Former teammates face off in Warrenton; Vipers look to improve to 2-0

Aug. 24—HENDERSON — Week 1 of the high school football season brought forth storyline performances and an instant classic in Warrenton.

We saw two head coaches make their debut in Henderson and Oxford, while Warren County challenged Vance County for all four quarters, just a mere 10 seconds away from their first victory in the County Line Clash.

Surely Friday's matchups cannot replicate the excitement and intensity of Week 1.

Not so fast, my friend.

J.F. Webb (0-1) at Warren County (0-1), 7 p.m.Webb head coach Eli Sessoms may be entering just his second game as the leader of the Warriors football program, but his familiarity with Warren County coach V.J. Hunt spans over a decade.

For one season at Southern Durham High School, Sessoms and Hunt were an electric quarterback and wide receiver duo, leading the Spartans to a 9-5 record in 2006.

Now for the first time as head coaches, the two will square off, looking for their first win of the season.

Webb enters Friday's contest following a 32-0 loss to the Person Rockets in the season opener. Missed tackles and offensive miscues were the storylines in Oxford, as the Warriors fell to 0-1 on the year.

The Webb defense stifled multiple Person scoring opportunities throughout the four quarters, but ultimately ran out of gas.

On the offensive side of the ball, question marks remain heading into Friday's contest. Senior quarterback Braden Cooper exited the non-conference matchup in the fourth quarter with an apparent injury.

His status for Friday is unknown and could play a huge factor in the outcome of the rivalry matchup.

Warren County will once again play host to a rival from across the border, as they look to prevent a replica of Week 1.

After taking a 16-14 lead with 1:34 remaining against Vance County, the Eagles needed just one stop to secure their first ever victory over the Vipers.

Unfortunately, a Naz Garrett touchdown pass with 10 seconds left sealed their fate, putting them on the short end for their fourth consecutive matchup in the series.

Despite the loss, Warren County impressed on the defensive side of the ball, holding the Vipers to just 7 rushing yards on 23 carries.

If Cooper is active for the Warriors, the Eagles will need to limit his elusiveness and ability to extend plays, which was their kryptonite with Garrett, who accounted for all three Viper touchdowns.

Roanoke Rapids (1-0) at Vance County (1-0) 7 p.m.Both the Yellow Jackets and Vipers exited the opening week of the season without a blemish on their record, albeit in different fashion.

Vance County emerged victorious in Warrenton on a late touchdown pass from Garrett, who threw for an eye-popping 308 yards and three touchdowns.

He connected with six different receivers on the night, completing 18 passes in 36 attempts.

The Viper defense, which showed it can contend with state powerhouses in preseason jamborees, was as good as advertised. With one of the two Eagles touchdowns coming in the form of a pick-six, the only points the defense allowed were via a 5-yard touchdown drive following a special teams miscue.

Warren County reclaimed the lead 16-14 on that score, but Vance County pieced together a 68-yard scoring drive, taking a 20-16 lead with 10 seconds remaining.

In Halifax County, Roanoke Rapids opened up the 2022 campaign against rival Northampton County, cruising to a 48-16 victory.

From the opening play, the Yellow Jackets asserted their dominance over the Jaguars, as senior Wayne Wilkins returned the opening kick 78 yards to the house.

The ground game was the bread and butter for Roanoke Rapids, carrying the rock 33 times for 300 yards, good for 9.1 yards per carry.

Wilkins led the way, posting an impressive six-carry performance for 124 yards and three touchdowns. Six Yellow Jackets recorded carries, including standout Austin Geary, who shouldered the bulk of the load with 12 carries for 81 yards and a score.

The Roanoke Rapids defense swarmed the Jaguar offense, recording 79 total tackles and four sacks in the win.

Seniors Xavier High and Jordan Hunt commanded the Yellow Jacket attack, tallying 12 tackles and 11 tackles, respectively.

For the second consecutive season, Vance County and Roanoke Rapids will matchup in Week 2 in a non-conference matchup. In their home opener, the Vipers will look to improve to 2-0 for the first time since 2019.