By By KEVIN TRAVIS, Sports Editor
GREENVILLE — C.J. Wilson, Trimane Goddard and Jock Moore played their high school football not far from the shadows of Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.
Wilson played his prep football at Northside High School, Goddard played at Roanoke High School and Moore suited up at Washington High School.
The three former area products will be in the same house Saturday evening when the East Carolina Pirates (0-1) face off against the North Carolina Tar Heels (1-0).
Wilson will be on one side of the field with his fellow Pirates, while Goddard and Moore will be on the other side with the Tar Heels.
Goddard, who wears No. 31, was elated to be back on the field last week when North Carolina topped James Madison, 37-14, in the season opener. He missed all of last year with a broken foot.
Goddard made the most of his return, finishing with five tackles and an interception. His interception, the first since the 2005 season, came at the North Carolina 29-yard-line on a deep throw by Dukes’ quarterback Rodney Landers in the fourth quarter.
Wilson did likewise for the Pirates in a 17-7 loss last week to the No. 9 Virginia Tech Hokies. Wilson, a defensive end, finished with 1.5 sacks.
Moore, a 6-0, 280-pound back-up fullback who wears No. 41 for the Heels, is likely playing in his final season with North Carolina. The chemistry-biology double-major, who was awarded the prestigious Morehead-Cain Scholarship to attend North Carolina, wants to go out in style.
There will be some bragging rights on the line Saturday. Goddard usually got the better end of that deal in high school when he was a star quarterback/defensive back for the Roanoke Redskins.
Wilson, a 6-4, 269-pound sophomore who wears No. 95, still remembers how Goddard ran wild for the Redskins. He’s looking forward to seeing his former high school rival after Saturday’s contest.
It should be friendly then.
Between the lines during the game could be a different story.
It’s going to be quite a reunion.