As I mentioned before the 2013 prep football season kicked off, I’d never been so enthusiastic about football — and it’s probably because I was actually going to be working the field every Friday night.
Based on past Free Press football sections, records, statistics and just overall impressions, I formed my own opinions about the area squads. But there were some surprises this year that no one could have predicted.
Ayden-Grifton’s ‘miracle’ run
At the start of the season, I’m pretty sure everyone picked the assumed-dominate Chargers to blow through the inaugural Eastern Carolina 2A conference — and everyone was right. However, I’m sure no one foresaw the fashion in which it happened.
We all remember the favorite Ayden-Grifton that started the season winless. The Chargers entered conference play 0-6 and the unthinkable happened: they took off to sweep every opponent in the group — including an unforgettable, unforgivable 76-0 shutout over the Kinston Vikings.
Coach Paul Cornwell said of the season’s start he’s never seen so many injuries at one time during his coaching career. Those who were out, though, came back at just the right time, as Ayden-Grifton won the conference championship and became the only area team to make it to the third round of NCHSAA state playoffs. The Chargers fell to Northeastern 41-35 last week.
If there was any team that overcame a gruesome test this season, it was the Ayden-Grifton Chargers.
Greene Central makes the playoffs
I was under the impression Ayden-Grifton, Kinston and Goldsboro would be the three teams to make the state playoffs this year. I figured Greene Central, North Lenoir and South Lenoir would just be in a scrap for fourth place — well, at least GC and NL. This proved true until the tail end of the season when GC finally started finishing games when it most mattered.
Goldsboro was on its way to the No. 3 spot in the conference and a playoff ticket, but the Rams of Greene Central squashed its hopes.
You wouldn’t think a team that finished 3-9 would even deserve a chance in the playoffs, but the Rams earned it with a close 20-19 win over a Cougars team that was really supposed to beat them.
First-year coach Allen Wooten put a before-unpopular team back on the map with an inconceivable playoff go. But Greene Central was crushed by Bunn in the first round, 69-20.
Even with a losing record, Greene Central still kind of won.
The plight of Jones Senior
I had the Trojans winning a few games this year, but they let me down. We all hoped things would get better as they took on a lighter conference season, but nothing changed.
And what a difference a year makes. In 2011-12, Jones Senior won 10 games and a trip to the 1A state championship game. Last year, the Trojans won just three games. This year: they couldn’t get one in the win column.
I have a special connection to Jones Senior, as I was the Jones Post reporter my first nine months with The Free Press. I was always secretly rooting for the team to win — the cat’s out of the bag! To see the Trojans go out like this was disheartening, and hopefully they can come back better next year. There’s nowhere to go but up.
Everyone else
My predictions from the other area teams pretty much fell in line. Arendell Parrott Academy was good, Kinston was pretty good and North and South Lenoir’s seasons also went as I … expected.
It was an exciting season that evidenced anything can happen once you step out on the field. I saw these kids work and play hard this year, and I’m looking forward to see what happens the next time around. Clearly, you never know.
Jessika Morgan is the Sports Editor of The Free Press. She can be reached at 252-559-1078 and Jessika.Morgan@Kinston.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessikaMorgan