Can you feel it? As the barometer begins to drop and the mercury seems to finally be yielding to temperatures below 90 degrees, the high school football season enters its most crucial stretch.

The time for experimentation is over. Now, local teams must welcome fall, cherish the last few downs of nonconference play and put themselves in a position to succeed down the road in the Eastern and Coastal Plains Conferences.

So far, the Panthers and Seahawks have split their first four games, respectively, and at times have exhibited some of the technical inconsistency that plagued them last season, beginning with form tackling and ball security.

Head coach Keith Boyd and Northside are coming off a game that featured very little defense, both teams combining for 86 points. Unfortunately for the Panthers, it was South Creek’s trio of running backs that edged senior Rockne Butler in the sprint, as the Panthers fell 48-38. Despite Northside’s defense giving up 411 yards on the ground, Butler finished with 206-yards rushing with three touchdowns.

For head coach Jeff Carrow and Southside, last week was truly a tale of two halves in a 34-22 road loss to Riverside. As time ticked away in the second half, the Knights’ offense remained poised and consistent, a testament to the team’s conditioning, while Southside’s intensity faded.

Washington is riding a three-game win-streak into its bye week, which should provide much-needed rest to a battle-tested defense. The Pam Pack will head to Riverside next Friday to take on the Knights.

 

NORTHSIDE AT EDENTON HOLMES AT 7:30 P.M.

Northside’s defensive output has been positively correlated with the level of competition through the first four games of the season. This week, the Panthers’ front seven will have its toughest task of the season in Edenton Holmes, a Class 2-A school that knows how to win in the waning minutes of a ballgame.

Averaging 36 points per contest, the Aces’ offense, like most of the teams on the Panthers’ schedule, is reliant on the run, but 5-foot-6 quarterback Devin Coston isn’t afraid to isolate and target receivers. His size also gives him the ability to slip past the defensive line and find space in the open field.

Edenton Holmes runs a triple-running back set with three seniors — Cordareous Pierce, Michael Dixon and Trey’l Beasley. Beasley and Pierce have both recorded over 450 yards rushing a piece, while averaging more than 12-yards a carry.

For a team that struggled to stop the run last week, Northside’s undersized but athletic offensive line will have to step up, ultimately putting pressure on Coston to test the Panthers’ secondary.

On offense, Boyd needs another big game out of Butler to have any chance at pulling the upset.

 

SOUTHSIDE VS. SPRING CREEK AT 7 P.M.

Spring Creek will venture outside its comfort zone for the first time this season when the team from Seven Springs takes on the Seahawks at The Nest.

In what seemed like a monumental upset in the senior opener, the Gators defeated defending conference champion Lejeune, 19-0. But since then, head coach Aaron Sanders’ team has suffered two blowout losses at the hands of East Carteret and Wake Christian Academy. And as for Lejeune, well, the Devil Pups have scored just one touchdown in four games en route to an 0-4 start, taking away much of the luster from Week 1.

While it’s the Gators’ first road game this season, they are familiar with The Nest, having played there in a preseason scrimmage with Washington and Northside. Fielding one of the smaller rosters at the event, the Gators struggled to shutdown Southside during their short, 20-minute games.

However, that was a month ago. With the return of running back Donshea Miller, head coach Jeff Carrow has only bolstered his running game since August. The Seahawks, who looked strong early against a tough Riverside team, should have little problem taking care of an undersized Spring Creek at home.