The Warren County Eagles are headed to the Eastern Regional finals of the 2A State Football Playoffs following a 40-14 victory the day after Thanksgiving over the Holmes Aces.
Head Coach Victor Hunt said it took a day or two to soak it all in, but the coaching staff and the team are getting ready for the next matchup, set for Friday, Dec. 5 against the Tarboro Vikings.
“To be able to step into that world of December football is absolutely amazing,” Hunt told WIZS’s Scout Hughes and Doc Ayscue on Monday’s segment of The Local Skinny!
Hunt said he’s pleased to see all the positive comments on social media, talking about the team’s accomplishments and hopes for another victory – or two.
If the Eagles- now 11-2 on the season – win Friday, they’ll play for the 2A state championship.
The Tarboro Vikings are 13-0 so far this season, having easily taken care of East Bladen last week by a score of 54-7.
Hunt has a healthy respect for Tarboro – they broke a record for most consecutive state championships, he said.
In fact, it was Tarboro that ended the Eagles’ playoff run last season, Hunt said.
He said he’d talked with the Tarboro coach and said “it shows that we’re growing as a program that I have to see you again,” he recalled. Last year’s contest was a one-sided win for Tarboro, but Hunt said he’s keeping that in the rear-view mirror.
“I always look at our losses as lessons,” he said. “And we’re back here a year later, just in a later round” to face a team with a long tradition of winning.
This week, practice is going to focus on mental preparation for Friday’s game.
Making sure the kids know their assignments is key to advancing.
Hunt said his team needs to be disciplined, especially on defense. “When you have the opportunity to make the play,” he said, “you gotta make it.”
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