What We Learned After A Wild Weekend in the 252

There were some results this weekend that surprised us, some that were on brand for what we expected, and some that make us believe we just need a little more of a sample-size to determine what teams really look like after the first two weeks.   Teams on the Rise   New Bern (2-0)   The Bears are coming off of a win against a solid Havelock team, after being down by two touchdowns in the game. With Havelock ahead 26-13 in the game, the Bears stormed back to 21-unanswered points, to win the game 34-26. This shows that New Bern can play from behind and did not give up when down, picking up a quality win along the way. Will they beat West Craven for the second year in a row this week?   J.H. Rose (2-0)   After the statement upset win over Northern Nash in week one, the Rampants followed that up with a dominant win over the Pam Pack of Washington, with a convincing 49-11 final score. Washington was a possible team on the rise heading into that game, but Rose shut that down quickly. This week will be a big test against Laney, who beat them last year 33-18. Will Rose pick up their third straight win this week?   Greene Central (2-0)   After beating North Lenoir 49-20 in week one, the Rams followed it up with a 69-0 thrashing of Goldsboro in week two. The Rams are averaging 236 yards yards per game on the ground, and have 10 rushing touchdowns on the year. Junior tailback Donovan Ingram has 277 of the team's 472 rushing yards, with 5 of the touchdowns and is averaging an astonishing 17.3 yards per carry. Senior quarterback Joshua Cetnar has completed just 11 passes, with 6 of them being touchdowns on the season. Senior receiver [player_tooltip player_id='2169800' first='Trey' last='Bynum'] has 7 catches for 122 yards and 4 touchdowns. Can the Rams sustain the production long term?   On the Bubble   Havelock survived a week one shootout with West Craven, winning 40-35. Shootouts happen sometimes, but giving up 35 and 34 points in consecutive weeks raises legitimate concerns about their defense. They had New Bern held to 13 points, but gave up three touchdowns, and lost the game 34-26. While they would not fall off the map after one loss, concerns on the defense and finishing the game are there. Can they get those things situated this week?   Southwest (2-0)   After a dominant week one performance that saw the Cougars dominate Nash Central and their former head coach, they won a barnburner over Hertford County 37-34. They will have the week off to lock in and prepare any of the things that need to be cleaned up. Will it be enough time for them to get things done with a first year head coach preparing to play against a rival on 9/11?   North East Carolina Prep (1-1)   The Pack had a dominant performance in week two against TMSA, winning 48-0. The offense scored six touchdowns in the game, with junior playmaker [player_tooltip player_id='1855258' first='Jr' last='Rowland'] accounting for all six. He scored on rushes of 30, 32 and 66 yards in the game. He also found RJ Dupree on a 48-yard touchdown, Dylan Parks on a 6-yard touchdown and JoJo Arrington on a 75-yard touchdown. Rowland has accounted for all nine offensive touchdowns on the year, with six passing and three rushing. Junior Rasheik Farmer picked up a fumble and ran it in from 45 yards out. While they enjoyed the win in week two, they dropped the game in week one 29-20 to North Wake. Which team will show up this week against Hobgood?   Fell off the Map   Washington (0-2)   The Pam Pack had a solid performance in week one against Farmville Central, losing a heartbreaker 32-31. After that performance, we had them as a team to watch, but they followed that up with a 49-11 loss to Rose. While they are averaging nearly 300 yards per game, it is just not translating to points and wins as they would like it to. Junior quarterback Shamar Blo is accounting for 67%of the team's touchdowns, but has thrown three interceptions. They have Northside-Pinetown coming to town this week. Can they right the ship?   Nash Central (0-2)   Nash Central has had an abysmal first two games, surrendering 79 points in the first two weeks. Week one was a loss to Southwest, 36-8, where they scored their only touchdown in two games. In week two, they were blanked by a Northern Nash team that had a chip on their shoulder, after dropping their week one game against Rose. Can the Bulldogs turn it around against a Rocky Mount team coming off of two really good games in the first two weeks?

There were some results this weekend that surprised us, some that were on brand for what we expected, and some that make us believe we just need a little more of a sample-size to determine what teams really look like after the first two weeks.