NC high school football picks: Seventy-First, Terry Sanford play for 4th-round berths

Only eight teams remain in the 3A East bracket of the 2023 NCHSAA football playoffs as we enter Round 3 this week, and a quarter of them are from Fayetteville.

Seventy-First and Terry Sanford are still alive after winning their first two playoff games. And in the NCISAA playoffs, Trinity Christian plays at The Asheville School for the Division II state championship.

Here's a look at Friday's NCHSAA schedule and picks for each game.

Last week's picks record was 3-0, pushing the season total to 57-26. Let's see how it goes this week.

DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS: What makes Seventy-First football unbeatable

LEADER: Why Deandre Nance is 'perfect choice' as 3-year starting QB for Seventy-First football

BULLDOGS GET PAYBACK: Terry Sanford football explodes in 4th quarter to rally past Harnett Central in playoffs

NCHSAA Round 3

No. 27 Terry Sanford (8-4) at No. 3 Southern Alamance (11-1), 7 p.m.

Radio: 640 AM

The Bulldogs already have enjoyed a rewarding run with a first-round upset at No. 6 Vance and then a full dose of payback in Round 2, eliminating the same Harnett Central squad that knocked them out of the All American Conference's top 3A spot.

Now, Terry Sanford travels to face a tough Southern Alamance squad that averages 293 rushing yards per game.

The Patriots ground-based game delivered a perfect 6-0 record in the 3A Central Conference, which is also home to Burlington Williams — the team Seventy-First defeated last week.

Twice this season, the Bulldogs have given up more than 400 rushing yards in a game, posting a 1-1 record in those games. Pine Forest hung 422 on Terry Sanford in the Trojans' Week 7 win and Vance ran for 417 yards in the Bulldogs' Round 1 playoff win.

It was a bend-but-don't-break defensive effort vs. Vance, with a fourth-down stop late in the fourth quarter giving the ball back to the Bulldogs' offense for a game-winning drive. Against Pine Forest, the Bulldogs lost on a last-minute TD pass to a diving receiver in the corner of the end zone.

In both games, the Bulldogs got in a hole early, giving up two and three scores before finding the end zone themselves. They need a fast start and the continued elite play of special teams, which blocked two punts against Pine Forest, to win this one.

Stopping senior RB Logan Foust and his 148 rushing yards per game is a tall order but even if Terry Sanford can't get that done, timely takeaways and bonus plays from special teams could easily turn the tables. The Bulldogs' offense is rolling steadily behind quarterback Jaylen Wright, who has become a reliable game manager with patience and poise.

The pick: Southern Alamance

No. 7 Wilson Fike (9-3) at No. 2 Seventy-First (12-0), 7 p.m.

Radio: 94.3 FM

The Falcons are built to win this thing.

Bigger, stronger and faster as a team than most opponents, Seventy-First is fundamentally sound, takes care of the ball, and prides itself on defense. Put all that together and you've got a contender.

The Falcons gave up 20 points in last week's Round 2 win over Triton — the only time this season they've allowed more than two scores. Look for that result to fuel a get-back performance for this defense, which didn't allow a point for the entire month of October.

On offense, Seventy-First has three players averaging more than 90 rushing yards per game in QB Deandre Nance (96), Donavan Frederick (96) and Jayson Franklin (92). Nance's 134 points accounted for and 22 touchdowns both rank in the top 10 across the state in Class 3A.

Fike is led by senior Bud Woodard's 102 rushing yards per game while Josiah Artis adds 51, and Woodard had four TDs last week. The Demons have knocked Southern Lee and Currituck County out of the playoffs with a 17-point average margin of victory, scoring 43 and 37 points in those wins, respectively.

They'll probably have to score more than that to have a chance against the Falcons. Seventy-First averages 44 points per game while the Demons average 26. But Fike's defense is opportunistic and its special teams blocked a punt last week. Still, if the Falcons stick to their brand of football, they'll advance.

The pick: Seventy-First

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: NCHSAA football playoffs Round 3 predictions Seventy-First