By By KEVIN TRAVIS
Sports Editor
NEW HOLLAND — The Mattamuskeet Lakers will kick off their season at home Aug. 17 against Perquimans and they’ll stay busy for the next 10 weeks.
The Lakers, a member of the Class 1-A Tideland Conference, won’t have a bye until the final week of the regular season. That means 11 games in 11 weeks for Mattamuskeet.
Mattamuskeet, 5-6 last year, open the season against the Pirates, a member of the Albemarle Conference. The teams didn’t play last year.
The Lakers then visit Northampton-East on Aug. 24. The Rams, a member of the Tar-Roanoke Conference, cruised to a 48-8 win in last year’s meeting.
The next four games are against fellow Tideland Conference members. Mattamuskeet will welcome Creswell into town on Aug. 31. The Lakers rolled to wins of 34-19 and 40-0 last year.
The Lakers visit Cape Hatteras on Sept. 7. Mattamuskeet picked up wins of 44-0 and 30-6 over the Hurricanes in 2006.
Next up for Mattamuskeet is Jamesville at home on Sept. 14. The Bullets claimed victories of 28-8 and 28-6 last season.
On Sept. 21, the Lakers visit Columbia. The two teams split their meetings last year. Mattamuskeet won 22-14 at home and fell 29-12 at Columbia.
The Lakers step out of conference play Sept. 28 to play at Princeton. The Bulldogs are a member of the Carolina Conference. Mattamuskeet and Princeton didn’t play in 2006.
The next four opponents are fellow Tideland Conference members. The Lakers play at Creswell on Oct. 5.
Mattamuskeet welcomes Cape Hatteras to town on Oct. 12.
After visiting Jamesville on Oct. 19, the Lakers close out regular-season play Oct. 26 at home against Columbia.
Mattamuskeet has a bye week on Nov. 2.
Mattamuskeet Lakers
Tideland Conference
Coach: TBA
2006 record: 5-6
Aug. 17 — PERQUIMANS
Aug. 24 — at Northampton-East
Aug. 31 — CRESWELL
Sept. 7 — at Cape Hatteras
Sept. 14 — JAMESVILLE
Sept. 21 — at Columbia
Sept. 28 — at Princeton
Oct. 5 — at Creswell
Oct. 12 — CAPE HATTERAS
Oct. 19 — at Jamesville
Oct. 26 — COLUMBIA
Nov. 2 — Bye
Tigers open with Hornets
CRESWELL — Coach Wayne Rodgers, fresh off coaching in the East-West All-Star game, is preparing his Creswell Tigers for the season opener.
The Tigers, who have a bye week on Aug. 17, welcome the Eastern N.C. School for the Deaf Hornets into town for the season opener on Aug. 23. Creswell, a member of the Class 1-A Tideland Conference, roared to a 38-0 win in last year’s meeting.
The Tigers, 3-7 last year, face fellow Tideland Conference members for the remainder of the schedule.
Creswell will be at Mattamuskeet on Aug. 31. The Lakers tripped up the Tigers 34-19 and 40-0 last season.
After a bye week, the Tigers return to action Sept. 14 at home against Cape Hatteras. Rodgers led his team to victories of 28-0 and 29-0 over the Hurricanes in 2006.
Creswell then visits Jamesville on Sept. 21. The Bullets posted three wins over the Tigers last year, including a 48-8 victory in the playoffs. Jamesville also claimed wins of 62-21 and 30-0 in regular season action.
Creswell is home for the following two games, playing host to Columbia on Sept. 28 and Mattamuskeet on Oct. 5. The Wildcats pulled out a 21-20 win over the Tigers in the first meeting last year before rolling to a 37-6 victory in the second matchup.
Following a bye week on Oct. 12, Creswell travels to Cape Hatteras on Oct. 19.
The Tigers play their regular season home finale on Oct. 26 against Jamesville.
Creswell caps off regular season play Nov. 2 at Columbia.
Creswell Tigers
Tideland Conference
Coach: Wayne Rodgers
2006 record: 3-7
Aug. 17 — Bye
Aug. 23 — ENCSD
Aug. 31 — at Mattamuskeet
Sept. 7 — Bye
Sept. 14 — CAPE HATTERAS
Sept. 21 — at Jamesville
Sept. 28 — COLUMBIA
Oct. 5 — MATTAMUSKEET
Oct. 12 — Bye
Oct. 19 — at Cape Hatteras
Oct. 26 — JAMESVILLE
Nov. 2 — at Columbia
Wildcats open at Hurricanes
COLUMBIA — The Columbia Wildcats have an extra week to prepare for their season opener.
After getting a bye on Aug. 17, the Wildcats open the season Aug. 24 at Pamlico. The Hurricanes, a member of the Coastal Plains Conference, and Wildcats didn’t meet in 2006.
Columbia, a member of the Class 1-A Tideland Conference that went 5-6 last year, plays its home opener Aug. 31 against Cape Hatteras. The Wildcats clawed their way to wins of 44-6 and 27-0 last year.
The Wildcats then pay a visit to Jamesville on Sept. 7. The Bullets picked up victories of 12-0 and 42-0 in 2006.
Columbia steps out of the conference Sept. 14 to welcome Pasquotank into town. The Panthers, a 2-A member of the NE Coastal Conference, claimed a 37-6 win last year.
Columbia is also home Sept. 21 against Mattamuskeet. The Wildcats lost 22-14 on the road and then picked up a 29-12 victory at home against the Lakers last season.
The Wildcats will be on the road the following two weeks as they visit Creswell on Sept. 28 and Cape Hatteras on Oct. 5. Columbia staked wins of 21-20 and 37-6 over the Tigers last year.
The Wildcats play host to Jamesville on Oct. 12.
After a bye week, Columbia returns to action Oct. 26 at Mattamuskeet.
The Wildcats cap off the regular season at home Nov. 2 against Creswell.
Columbia Wildcats
Tideland Conference
Coach: Rashawn Spencer
2006 record: 5-6
Aug. 17 — Bye
Aug. 24 — at Pamlico
Aug. 31 — CAPE HATTERAS
Sept. 7 — at Jamesville
Sept. 14 — PASQUOTANK
Sept. 21 — MATTAMUSKEET
Sept. 28 — at Creswell
Oct. 5 — at Cape Hatteras
Oct. 12 — JAMESVILLE
Oct. 19 — Bye
Oct. 26 — at Mattamuskeet
Nov. 2 — CRESWELL