One week from today, we’ll be waking up fresh off the high of the first high school football Friday night of the 2024 season.

I love this time of year, in the buildup to Week 1 — because everyone is hopeful. No matter how many or how few games they won last season, no matter if they have an experienced team or a young one, no matter if their goal is a state championship or simply to improve from a tough 2023.

Until the games begin, no ones hopes have yet been crushed. By this time next week, though, half the teams will be dealing with some level of disappointment after an undesired Week 1 outcome.

But for now, everyone naturally remains eager with anticipation, curious to see how their season plays out and how they stack up against everyone else.

Each year, I undertake the part fun, part futile exercise of predicting how the United-8 and Southeastern conference standings will play out by season’s end — though these picks are anything but gospel and teams have every opportunity to — please! — go out on the field and prove me wrong.

United-8 Conference

1. Seventy-First — The Falcons have won three straight conference titles and were 3A state runners-up last year, and it’s hard to see a drop-off in their success this fall, with quarterback Deandre Nance and nearly all of the team’s rushing production returning. Several key defenders including linebacker Donovan Frederick also return, and you know the Falcons will be as physical as they always seem to be. A fourth-straight conference championship is only their first goal, with sights set on more hardware in December.

2. Cape Fear — The strength of the Colts last year was their defense, and moderate experience returns there including DE Marsean Footman. Offensively, their top four receivers and star running back Favour Murtala graduated, leaving a strong quarterback in Geronimo Sanchez without much experience around him. The Colts played Seventy-First close last year; the first-to-second gap may be a touch larger now, but this is still a very good team.

3. Purnell Swett — The Rams have a whopping 27 seniors, and that older group carries some momentum after the program’s best season since 2017 last year but also some motivation after a slow finish. The margins are narrow from third to sixth in this conference, but the Rams have the offensive playmakers to supplement a strong defense and win enough games to finish here as the highest 4A finisher in the league.

4. Jack Britt — The quarterback, top four rushers and three of the top five receivers from last year graduated, though that leaves junior wideout Javonte Brooks poised for a breakout season. The defense should be the strength. Jack Britt was under .500 overall but finished third in the conference last year, losing only to Seventy-First and Cape Fear.

5. South View — The Tigers are another team hit somewhat hard by losses of personnel, between graduation and transfers. Senior quarterback Tyriq Clarida is as seasoned as anyone, though, and the Tigers program has always seemed to reload well from year to year as rosters turn over.

6. Gray’s Creek — We know a Jon Sherman-coached team will run often, and while the Bears’ top two backs from last year graduated, Alphonso Myers and Ezekiel Reed also had good seasons and return in the backfield. Much of the defense returns, including standout linebacker Kaleb Karaway. Despite being placed here, they’re only marginally beneath the three teams above them.

7. Lumberton — The league’s only coaching change was here, as the Pirates have a first-year coach for the second-straight season in Taurius Baker. Despite a 2-8 record last year, the team finished with a little momentum winning two of its last three. While there’s plenty of personnel question marks, Baker is determined to make sure his teams play hard and learn to play the right way.

8. Douglas Byrd — The Eagles didn’t win a game in 2023, and while they’re picked last again they should be more competitive this year. A young defense allowed over 40 points per game last year, but should grow with more experience, while quarterback Isaiah Pope and receiver Talik McCollum show promise on the offensive side.

Southeastern Athletic Conference

1. St. Pauls — St. Pauls has finished second in the Southeastern behind Clinton in the last two seasons, but looks poised to return to the top of the standings this season. An offense led by senior quarterback Theophilus Setzer, a Division-I prospect, boasts nine returning starters. While the defense isn’t quite as experienced, it’s also a talented group eager to play an aggressive brand of football as the Bulldogs look to play meaningful games well into the fall.

2. Clinton — This is the hardest placement in either conference, even after a 2A state runner-up finish, because it’s hard to know exactly what the Dark Horses will put on the field. Coach Cory Johnson left and much of last year’s most productive players went with him to Marlboro County (S.C.), leaving a whole new team for new head man Johnny Boykin. Running back Demarius Pugh and linebackers Jayden Williams and Dustin Williams are about the only recognizable names still around.

3. Red Springs — The Red Devils posted a four-win improvement in 2023, and have the potential for another step forward this fall. A dynamic offense, led by running back Jakelsin Mack and wideout T.J. Ellerbe, will complement a physical defense, with much of the team back from last year. Second place in the league is realistic if it all comes together well.

4. Midway — Barrett Sloan takes over coaching the Raiders, who should continue to put up a lot of points; the loss of running back Cody Ammons to transfer hurts, but running back Gehemiah Blue and receiver Kemari McNeill will be key pieces here. After allowing more than 35 points per game last year, the Raiders’ D didn’t lose much to graduation, and how much growth that unit shows will go a long way towards telling this season’s story. They’re picked fourth here, but could easily finish second.

5. Fairmont — The majority of the production on both sides of the ball graduated, leaving a young group to grow into the season in Jeremy Carthen’s second season as coach. Carthen believes he’s got athletes on the field — Fairmont always seems to — but the question will be if they can keep up in the trenches, and how much that youth will show itself.

6. West Bladen — After losing all five conference games last year, the Knights turn to new coach Preston Worley, who inherits a team that lost eight of its top 10 tacklers on defense and its best offensive player to transfer. Junior quarterback Hunter Hester has shown some potential, but there’s plenty of question marks here.