Fayetteville-area high school football predictions for Week 1 of the 2023 season
Here comes the bulletin board material.
The 2023 NCHSAA high school football season begins Friday night for each of Cumberland County’s 10 public schools and others across the state.
The 2022 high school football season begins Friday night for each of Cumberland County’s 10 public schools and others across the state.
The first four weeks of the season will feature nonconference games before play begins in the All American and United 8 conferences. Pine Forest and Seventy-First are looking to three-peat as league champions.
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Here’s a look at games including Cumberland County teams, and our picks for the opening week of the 2023 season.
Pine Forest at Cape Fear
This is a big one. The Trojans are building on two straight undefeated seasons in conference play and they get the 2023 schedule started with an in-county test at Cape Fear. Both teams are replacing solid quarterbacks from last season and both have a stout core on defense. The Trojans are likely still going to be ironing out wrinkles in Week 1, and that could play right into the hands of the Colts' veteran defenders.
The pick: Cape Fear
Radio: 94.3 FM
Red Springs at Douglas Byrd
Byrd won this battle in last year's opener, and it looks to have the pieces to start 1-0 again this season. In the midst of an athletic overhaul, the Eagles have a renewed dedication under coach Maurice Huey after posting three wins last season for the first time since 2018. Red Springs' only win last season came in its finale at Fairmont.
The pick: Douglas Byrd
E.E. Smith at Gray's Creek
Gray's Creek once again has an end-loaded schedule with U8 heavyweights South View, Jack Britt and Cape Fear comprising its last three games of the season. Add Seventy-First to the mix, and the Bears have an uphill battle but they can match last year's six wins. That'll start in Week 1 against an E.E. Smith squad that went 1-9 last season and has a new head coach in Antonio Wallace this year.
The pick: Gray's Creek
Hoke County at Jack Britt
In the Bucs vs. the Bucks battle, Britt has lost one of the state's best running backs in Sincere Baines, who averaged almost 200 rushing yards per game last season. Jackson Powell is back at QB, and captain Darcy Davis Jr. is a top receiver as well as patrolling the secondary on defense. Hoke has Brandon Saunders back under center.
The pick: Jack Britt
Seventy-First at Richmond Senior
What a Week 1 gift we have here: Eastern Regional finalist Seventy-First at seven-time state champion Richmond Senior. The Falcons are soaring while Richmond has lost some of the luster from its powerhouse resume. Junior Deandre Nance is back at QB for Seventy-First, even more savvy and experienced after two seasons as a starter to lead an offense expected to be more versatile this season. On defense, the Falcons return four players who had more than 100 tackles last season.
The pick: Seventy-First
Overhills at South View
The Jaguars have a solid program, and they won this season-opening matchup last year. But South View has a slew of experienced players returning, and they are motivated by missing playoffs for the first time since 2015. Tigers running back Christian Rutledge is especially driven. He'll look to build on his 1,000-plus rushing yards from last year and carry South View back to prominence.
The pick: South View
Topsail at Terry Sanford
The Bulldogs will be tested out of the gate against an upstart Topsail team looking to build on last year's playoff appearance. If Terry Sanford can harness the momentum it finished last season with, the Bulldogs will be a force. That could be a challenge after losing 23 seniors, including quarterback Dante Garcia. But running backs Johnathan Higgins-Simmons and Kenyon Slaughter-Keen are back and we might see some different formations as the Bulldogs settle in.
The pick: Terry Sanford
Radio: 640 AM
St. Pauls at Westover
The Wolverines made easy work of the Bulldogs last year, winning 40-6 in Week 2. This time around, Westover will break in a new QB after losing the productive Josh Jones. But the talent pool at Westover has been deep the past few seasons, so look for new contributors to continue pushing coach Ernest King's program forward.
The pick: Westover
Other games
Northside-Jacksonville at Clinton
Lumberton at Fairmont
West Johnston at Harnett Central
Midway at Hobbton
Lakewood at Spring Creek
Northern Durham at Lee
Knightdale at Pinecrest
Purnell Swett at Seaforth
Southern Durham at Scotland
Southern Lee at Western Harnett
Triton at Union Pines
West Bladen at South Columbus
North Moore at Carver
East Bladen at North Brunswick
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Predicting Fayetteville high school football games for Week 1
