UPDATE – FINAL SCORE
Wake Forest 53
Vance County 0
RECAP MONDAY ON SPORTSTALK
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With five games behind them, the Vance County Vipers are headed to Wake Forest Friday to take on the Wake Forest Cougars. Both teams are 1-4, and Vipers Head Coach Aaron Elliott said he expects the Cougars are hungry for a win, just like his guys.
The Vipers are coming off a bye week, and Elliott told WIZS’s Scout Hughes and George Hoyle Thursday that having a few extra days to prepare was a good thing. Plus, it gave his team a little extra time to get over some injuries.
In fact, Elliott said Friday’s matchup will mark – knock on wood – the first time all season that everybody’s fully healthy when they take the field at Trentini Stadium for a 7 p.m. kickoff.
Although the last four games have resulted in losses for the Vipers, Elliott said he’s confident that facing those tough non-conference teams will pay off now that conference play is on the doorstep.
He borrowed a term he heard another analyst use and called the Vipers at this point in the season “battle tested.”
Two teams in the conference with better records than the Vipers include Franklinton High at 4-1 and East Wake at 2-3. Elliott takes it in stride. “None of those teams have played a Jordan. None of those teams has played a Northeastern,” he said.
Leading in to Friday’s game, Elliott said he and his team are excited about conference play. “We’ve talked to the kids about how our non-conference was going set us up to be ready for the conference. We’re excited to see what we can do and how much better we’ve gotten since day 1.
One of the keys to the game will be playing disciplined football, Elliott said. What he’s talking about is each player doing his job. “If each person does his job, offensively and defensively, and plays to their capability, I think we’ll be fine.”
As for the Wake Forest Cougars, Elliott said they’re a good team and are well coached. They look good offensively and defensively are pretty sound as well.
Wake Forest Head Coach Reggie Lucas, Elliott said, “knows the game of football and does a good job of coaching his guys up.”
Going head to head against teams with coaches like Lucas helps Elliott and his staff figure out what they need to work on and improve upon.
“It challenges us as coaches as well,” he said. “A lot of times you can be out-coached – and it happens…being able to see good coaches like that and coach against them – it’s fun. And we learn a lot – coaches and players alike.”
Area High School Football Games for Week 7:
- Vance County (1-4) @ Wake Forest (1-4)
- Franklinton (4-1) vs. Knightdale (1-4)
- Heritage (1-4) @ East Wake (2-3)
- J.F. Webb (3-2) vs. Carrboro (0-5)
- South Granville (1-4) vs. Cedar Ridge (1-4)
- Warren County (4-1) vs. Southeast Halifax (4-1)
- Louisburg (5-0) @ Nash Central (1-4)
- Bunn (3-2) @ ALA-Johnston (4-2)
- Wake Prep (3-2) vs. Roanoke Rapids (1-4)
- Mecklenburg County, VA (1-4) @ Halifax County, VA (2-3)
Vance County travels to Wake Forest High School for Week 7 of the 2025 season on Friday, October 3rd and you can hear all the action on WIZS 1450AM, 100.1FM, and online at wizs.com with pregame starting at 6:50 p.m. and kickoff at 7:00 p.m.
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