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High School Sports

Harnett Central expects tough match-up with 71st

By Nick Stevens

Nov 8, 2009

Harnett Central was a contender for the overall No. 1 seed in the N.C. High School Athletic Association's 4-A state football playoffs, but the Trojans (11-0) drew the No. 2 seed instead.

The reward the Trojans get for going undefeated in their first season as a 4-A school: they get to play the defending 4-A state champions in the first round of the state playoffs.

"We know they're going to be a very well coached team, a hard-nosed team, not to mention they're the defending state champs," head coach Marc Morris said after trading tape with the Seventy-First coaching staff.

Even with the draw, Morris said he wasn't disappointed the Trojans didn't get the No. 1 seed.

"We've been in this situation before three or four years in a row, so it's not that big of a deal," said Morris. "To be a state champion you've got to beat all the teams, and we've got to beat Seventy-First."

Seventy-First will be a tough opponent for Harnett Central. Maurice Scruggs has rushed for over 1,400 yards this season for the Falcons, and leads Cumberland County in scoring, according to NCPrepSports.net.

The Falcons don't pass very much this season. Prior to last week, quarterbacks Kendall Lindsay and Cody Brown had combined for 31 completions on 82 attempts for 553 yards and three touchdowns. Lindsay had also thrown 17 interceptions.

If Harnett Central beats Seventy-First, they could end up facing a familiar opponent - Southeast Raleigh.

The Bulldogs (9-2) will host Greenville Rose (5-5) in the first round of the playoffs. If both Southeast and Harnett Central win, they will play each other in the second round of the playoffs.

Despite this being a big game just a few weeks ago, Morris said he doesn't think he'll have any trouble keeping his players focused on the first round.

"Our kids take things one thing at a time, they really do," Morris said. "We've been through that before, and they just need to remember that Seventy-First is the state champion until somebody knocks them off."