High school football coaches find different ways to motivate their teams, and one tool they use is preseason and weekly predictions.
While coaches often cringe when their teams are favored, they tend to get excited when the same so-called experts throw the slightest of shade towards their squads. It serves as rallying cries.
But at the end of the day, predictions are simply for fun and help generate conversation and excitement.
How will area teams do this season? Here is how I see teams faring in 2026:
Croatan Cougars
Croatan is no longer under the radar after it started last year 6-0 — its third consecutive 3-0 start — before an 11-2 finish.
Croatan won’t have much issue in games with East Carteret and Topsail to open, and while contests with Southwest and Washington won’t be as easy, I see those as comfortable wins, along with the Cougars’ Coastal Conference opener against Swansboro.
Then two of the games of the year transpire against Havelock and Northside. I pick the Cougars to defeat Havelock again, but fall to Northside.
Prediction: 9-1 overall, 5-1 in Coastal Conference (Loss to Northside)
Dixon Bulldogs
Dixon players and coaches want to show last year was not a fluke and that they are a program on the rise.
Dixon won’t catch opponents off guard, and I see the Bulldogs handling business against Topsail, Beddingfield, Hobbton and Southwest before opening Coastal Conference play with wins over West Carteret and Swansboro to start 6-0.
But then things get more challenging.
Prediction: 7-3 overall, 3-3 in Coastal Conference (Losses to Havelock, Northside, Croatan)
East Duplin Panthers
East Duplin once again opens against longtime rival Wallace-Rose Hill and closes nonconference play against James Kenan and Jacksonville.
I see the Panthers starting 3-0 before those meetings with James Kenan and Jacksonville. Then expect East Duplin to face little resistance in the East Central Conference.
Prediction: 8-2 overall, 5-0 in East Central Conference (Losses to James Kenan, Jacksonville)
Jacksonville Cardinals
Jacksonville only plays nine regular season games — this is not a recording — for the sixth straight year. Can someone play the Cardinals so they can get a 10th game?
Anyways, I had Jacksonville going 7-2 last year, only for the Cardinals to complete an undefeated regular season en route to the East Regional final.
Perhaps much to the ire of the Cardinals’ fans, I have Jacksonville going, yes you guessed it, 7-2 again, while placing second in the Big Carolina Conference.
Prediction: 7-2 overall, 4-1 in Big Carolina (Losses to Northside, J.H. Rose)
Lejeune Devilpups
I admire the work Lejeune coach George Ketchum and his players are doing to form a competitive program.
While I think the Devilpups will be stronger, I see the limited numbers being a challenge.
Prediction: 1-9 overall, 1-5 in Coastal Plains Conference (Win over Jones Senior)
Liberty Christian Academy Heat
I feel bad for Liberty Christian football players as coach Shawn Richmond was let go in July with the start of the season just over the horizon.
The Heat were primed to have a good season, then all of the sudden they were without their leader. However, I look Liberty to still play inspired.
Prediction: 5-2 overall (Two losses to Sandhills Classic Christian)
Northside Monarchs
There’s been plenty of hype surrounding Northside following last year’s 11-3 season where the Monarchs advanced to the East Regional final.
I see the Monarchs flexing their muscles for most of the season. That said, I have a sneaky suspicion the Monarchs will share the Coastal Conference again with Croatan and Havelock.
I predict Northside defeating Croatan, but falling to Havelock to close the regular season. And for the record, I pick the Rams to finish 8-2 overall and 5-1 in the conference.
Prediction: 9-1 overall, 5-1 in Coastal Conference (Loss to Havelock)
Richlands Wildcats
Last year, Richlands coach Bill Good playfully gave me the business after a season-opening win at Southwest because I predicted the Wildcats to go 3-7. Well, I was right.
Good won’t be too pleased with my prediction for this season, although he’s one coach who uses prognostications as a motivational tools.
The Wildcats look to record their fifth consecutive victory over Southwest. A Richlands win would certainly change the Wildcats’ trajectory.
Prediction: 2-8 overall, 1-5 in Coastal Conference (Wins over South Brunswick, Swansboro)
Southwest Stallions
I overdid my Southwest predictions last year as I had the Stallions going 7-2, only for them to finish 2-8.
I predict the Stallions matching that win total in week two this season before facing a very tough stretch of games.
Prediction: 5-5 overall, 3-2 in East Central Conference (Losses to Croatan, Dixon, White Oak, East Duplin, Clinton)
Swansboro Pirates
Swansboro can earn early momentum with games against South Columbus and Pamlico. I predict the Pirates starting 3-1 before kicking off Coastal Conference action. Swansboro lost three games, including two in conference, by six points or less last year. The Pirates have potential to flip the script.
Prediction: 3-7 overall, 0-6 in Coastal Conference (Wins over South Columbus, Pamlico, East Carteret)
White Oak Vikings
White Oak opened last year falling to Northside before winning the next four. The Vikings then dropped the next five regular season games.
I predict much of the same for White Oak, although I would not be surprised if the Vikings plucked off a Big Carolina Conference win.
Prediction: 4-6 overall, 0-5 in Big Carolina Conference (Wins over Richlands, Swansboro, Kinston, Southwest)