It’s week five of the high school football season, and what a pair of games we have for you.
The game of the week is the Hwy 24 clash between Swansboro and Croatan as the winner improves to 5-0.The victory also gets awarded free ice cream, hence, why this contest is called the Ben & Jerry’s Bowl.
But let us not forget the slobberknocker between unbeaten East Duplin and Jacksonville featuring the area’s two elder statesman of coaches in Battle Holley and Beau Williams.Perhaps the coaches should put a friendly wager on this one with the loser having to learn how to actually use a cell phone.
Who wins Friday’s week five games? Here are my thoughts and predictions:
Swansboro (4-0) at Croatan (4-0)
The annual Ben & Jerry’s Bowl between Swansboro and Croatan features undefeated teams clashing in this Coastal 5-A/6-A Conference opener.
The Cougars lead the series 15-11, winning the last four, including 52-0 last year. The Pirates’ last victory was a 42-38 win in 2021.
Swansboro won the first game 42-6 in 1999.
Swansboro enters with confidence as the Pirates look for their first 5-0 start since they were 7-0 in 1966. They were also 8-0 in 1964. A Croatan win would move the Cougars to 5-0 entering a game with Havelock for the second straight year.
Expect the Pirates to enter with plenty of emotion, something the Cougars will need to withstand, Croatan has played in big games in recent years, meaning the Cougars likely won’t succumb to the pressure.
Look for plenty of hard hits and even more bantering back-and-forth between the teams.The teams feature solid special teams, so the kicking game could play a role in this.
Prediction: Croatan 27, Swansboro 24
East Duplin (4-0) at Jacksonville (2-1)
East Duplin coaches are unlikely to admit it, but if the Panthers can defeat Jacksonville, there’s a good chance they finish the regular season undefeated.
And while that’s a big if, if the Panthers are to defeat the Cardinals, this game would be the one to do it, given Jacksonville’s first-half offensive struggles in the last two games. East Duplin has impressive wins over Wallace-Rose Hill, Princeton and James Kenan, and a victory over Jacksonville would further solidify the Panthers being a 4-A contender.
A win by the Cardinals would be a good lift, especially if the offense can improve.
Jacksonville leads the series 5-1, including 35-24 last year. Other wins came in 2000, 2018, 2019 and in the 2021 spring season. East Duplin won 27-26 at Jacksonville in 2017.
Prediction: East Duplin 21, Jacksonville 14
White Oak (1-2) at Southwest (1-3)
Will White Oak rebound after losing its second consecutive game, including last week’s 45-6 home loss to Kinston? Or can Southwest carry its momentum over from last week’s win at Dixon?
Games between the Vikings and Stallions are typically competitive.
White Oak is still trying to find offensive consistency while Southwest’s running game has flexed its muscles for six quarters.
The Stallions lead the series 28-18, but the Vikings have won the last four games, including 20-6 last year. Southwest’s last win was a 45-6 victory in 2019. The teams didn’t meet in the 2021 spring and fall seasons. White Oak won the first meeting 52-16 in 1977.
Prediction: Southwest 28, White Oak 14
West Carteret (1-2) at Dixon (2-2)
Dixon could have entered its Coastal Conference opener on a three-game winning streak, but the Bulldogs let a 13-point lead with 1:17 left slip away in a 58-57 home loss to Southwest.
West Carteret had an open date following a 40-7 win at East Carteret on Aug. 28, meaning the Patriots have had plenty of time to prepare for Dixon’s single-wing offense.
Look for the Bulldogs to play inspired following last week’s loss, but also expect this to be a high-scoring affair.
The Patriots are 5-0 in the series, winning 67-51 last year, 51-49 in 2024 and 42-21 in 2023. Other wins came in 2021 and 2022.
Prediction: Dixon 44, West Carteret 40
Father Capodanno (1-3) at Liberty Christian Academy (3-0)
It seems as if the only thing that slowing Liberty Christian down are open dates.
Last week marked the Heat’s second open date, which followed a 38-28 win at nemesis Sandhills Classical Christian. Next up is Father Capodanno, which the Heat downed 26-14 on Aug. 14.
Liberty struggled in the first half in the first meeting with Father Capodanno before pulling away in the second half. Look for the Heat to learn from those mistakes and establish control early.
Liberty has won four consecutive games in the series following a 56-0 loss in the first meeting in 2023.
Prediction: Liberty Christian 30, Father Capodanno 14
Richlands (1-3) at Havelock (1-3)
Richlands has dropped three straight, and things don’t look to get any easier as the Wildcats visit Havelock to open Coastal Conference play.
Yes, the Rams have also lost three consecutive games, but those defeats were against New Bern, Tarboro and J.H. Rose.
Havelock is 6-0 all-time against Richlands. The Rams won twice last year, including 47-0 in the first round. Other wins came in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016.
Prediction: Havelock 40, Richlands 6
Lejeune (0-3) at Bear Grass Charter (0-4)
Lejeune will either win its first game or see Bear Grass capture its first victory.
The Devilpups appear competitive on defense, but need to muster drives to defeat the Bears. Lejeune has scored just 21 points while allowing 67. Bear Grass has been outscored 72-187.
The Bears won 45-0 last year and won in 2017 and 2018. The Devilpups’ lone series win was a 41-14 victory in 2024.
Prediction: Bear Grass 22, Lejeune 16