credentials. She was one of 19 players selected to play in the Powerade State Games on the 2013 East women's team.
She won't be the only one from Tarboro participating in the state games, because Tarboro coach Leshaun Jenkins was also named the head coach of the women's East team. - More Sports Headlines
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