LUMBERTON — Coaches love to use the adage: “take it one game at a time.”
While the focus of teams right now are on Week 1, there is something about matchups that feature rivals and conference contenders that players eyes start to gravitate toward. As spectators and fans of the game, there are games that are highlighted on the schedule when it becomes official, and many times the anticipation lives up to the billing.
There are currently 50 separate games scheduled for the five Robeson County schools this football season, and here’s a few games played in the county that should be highly anticipated by the area’s football following.
Union Pines at St. Pauls, Aug. 30
This matchup is the only contest featured that doesn’t have two Robeson County teams, but there are plenty of county ties in this game as Robeson County native Lonnie Cox brings Union Pines to town. This game last year came down to the fourth quarter, and both teams bring back a host of returners, including a pair of stars at running back.
The matchup of the Bulldogs’ Marqueise Coleman against Viking running back Tyreek McCoy will be the talk of the game, but both teams will look to go vertical on occasion. This should be a preview of what’s to come for the St. Pauls offense behind its stable of upperclassmen pass catchers.
Don’t forget about the defense as well with St. Pauls’ much bigger defensive line looking to slow down McCoy.
Red Springs at Fairmont, Oct. 25
The most closely contest rivalry in the county for the last four seasons, no love is lost between these two teams when they meet in any sport. Eight points or less has decided the winner the last four times these teams met, with Fairmont coming out victorious in the clutch on three occasions.
This year the matchup should be just as competitive with Red Springs’ group a year older and Fairmont adding depth from South Robeson to round out the team. The newcomers from Fairmont include sizable defensive linemen, which was a shortfall of past Fairmont teams that have looked to stop the run game like Red Springs exhibits.
This game might carry more than just bragging rights this year. With a top-heavy Three Rivers Conference, this game could play a part if in either team makes the playoffs, like it did last year.
Lumberton at Purnell Swett, Nov. 8
A lot can be said about this meeting the last few years. Playoff seeding hasn’t been in play for this matchup the past couple seasons, but that hasn’t cooled down the competitive level of this game between the two biggest schools in Robeson County.
Lumberton has controlled the series as of late, with six wins in the last seven games against the Rams, including a 34-21 win at home last year. Purnell Swett brings back a lot of those players that were on the losing side last year against a Pirate team with a roster that’s slightly limited this season.
Red Springs at St. Pauls, Nov. 8
Fans for both of these teams probably hope that the contest won’t span over three days and will feature a little more offense from St. Pauls’ 7-0 win late last season.
These two teams feature perhaps the most experience in the county, and the Three Rivers Conference for that matter. Both defenses will be tasked with stopping offensive units that have the county’s best athletes, and the offenses will look to counter against two of the best linebacker groups in the conference.
