By By KEVIN TRAVIS, Sports Editor
YEATESVILLE — Second-year coach Keith Boyd will lead his Northside Panthers into battle Aug. 17 at First Flight in the season opener.
The Nighthawks, a 2-A member of the NE Coastal Conference, strolled to a 35-0 win last year.
Northside, 2-9 last year, will also be on the road Aug. 24 when it travels to North Duplin. The Panthers, a Class 1-A member of the Atlantic Conference, and Rebels, a member of the Carolina Conference, did not play last year.
Boyd’s team will play its home opener Aug. 31 against the Washington Pam Pack. It will be the first time the two teams have played in seven years. Washington, a Class 3-A member of the Coastal Conference, holds an 8-4 mark over Northside in the series. The Panthers took a 28-6 win in 2000. The Pack’s last win came in 1999 with a 20-6 victory.
After a bye week, Northside will play at North Edgecombe on Sept. 14. The Panthers and Warriors, a member of the Tar-Roanoke Conference, did not play last year.
The Panthers will play host to the Plymouth Vikings, a former Atlantic Conference member now in the Albemarle Conference, on Sept. 21. Plymouth posted a 59-12 win in 2006.
Northside will be on the road for the following two games — at Perquimans on Sept. 28 and at Camden on Oct. 5. The Panthers posted a 42-18 win over Perquimans while falling 28-7 to Camden last year. The Pirates and Bruins are both in the Albemarle Conference.
Northside is back home Oct. 12 against the Manteo Hurricanes, an Albemarle Conference member that took a 48-0 victory during the regular season last year. Manteo also posted a 49-0 win in the playoffs.
Northside closes out the regular season against its fellow Atlantic Conference members. The Panthers are at Williamston on Oct. 19, play host to Roanoke on Oct. 26 and visit Southside for the Anchor Bowl on Nov. 2. Northside lost to all three teams last year — 43-8 to the Tigers, 44-0 to the Redskins and 27-8 to the Seahawks.