Change has become a constant in our world these days. All over the eastern Wake County region the landscape is changing. But one thing remains the same. We still share a strong common interest in what’s happening in our community. The Eastern Wake News blog -- now called the Eastern Wake Buzz -- is the place to go to learn about the changes taking place in our part of the world and to share your thoughts on the news of the day. Regular entries are posted by news staffers Brian High, Aaron Moody, Denise Sherman and Johnny Whitfield. We’d love to share the latest buzz with you. We can’t wait to read your comments and insights.
ERWIN - Triton took advantage of five Smithfield-Selma turnovers to take a 26-7 non-conference football victory.
“Our defense played incredible tonight, they just came out and they wanted it more and I think they played as hard as any defense could play,” said Hawks head coach Joe McCullen. “I wish our offense played better, but our defense really carried us to beat a great team."
RALEIGH – Athens Drive has plenty of offensive fire power returning from last season, but it looks like the Jaguars' defense can be pretty good also, after Friday night's 41-13 win over Sanderson.
Quarterback Ben Snotherly, runningback Kyree Green, and wide receiver Louis Wilder all put up outstanding numbers last year and took up where they left off.
Snotherly did most of his damage in the first half, throwing for 198 of his 234 yards. He also threw touchdown passes of 17 and 29 yards to Wilder in the first half.
Athens led 21-10 after the first quarter and at halftime.
CLAYTON – For the first time in six seasons, the Clayton Comets opened the season with a 33-13 victory over Cardinal Gibbons.
The Comets set the tone in the first half with a bruising rushing attack. The Comets chewed up over 18 minutes off the clock as Clayton tailbacks amasses 230 yards on the ground over the first two quarters.
Although it was the Clayton running backs who obtained much of the yardage on the night, it was senior quarterback Matt Reid and his three touchdown pases that help strecthed the Clayton lead to 20 points at the half, 26-6.
GARNER – Surprising things seem to happen when Millbrook and Garner line up on opposite sidelines for a high school football game. They did again Friday night as the Wildcats shut out a Trojans' offense that was among the most highly touted in the area, taking a 3-0 victory.
"I've seen it all in this series, from 3-0 to 38-41, so it's kind of hard to be surprised by whatever happens," said Garner coach Nelson Smith. "You just know you're going to always get two teams who bring out the best efforts in each other. That never surprises me anytime these teams play."
DURHAM – Wake Forest-Rolesville silenced, for tonight anyway, critics who questioned its defense during the preseason. Eight new starters are in the rotation but it didn’t matter Friday night as the N&O’s No. 1 team shut out Durham Riverside 40-0 for the third straight year.
The Cougars held the Pirates to minus-36 rushing yards, and frustrated starting quarterback Collin Hogarth into four sacks, three interceptions and 77 passing yards.
“I am proud of the way our defense performed, especially with eight players who either have never played varsity or were called up from junior varsity,” WF-R coach Reggie Lucas said. “We are going to have to find our own identity and just take it one game at a time.”
Road Trip Crazies create framing frenzy
Today's N&O previewed eight area football conferences as well as the football-playing independent schools.
I've talked with the new head football coaches at Knightdale and East Wake high schools and it is fun to see them getting settled into their positions.
Area high school football schedules are available at: http://www.newsobserver.com/sports/high_school/.
