Breaking down football schedules Part I

This week, we're going to break down the upcoming football schedules for our Tri-9 teams. Things are a bit tricky now with Holly Springs joining the conference. There will be one conference team with a bye week every week of the conference season, there will only be three non-conference games and some teams who will have to meet in the same location as last year's games. We start with the "northern half" of the conference, meaning all the schools located off Ten Ten Road or farther north.

Apex: The Cougars will face a stiff non-conference test before going into Tri-9 competiton. Riverside should be an easy one, but at Harnett Central and home with Leesville Road makes it hard for Apex to envision a 3-0 start. In fact, if Apex goes 2-1 through those games, they'll be a near lock for the playoffs again this year, which would be year No. 12 in a row. In conference, Apex has five away games, including a conference opener at Lee County. The Cougars will also have to travel to Middle Creek, after last year's historic first-ever win over the Mustangs on the same field. Senior night will be two weeks early, as the season ends with road games at Athens Drive and Middle Creek, in that order. The good news for Apex is that they'll get Fuquay-Varina at home, in a repeat of where last year's conference race was decided. Road games against up-and-coming Holly Springs and Panther Creek make Apex's schedule on of the hardest, if not the hardest, in the Tri-9

Non-conference opponents: @ Harnett Central, Riverside, Leesville Road

Athens Drive: The Jaguars will have to plow through an exclusive all-CAP-7 non-conference schedule before starting conference play. Here's hoping this year's game against Sanderson is as entertaining as last year's, in which the teams combined for more than 1,000 yards of offense and 80 points. The Jags will need to show improvement on defense to take any of those first three games, but any number of wins isn't out of the question. Athens won't play a home game until the third week of the year, but was fortunate to have four home conference games against Lee County, Green Hope, Panther Creek and Apex (senior night). The season ends at Holly Springs, which could have playoff implications. Away games at Fuquay and Middle Creek are the hardest dates on the conference slate.

Non-conference opponents: @ Sanderson, @ Enloe, Broughton

Cary: The Imps make one of the longer non-conference trips to Northern Nash in the second week of the year, but look no further than the first week for improvement. Broughton came into Cary last year and whipped the Imps 42-21, and the players are determined to reverse that fortune this year. Cary was, like Athens, fortunate to have an even number of home and away games. The away games - Middle Creek, Panther Creek, Apex and Green Hope - will pose a stiff test. If Cary can go 2-2 it'd be a huge boost to playoff contention. Cary's senior night will be against Lee County and then the team will have a week off before traveling to PC for the season finale. For the most part, it's a fair schedule for Cary, but I'm sure they'd love to have some of those away games at home this year.

Non-conference opponents: Broughton, @ Northern Nash, Sanderson

Middle Creek: The Mustangs have the talent to seriously contend for a conference title this year, but they have the hardest out-of-conference schedule than anyone. The opener is a re-match of last year's 41-15 loss to Northern Durham, while the next week is a game at Southern Durham - one of the most talented teams year in and out. To cap that off, they then go to Garner before starting Tri-9. Middle Creek could go 0-3 and still win the conference - which is actually what they did in 2007 (except it was 0-4 and they won a tiebreaker for the No. 1 seed). Some of the pain from a tough non-conference schedule will be allieviated when playing five home games in the Tri-9. Two of the three road games are at last year's last-place teams, Lee County and Green Hope (the third is at PC). The senior night (also season finale) is against Apex, and the week before that is a home date with Fuquay.

Non-conference opponents: Northern Durham, @ Southern Durham, @Garner