The Hobbton Wildcats will head out to face off against the Tarboro Vikings at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Both come into the matchup bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Hobbton is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Friday. They came out on top against Lakewood by a score of 20-14 (the very same score they lost by in their prior game).
Reginald Thompson
| 09/05/25 @ Dixon | 234 |
| 10/17/25 vs West Columbus | 226 |
| 10/31/25 vs North Duplin | 221 |
| 10/24/25 @ Lakewood | 132 |
| 11/14/25 vs Lakewood | 124 |
Hobbton's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Amir Tate, who rushed for 96 yards and two scores. Reginald Thompson helped out on the ground, rushing for 124 yards.
They were just one part of a punishing run game: Hobbton was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 221 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 179 rushing yards every time they've taken the field this season.
Meanwhile, Tarboro put another one in the bag on Friday to keep their perfect season alive. They never let Camden County get on the board and left with a 52-0 victory. Given the Vikings' advantage in MaxPreps' North Carolina football rankings (they are ranked 34th, while the Bruins are ranked 338th) , the win wasn't entirely unexpected.
Tarboro's win came from a few key players Hobbton will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Kamerin McDowell-Moore, who rushed for 75 yards and one touchdown. The bulk of those rushing yards came from one huge play: a run that gained an incredible 68 yards.
Special teams was a major factor in the game for Tarboro, racking up 14 points in total. The biggest highlight from special teams (and perhaps the team as a whole) came courtesy of Jhalen Pharr-McNair, who ran a punt back for a touchdown.
Hobbton's record now sits at 7-4. As for Tarboro, their record is now 11-0.
Friday's contest might be decided on the ground. Hobbton has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 323.5 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Tarboro struggles in that department as they've been averaging 366.1 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's game turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Hobbton was dealt a bruising 64-0 defeat at the hands of Tarboro when the teams last played back in November of 2019. Can the Wildcats avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
