By By STEVE FRANKLIN, Sports Writer
Asim McGill and his Williamston Tigers are feeling pretty confident as they head into tonight’s NCHSAA Class 1A East second round state playoff game against the Northampton-West Hurricanes.
The Tigers are averaging 46.5 points over their last four contests, and in the opening round of the playoffs, Williamston recorded its first shutout of the year, trouncing Northside, 42-0.
Williamston quarterback Emery Griggs has been the catalyst to much of the Tigers’s success the last few weeks. Griggs began the year as a bruising fullback, but made the transition to quarterback midway through the season. Since then, the Tigers have been on a tear, with Griggs rushing for nearly 140 yards per game and demonstrating the abilty to throw the ball with great accuracy.
The Tigers also have plenty of talent around Griggs.
Kareem Bell, K.J. Brown, Kenny Brown and Ramelle Lanier all can run the ball or catch passes from their slot receiver positions, and fullback Derek Everett churns out big runs is short yardage situations.
Defensively, linebackers DeBrian and DeBrian’t Everett, along with the defensive front of Griggs, Derek Everett and Rakeem Speller, anchor a stout defensvie unit that allowed only 55 yards to the Panthers in the opening round of the state playoffs.
Standing in the way this week for No. 3 seed Williamston (7-5) is No. 11 seed Northampton-West (6-6), which took out No. 6 seed Cape Hatteras, 36-8 last Friday.
No. 5 Plymouth (9-3) at No. 4 Weldon (10-1)
The Plymouth Vikings face a stiff test later today when they hit the road to take on the Weldon Chargers in the second round of the NCHSAA Class 1A East state playoffs.
Last week, the defending state champion Vikings squeaked out a 14-6 win over Northampton-East, while the Chargers rolled over Mattamuskeet, 55-0.
The Chargers feature a potent offensive attack, while Plymouth’s strength is its defensive play. The Vikings have held their opponent to eight points or less in seven of their 12 games this season.
Last week, the Vikings rushed for more than 200 yards on the ground behind running backs Anthony Sealy, Dylan Watts and Elmer Cooper.
Cody said that for his team to win this week, they’ll need to better that performance.
No. 10 Perquimans (7-5) at No. 2 Creswell (9-1)
Crewsell enters tonight’s contest against Perquimans as the higher seed, but coach Wayne Rodgers knows his team has a difficult draw this week.
Creswell advanced to the second round with a 27-8 win over Rosewood last Friday, while Perquimans scored five defensive touchdowns in a 51-0 drubbing of Roanoke.