Hertford County Bears head to Northeastern for second round of NC Class 2A playoffs

Hertford County (9-3) and Northeastern (10-2) are the only two Northeastern Coastal teams that remain in postseason play, and the two will face off in the second round of the NCHSAA 2A Football State Championship in Elizabeth City, N.C. The game is set to kickoff tonight, Nov. 20 at 7:30 PM.

The Bears and Eagles faced each other on Oct. 30, and Northeastern came away with a 37-34 victory. That win secured the Eagles' second-straight, outright Northeastern Coastal Conference Championship.

The winner of this game will play the winner of the No. 1-seed Kinston/No. 9-seed Ayden-Grifton game.

Scouting the Bears:

• No. 5 seed in the East Region
• Advanced to the second round with a 32-27 win over No. 12-seed Midway
• Ranked No. 26 in the NC Class 2A Rankings
• Finished 2nd in the Northeastern Coastal 2A Standings with a 5-1 conference record
• Only three losses came from teams that are still in the playoffs: at Hunt (17-12), vs Rocky Mount (75-27), at Northeastern (37-34)

Offensive Players to Watch:

• #2 Sr QB Christian Folston (2,890 passing yards, 29 passing TDs, 430 rushing yards, 8 rushing TDs)
• #32 So RB Kyeem Perry (1,240 rushing yards, 17 rushing TDs)
• #25 Jr WR Jaquarii Roberson (1,315 receiving yards, 17 TDs)
• #1 Sr WR Evan Simmons (611 receiving yards, 7 TDs)

Defensive Players to Watch:

• #56 Sr DL Andrew New (58 total tackles, 4 caused fumbles, 5 fumble recoveries)
• #6 Jr MLB Alex Maxbauer (89 total tackles, 8.1 tackles per game, 3 interceptions)
• #10 Jr SS Da'Andre Beverly (4 interceptions)
• #7 Jr Greg Harrell (8.0 sacks)

Scouting the Eagles:

• No. 4 seed in the East Region
• Advanced to the second round with a 48-19 win over conference-foe, No. 13-seed First Flight
• Ranked No. 9 in the NC Class 2A Rankings
• Finished 1st in the Northeastern Coastal 2A Standings with a 6-0 conference record
• Only two losses came from teams that are still in the playoffs: vs Hunt (10-19), vs Lake Taylor (34-27)

Offensive Players to Watch:

• #3 Sr QB Devonte Rountree
• #4 Sr RB Clarence Jones
• #6 Sr WR Tivis Vaughan

Defensive Players to Watch:

• #4 Sr OLB Clarence Jones
• #28 Jr LB Trey Sawyer
• #23 So LB Malik Combs

Just in case anyone is geographically challenged, but still wants to support the Bears, here are directions to Northeastern from Hertford County High School. If you can't make it to the game, tune into WDLZ 98.3. It will also be broadcast online by 98.3 on TuneIn Radio. 

GO BEARS!

2015 2A State Championship Bracket | Hertford County Schedule | Northeastern Schedule

(All stats and roster information courtesy of maxpreps.com) 

ACC Football Outlook for Week 12

9-1, 6-0 ACC5-5, 3-3 ACC

Saturday, 12:00 PM on ESPN 

"Beamerball" will come to an end in Blacksburg, black uniforms will be donned by the Hokies, and Virginia Tech can become bowl eligible - momentum looks to be on that side of the ball, but North Carolina may have more to play for. 10-game winning streak on the line, the chance to clinch the ACC Coastal, and the opportunity to spoil Beamer's farewell party.

This game will be fun to watch as both teams will be playing with a lot of emotion for completely different reasons, but the Tar Heel offense is just too much to handle. North Carolina will not manhandle Virginia Tech like they did Duke and Miami, but a tough road test will benefit the Tar Heels...and man, they will need it, with their eyes set on playing the No. 1 ranked Clemson Tigers in the ACC Championship.

Pick: North Carolina

3-7, 1-6 ACC6-4, 3-3 ACC

Saturday, 12:30 PM on ACC Network

The last time Miami got destroyed (L 58-0 vs Clemson), they bounced back with a miraculous win over the Duke Blue Devils (W 30-27). After a whoopin' from North Carolina (L 59-21), that trend will continue, as the Hurricanes should have no problem winning against Georgia Tech. 

Pick: Miami

6-4, 2-4 ACC3-7, 1-5 ACC

Saturday, 12:30 PM on ACC Network

Over a four-week span, NC State has had very strong performances against two of the best teams in the ACC, Clemson and Florida State. They fell in both games, but if there is a such thing as a quality loss, then those two games were quality losses. 

NC State sits right in the middle of the ACC Atlantic, and has taken care of business against two of the three bottom half teams, and that trend will continue against Syracuse.

Pick: NC State

8-2, 6-1 SoCon8-2, 6-2 ACC  

Saturday, 3:00 PM on RSN

Pick: Florida State

 3-7, 1-5 ACC10-0, 7-0 ACC

Saturday, 3:30 PM on ESPN2

Pick: Clemson

6-4, 3-3 ACC3-7, 2-4 ACC

Saturday, 3:30 PM on ESPN3

Just in case anyone has forgotten, the highly talented Duke Blue Devils have lost three straight, but all from equally talented opponents (Miami, UNC and Pittsburgh). It has been a tough three weeks for Duke, but this match-up with Virginia is exactly what the doctor ordered. The losing streak will be snapped with a tough road test from the Cavaliers, and the Devils get back to their winning ways.

Pick: Duke

6-4, 5-27-3, 5-1 ACC

Saturday, 3:45 PM on ESPNNews

This is the only ACC game that features two teams with winning records and the story behind those records is intriguing. Pittsburgh has only lost three games this season with all three coming from the hands of ranked opponents (Notre Dame - No. 4, Iowa - No. 6, UNC - No. 17). On the other hand, Louisville lost their first three games of the season before winning six of their last seven. 

Pick: Pittsburgh

3-7, 0-79-1      

Saturday, 7:30 PM on NBCSN

In honor of the 30th anniversary of Boston College's 1985 Cotton Bowl victory, the Eagles will be wearing throwback uniforms, and who better to model the uniforms than that year's Heisman Trophy winner and the Hail Mary quarterback himself, Doug Flutie. Notre Dame will also be showing up in style, wearing their "Shamrock Series" uniforms. To add even more spice, the Eagles and Fighting Irish will square off at Fenway Park, home of Major League Baseball's Boston Red Sox.

Notre Dame comes into this game ranked No. 4 in the nation and Boston College is trying to avoid losing 7 in a row, so the likelihood of this being a close game is very slim.

Pick: Notre Dame

ACC Week 12 Schedule | ACC Standings | CFB Rankings

Right-hand man, Nate Britt, leads UNC to home-opener win

FAIRFIELD STAGS | 65

#1 UNC TAR HEELS | 92

Big-Time Players: 
Nate Britt
17 points (6-9, 4-6 3's), 5 assists

Brice Johnson
16 points (8-10 FT), 11 rebounds

Nate Britt matched a career-high in points (17) and led North Carolina (2-0) in scoring in a 92-65 win over the Fairfield Stags (0-2). Another successful night from 3-point range, making 4 of 6 attempts, helped aid Britt's second strong performance of this young season.

As a freshman, Britt was a left handed shooter, but during the off-season, before his sophomore season, Coach Roy Williams asked Britt to switch to shooting with his right hand. Last season, many were critical of whether or not he should have made the switch, but now in his junior season, Britt has already proved that right is right.

#0 Nate Britt
Courtesy: J.D. Lyon Jr. (goheels.com)

Four other Tar Heels joined Britt in double-figures. After struggling Friday night, Justin Jackson netted 11 points and definitely played like the player North Carolina fans hope to see. 

Senior Brice Johnson posted his second consecutive double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds, while sophomores Joel Berry II and Theo Pinson scored 15 and 11 points, respectively.

Pinson also dished out 8 assists, which is exciting coming from a guy that did not play much of last season due to a broken left foot. Teams got a glimpse of what type of numbers he is capable of putting up before his injury, but a healthy Pinson this season will be very dangerous for future opponents.

North Carolina was unable to pull away from the Fairfield Stags in the first half, who trailed the Tar Heels by only an 8-point deficit going into halftime. Free-throw shooting has been an Achilles' heel for the Tar Heels and will need to be improved upon for them to put away teams like Fairfield much earlier than they did tonight. 

Fairfield senior Marcus Gilbert led all scorers with 25 points before fouling out in the final minutes.

The Tar Heels will welcome the Wofford Terriors, who have made it to four of the last six NCAA Tournaments, Wednesday night for a 7 PM tip-off. The game will be televised on the Raycom Sports Network and can be viewed on ESPN3.

Fairfield v. UNC Box Score | UNC Schedule | UNC Roster 

No Paige? No Problem!

TEMPLE OWLS | 67

#1 UNC TAR HEELS | 91

Big-Time Player: 

Kennedy Meeks 
25 points (10-17), 11 rebounds, 3 blocks

Surprise Player: 

Nate Britt
15 points (5-8, 3-4 3's), 2 assists

C'mon Man Player: 

Justin Jackson
4 points (2-7, 0-3 3's), 2 rebounds

The North Carolina Tar Heels (1-0) upended the Temple Owls (0-1) Friday night in the Veterans Classic at the United States Naval Academy, 91-67. 

Junior Kennedy Meeks dominated in the paint, grabbing 11 rebounds and netting a career-high 25 points. Meeks was joined in double-figures by Brice Johnson, who also put up double-double figures with 16 points and 10 rebounds.

While Meeks and Johnson put up very strong numbers, Justin Jackson struggled the entire night. Jackson only converted on 2-of-7 shots, including missing three attempts behind the arc. He only pulled down 2 rebounds, but rest assured, the real Justin Jackson will show up. The sophomore was picked as one of the top 10 high-impact sophomores by Sports Illustrated, and there is no doubt he will perform to that expectation as the season goes on. 

Joel Berry II, the typical Tar Heel sixth-man, helped fill the starting role that the highly talented, yet injured Marcus Paige would usually play. Theo Pinson joined Berry in the starting North Carolina backcourt.

Berry and Pinson proved that the Tar Heels will do just fine while Paige's right hand heals for at least three weeks. Along with junior Nate Britt, the trio sank all of North Carolina's seven three pointers and combined for ten assists.

#0 Nate Britt
Courtesy: J.D. Lyon Jr. (goheels.com) 

Britt came off the bench, but still managed to score in double-figures with 15 points, which is exciting coming from a guy that averaged just over 5 points per game in his first two seasons. The junior was almost perfect from three-point range only missing 1 of his 4 attempts beyond the arc.

From the looks of how Berry, Britt, and Pinson performed, the Tar Heels should not have any problem while Paige recovers from his injury. It will be fun to watch which one of them steps up in these next three weeks in hopes of earning that fifth starting spot.

The Tar Heels played up to their preseason No. 1 ranking and will look to continue their winning ways when they host Fairfield, Sunday at 4 PM. That game will be televised on ESPNU.

Temple v. UNC Box Score | UNC Schedule | UNC Roster