While Kerr Vance Academy has suffered few disruptions due to Covid, Vance County High School is not as fortunate. According to the school’s athletic director, Joe Sharrow, this Thursday night’s scheduled JV Football game and Friday night’s varsity game and next week’s JV and varsity football games have all been cancelled due to a Covid exposure. The school hopes to be able to make up the games at some point in the near future.
Click to Play Audio Preview of VCHS at Roanoke Rapids
A GAME ONE VICTORY FOR THE VIPERS OF VANCE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL
34 TO 26
OVER THE WARREN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL EAGLES
FRIDAY NIGHT, AUGUST 20, 2021
REMEMBER YOU CAN LISTEN TO THE VIPERS’ GAMES LIVE AND FREE ON WIZS EACH FRIDAY NIGHT
HERE’S YOUR GAME 1 AUDIO RECAP
It’s an exciting time of year for new Vance County High School Head Football Coach Wilbur Pender. Friday night kicks off the 2021 season against long-time rival Warren County. Going into the contest Pender is looking forward to the atmosphere and for plenty of fans to show up in the stands at Viper Stadium. Last season most teams played with no fans or a very few fans in the stands due to Covid, but it will be different Friday night, and Coach Pender is looking for those fans to be loud and help create the atmosphere that will help notch the first “W” of the season against the Eagles.
Pender has only been at the school for three weeks, and his first practice with the team was August 2nd. Off season was solid but not as long as Pender would have liked. He feels the team would have benefitted from more 7-on-7 practices to allow the timing on both sides of the ball to be better. Despite his late arrival to the Vipers, he is still enthusiastic. “I am excited to see all the players,” Pender said. He spotlighted running back Carl Stephens and QB Isarael Terry as two players who will play a big role for the Vipers this season.
Pender says the Vipers have kids who can run and kids who can catch and that he and his staff, which includes some new faces mixed in with returning staff, have to put the players in a position where they can be successful. He’s also looking to have some fun along the way. “Football should not be a job or a chore. We want the kids to love being here,” Pender said.
While Pender certainly has his eyes on the Won – Loss column, he says there is more to it than victories on the field. “My philosophy is to build great young men for life, preparing kids for almost anything they will encounter.”
The Vipers will take on Warren County at 7pm Friday night at Viper Stadium. If you cannot attend, but sure to tune it to 1450 AM / 100.1 FM or click on Listen Live at wizs.com.
For complete details and audio click play.
100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm
It’s officially football season, and WIZS has you covered locally with “Vance County Friday Night Football” live every Friday evening on 1450AM, 100.1 FM, and via live stream at www.wizs.com. Coverage begins at 6:45 p.m.; kickoff and play-by-play coverage begin at 7 p.m.
Also, be sure to tune-in to WIZS’ weekly Coach’s Corner Show each Friday at 1 p.m. This week, to kick off the season, the Coach’s Corner will originate live from Citizens Pub and Grill in downtown Henderson.
WIZS’ own John Charles Rose and Trey Snide were on Tuesday’s edition of Town Talk to provide an overview of the Vance County High School Vipers’ second overall athletic season and first season as part of the Big Eight 3A Conference.
Playing in their first game this Friday evening, August 23, 2019, the Vipers take on the Bunn Wildcats at home. The Vipers finished with a 4 – 7 record in their first season of play as a combined high school last year.
The first four games of the season are nonconference matches; conference play in the Big Eight 3A begins with a game against the Chapel Hill Tigers on September 27.
The final game of the regular season is scheduled at home against the Cedar Ridge Red Wolves on November 8.
The Vipers will also face the East Chapel Hill Wildcats, Southern Durham Spartans, Orange Panthers, Northern Durham Knights and Northwood Chargers in conference play.
Snide, who enters his third year covering Friday Night Football for WIZS, said Vipers Coach Darry Ragland is excited about this season, especially quarterback Samein Burwell.
“This is the first year Burwell has had a complete off-season and workout program,” said Snide. “In the sixth, seventh or eighth game of the regular season, that’s when Burwell finally had a full year under his belt under the brand new offense the Vipers were bringing with Coach Ragland.”
Snide said Ragland has expressed “excitement about Burwell’s potential” and hopes to improve on last year’s record of 1,800 passing yards, 17 passing touchdowns and 18 interceptions.
On the Wildcats end, second-year Bunn Head Football Coach Bradley Murphy spoke with Snide and said the Vipers can expect his team to bring “hustle and effort” to Friday’s match.
“We are going to come and give our best effort and best hustle on and off the field,” Murphy said. “I tell my boys all the time if they give their best, I’ll be proud of them at the end of the game regardless of the final score.”
Snide said the outcome of this first game, along with additional nonconference games scheduled against the Warren County Eagles, J.F. Webb Warriors and Roanoke Rapids Yellow Jackets, will set the tone for the Viper’s season.
“We are going to see what this team is all about, especially in the first four games leading up to the Big Eight Conference. These are teams we should be able to handle pretty well if the offense and defense can play on the same playing field,” Snide said.
Snide and WIZS’ other “colorful” cast of Vance County Friday Night Football announcers are looking forward to rooting on the Vipers this season. In fact, Rose said he can document coverage of what is now known as Vance County Friday Night Football back to at least 50 of the station’s 64 years on the airwaves.
“None of this is about us, however,” said Rose. “This is about the school, this is about Vance County, this is about the listenership, but most important, this is about the student-athletes. WIZS cannot wait to highlight the student-athletes – the quarterbacks, the defensive players, as well as the coaches and assistant coaches.”
To hear the Vance County Friday Night Football Town Talk discussion in its entirety, please click the play button below. Listen live to WIZS’ Town Talk Monday-Friday at 11 a.m. on 1450AM, 100.1 FM or online at www.wizs.com.
Northern Carolina 1A / 2A Conference
2018 All-Conference Football Team
Offensive Player of the Year: Rashad Logan, South Granville
Defensive Player of the Year: Noah Terry, Vance County
Lineman of the Year: Noah Roberson, Vance County
Coach of the Year: Larry Dale, Granville Central
Austin Ferguson, South Granville Deandre Moore, Granville Central
Justin Bullock, South Granville Jed Evans, Granville Central
Robert Torrance, South Granville Tristen Boney, Granville Central
Rashad Logan, South Granville Noah Judkins, Granville Central
Tyhagee Allen, South Granville Brandin Glenn, Granville Central
Malichi Flowers, South Granville Brandon Peace, Granville Central
Brennan Henry, South Granville Noah Roberson, Vance County
Henry Daniel, South Granville Noah Terry, Vance County
Quentin Perry, Bunn Joshua Joyner, Vance County
Durand “DJ” Miles, Bunn Micahiah Wilson, Vance County
Caleb Morton, Bunn Samein Burwell, Vance County
Ahmad Hicks, Bunn Demarius Harris, Vance County
Dillon Jenkins, Roanoke Rapids DeKarri Green, Warren County
Ajalon Brown, Roanoke Rapids Deavan Hawkins, Warren County
Michael Squire, Roanoke Rapids Drequan Dickerson, Louisburg
Isiah Robinson, Roanoke Rapids Xavier Jones, Louisburg
Dwayne Reed, J.F. Webb
VIPERS FOOTBALL PREVIEW
North Lenoir at Vance County
Saturday, October 15th, 2018
Game Time: 1:00 PM
Southern Vance lost last year’s first-ever meeting with the Hawks in a 50-36 shootout, but N. Lenoir went on to a 5-6 record (2-4 in their conference) and missed the playoffs. The Hawks’ 2017 offense, a lot like this year’s Vipers on paper, was not too bad, averaging 25 points per game, and breaking 40 points in 4 of their 5 wins; but their defense had a lot of holes in it, so when they lost they lost big, allowing an average of 34 points per game.
First-year coach Jim Collins inherited an improved program, elevated by his predecessor from records of 2-9 in both 2014 and 2015, to 6-6 in 2017, and 5-6 last year. This year’s 50-man roster includes 16 seniors, so there should have been a core to build on. But the Hawks were 0-3 as of September 7 this season, and they missed 3 games in a row because of the hurricane. Returning to action against conference opponent Greene Central last week, the Hawks lost 42-26. Meeting a winless team at home who has similar challenges to their own, the Vipers have a clear opportunity to notch their second victory before entering their conference home stretch.
Catch all the action right here on WIZS 100.1 FM / 1450 AM and online at www.wizs.com.
— Vance County Friday Night Football Bunn Recap by Jeff Jenkins
BUNN SQUEAKS BY VIPERS IN OVERTIME 44-42
Vance County returned to its home field Friday night against traditional Northern Carolina Conference heavyweight Bunn.
Bouncing back from a 33-6 defeat at 4A Riverside last Friday, the Vipers returned to the form they showed in their win over Roanoke Rapids. The result was an exciting, well-played game, but a 44-42 loss for the Vipers after two overtime periods.
The game started off well for Vance County. After Bunn fumbled the opening kickoff, the Vipers scored, and the VC defense held the Wildcats to just one rushing touchdown in the first quarter and a TD pass in the final minute of the first half.
Down just 16-8 at the half, the Vipers were still in the game. The third quarter was wild and woolly. Bunn scored after recovering a Viper fumble. Vance County scored on a 31 yard pass from Samien Burwell to Josh Joyner, but Bunn ran the Viper kickoff off all the way back to score and open the gap to 30-14. For the remainder of the 3rd period, the Viper defense rose to the occasion, holding the ‘Cats scoreless.
In the opening minute of the final quarter, Burwell connected with Joyner for the duo’s second TD of the game. Javonte Evans, who had his most productive game of the season, ran in for the 2 point conversion, and the Vipers were within 8 points at 30-22. The VC defense kept Bunn out of the endzone for the rest of the game, and the Vipers took over on downs with 44 seconds remaining to play. The Vipers scored at the final gun when Shaqwan Allen made a diving catch in the end zone. The 2 pointer was good on another pass to Allen, and the game was tied 30-30.
The teams were tied 36-36 after the first overtime period. In the second OT round, Burwell hit Allen in the end zone, and on the conversion attempt, Josh Joyner caught Burwell’s pass in the end zone, but out of bounds, leaving the Viper lead at 42-36.
Bunn scored on its second running play, and nailed the 2-pt. conversion to take the 44-42 win.
Vance County is now 1-6 overall and 1-2 in the Northern Carolina 2A, while Bunn improves to 4-2 overall and 3-0 in the NCC.
VIPERS FOOTBALL PREVIEW
Bunn at Vance County
Friday, October 5, 2018
7:00 PM kickoff; Airtime on WIZS 1450 AM / 100.1 FM and online at wizs.com will be at 6:45 PM
Vance County High School is back at home this Friday night against conference rival Bunn, the defending Northern Carolina Conference Runners-up. Some Wildcats fans considered 2017 to be Bunn’s weakest season in a decade – but the ‘Cats finished 8-4 overall last year, after starting the season 1-2 under their first new coach in 35 years.
This year, Bunn has another first-year coach, and again started out 1-2, losing big to both Franklinton and Southern Nash for the second straight year. Well, the Wildcats lost to the same two teams last season, and still ended up 8-4 and no. 2 in the league, along the way beating both Northern Vance and Southern Vance. By this time last season, Bunn had beaten Warren County and J. F. Webb for a respectable 4-2 record.
They have done that again this year, but are just 3-2 due to weather cancellations/postponements. The Wildcats offense put up over 500 rushing yards last week in their 57-27 thrashing of Warren County.
The Vipers offense, still averaging three touchdowns per game, should be able to score against Bunn, but the defense will have to play the run just as tough as they did at Roanoke Rapids to give VC a chance to win.
VIPERS FOOTBALL PREVIEW
Vance County at Durham Riverside
Friday, September 28
7:00 PM
Vance County High School is back on the road this Friday night in a non-conference matchup with Riverside in Durham. When former Northern Vance coach Cory Lea took over the Riverside program in 2017, the 4A Pirates had not had a winning season in three years, and Lea’s predecessor was just 12-22 in those three seasons. The Pirates got off to a good start last year, but they limped along to a 4-7 finish, after winning only one conference game. Riverside’s rebuilding process, both on offense and defense, is continuing this season. The Pirates are 1-2 so far 2018, with a big 51-6 win over Warren County to start the season, followed by losses to Cardinal Gibbons (48-0) and to cross-county rival Northern Durham (26-19), and their fourth and fifth games were rained out.
Vance County is coming off a stunning victory just this past Monday night a 36-6 conference win over Roanoke Rapids in which the Vipers showed improvement on both sides of the ball. It was their first win but it got them out of the winless column to 1-4 overall and 1-1 in the Northern Carolina Conference. For what it’s worth, the momentum factor favors the Vipers on Friday.
Tune into Vance County Friday Night Footballs live coverage on WIZS 100.1 FM / 1450 AM and anytime, anywhere at www.wizs.com
Pregame: 6:45 PM
Gametime: 7:00 PM
