Friday will mark 294 days since Purnell Swett, St. Pauls and Red Springs walked off the field after first-round state playoff losses, ending last fall’s football season in Robeson County. It will be 301 days since Lumberton and Fairmont’s played their final games of 2023.

But the lights will illuminate the skies over Robeson County on Friday again, for the first of 11 weeks of regular-season play — then hopefully more after that — for local football programs.

Half the teams who take the field on Friday will take their first setback of the fall, while the other half will be able to celebrate for a few days until the next matchup. As that process repeats itself each successive week, each team hopes that those celebrations ultimately outnumber those setbacks.

Who will be celebrating by the end of the night on Friday? Well, Week 1 games are among the hardest to predict, as there’s little within the current season, yet, to base an opinion on.

But nonetheless, here’s a guess how those openers will turn out locally.

Last season: 39-6

Purnell Swett at St. Pauls

The Rams and Bulldogs meet in the best Week 1 game in Robeson County in the six seasons I’ve covered sports here; it’s among the five or so best in-county matchups at any point of the season. As the programs meet for the first time since 2010, both teams return significant portions of their rosters from playoff-qualifying teams last year, and are each poised for a strong campaign with that experience this season.

The teams did not exchange film due to both of Purnell Swett’s preseason scrimmages being canceled; St. Pauls coach Mike Setzer compared the situation to a blind date. Each team, therefore, will be focusing on themselves and simply executing their own schemes even more than usual, though they won’t be completely clueless as to what the opposition will look to do since much of the personnel is the same as last year.

The matchup between the Bulldogs’ offense and the Rams’ defense could be a strength-vs.-strength type of matchup, with lots of talent and physicality on the Purnell Swett side and plenty of explosiveness and depth on the St. Pauls side. On the other side of the ball, Purnell Swett will look to run the ball against a St. Pauls defense that Setzer expects will be aggressive.

I expect a close, competitive game that could come down to just a play or two in the fourth quarter. And I think the Bulldogs, at home, will be just slightly better and earn a narrow victory.

St. Pauls 21, Purnell Swett 14

Fairmont at Lumberton

The Golden Tornadoes and Pirates meet to open the season for the third straight year in the “Battle of Highway 41.” Each of the last two meetings have been close, low-scoring games won by Fairmont.

While every team is a little hard to predict entering a Week 1 game, it’s even more of an unknown with a first-year head coach. Taurius Baker will make his head-coaching debut for the Pirates Friday, the second-straight season the team has entered the fall with a new leader.

And yet, while Lumberton has some personnel questions in addition to the adjustment to playing under Baker, it may be Fairmont that has more questions entering the season. The Golden Tornadoes have just one returning All-County selection (lineman Gavin Mayers), two less than any other program in Robeson County, and a significant portion of the production on both sides of the ball from last year’s team has graduated.

Lumberton’s defense has a few potential breakout players this season, including the likes of Logan Nunez, Johnathan Cox, Reggie Bush, among others, and may be the unit in this game that I have the least questions about entering the season. I think that defense will make enough plays to earn Baker’s inaugural victory.

Lumberton 16, Fairmont 12

Douglas Byrd at Red Springs

The away team has won all three meetings between these programs, which have taken place in Week 1 for the last three seasons. But that should change this year, as the hosts are the better program. Red Springs improved from one win in 2022 to a 5-6 season last year, and is looking for more in 2024.

I do expect Douglas Byrd’s defense will be improved from what it was last year, but they’ll face a challenge in the opener against the Red Devils. An offense led by running back Jakelsin Mack, who rushed for nearly 1,300 yards last season, and receiver T.J. Ellerbe, the 2023 Robeson County Underclassman of the Year, should be dynamic right out of the gate and will score some points, both Friday and moving forward.

Coach Tim Ray says that his defense will also be a lot more disciplined this season, playing a system instead of just overaggresively swarming the ball. The Red Devils should be better on both sides of the ball and start the season on the right foot.

Red Springs 36, Douglas Byrd 12