The West Craven Eagles will host the SouthWest Edgecombe Cougars at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. West Craven is coming into the game hot, having won their last nine games.
West Craven is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Friday. They strolled past T.W. Andrews with points to spare, taking the game 30-14. The final result isn't all that surprising considering the Eagles' considerable advantage in MaxPreps' North Carolina football rankings (they are ranked 42nd, while the Red Raiders are ranked 148th).
DJ Davis was his usual excellent self, rushing for 73 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while also throwing for 145 yards and two TDs.
West Craven didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Davis and Kadyn Seamster. Another thorn in T.W. Andrews' side was Emmanuel Miller, who picked up 1.5 sacks and made nine total tackles (3.5 for loss).
Meanwhile, it was a proper cat-fight when SouthWest Edgecombe duked it out with East Duplin on Friday. The Cougars came out on top in a nail-biter against the Panthers, sneaking past 44-41. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Cougars have posted since November 1, 2024.
West Craven better keep an eye on Andre Downey Jr. He was instrumental in SouthWest Edgecombe's win, rushing for 215 yards and two scores on only 13 carries, while also picking up 88 receiving yards and one touchdown. Downey Jr is becoming a predictor of the Cougars' success: when he posts at least two rushing touchdowns the team is undefeated (and 4-5 when he doesn't). Justin Bridgers did his part to keep the secondary busy, picking up 91 receiving yards.
SouthWest Edgecombe was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 355 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 150 rushing yards in six consecutive matchups.
West Craven's record now sits at 11-1. As for SouthWest Edgecombe, their record is now 8-5.
Friday's contest might be decided on the ground. West Craven has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 165.4 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like SouthWest Edgecombe struggles in that department as they've been averaging 213.3 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's game turns into a tough fight on the ground.
West Craven took their win against SouthWest Edgecombe in their previous matchup back in October by a conclusive 44-19 score. Do the Eagles have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Cougars turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
