North Carolina Football Association (NCFA)

Burlington continued their explosive play beating Asheville 38-0 this week.  It's not looking good for coach Joe Maryland to stay another year at Asheville.  He's taken them to two playoffs, but the team had a complete fall off last season and aren't showing any signs of rebounding this year.  Ownership is thinking it could be time for a change.  Meanwhile Burlington is continuing to destroy their oponents since the lost to Salisbury with another solid performance by QB Thaddeus Schlotter 15/24 for 256yds 2TDs.  Their defense is also playing very balanced and very well holding Asheville to 125 net yds.  Burlington hosts Kinston next week while Asheville has to travel to Raleigh.

 

Gastonia's slide continued in week 9 with a 17-13 loss to Durham at home leaving both teams with a 3-6 record.  Gastonia has some real searching to do to figure out why they have gone from playoff team to bust in one season with the exact same team returning.  Durham meanwhile seems to be finding the right combination for their talent getting a solid performance out of QB Nate Mustoe 14/21 155yds 1TD and HB Hal Workman 26car/78yds 1TD.  But better for Durham they are seeing better play from their young and much abused defense.  They will have a tough game next week as they head to Charlotte and Gastonia's woes will most likely continue as they host Salisbury.

 

Wilson saw their hopes of a return to the playoffs go up in smoke this week as they lost to the worst team in the league Winston-Salem.  The Tobs defense struggled to control the Twins and their offense didn't fair any better.  The Twins held onto the ball for 38 minutes with a 52% 3rd down efficiency rating and held Wilson to a mere 127 total net yards.  The Tobs now have to sit back and figure out where they are going wrong while the Twins are looking at their very young team and thinking about what no. 1 pick would help them the most next season.  Of course Winston-Salem could win at home next week against 2-7 Greensboro, while Wilson will host rival Rocky Mount hoping to play a spoiler.

 

Greensboro had hoped that finishing out their season with more home games would allow them to a strong second half of the season, but then they ran into one of the hot teams of the league Raleigh who came into Greensboro and won 13-0.  It was a close defensive game, but in the end QB Marcus Musson showed some spark rare for him and Greensboro gave the ball up twice.  Raleigh is now atop the Coastal Division and should win at home this week against Asheville.  They will be cheering hard for Wilson to help put some distance between themselves and the Leafs.

 

Rocky Mount had seemed like a lock for the division champ after week 5 but now they are struggling to stay even with Raleigh and fighting Charlotte for the potential wild card spot if it comes to that.  So this weeks 13-6 win at home against Charlotte was a huge boost.  Rocky Mount is now in the wild card spot lead and still have matching overall records with Raleigh.  They got solid performances from Bernie Hall 11 carries for 52yds 1TD and their defense.  But the real star of the game was Tad Hamm who averaged 28.8yds per punt return and kept Charlotte in a field position hole the entire game.  Rocky Mount will be looking for hard for a win in Wilson this week while Charlotte will be hosting a not so good Durham squad.

 

Kinston knew their chances were slim, but any hopes they had left of making the playoffs depending on them beating Salisbury in week 9 and they never really had a chance.  Salisbury gained 505 net yds to Kinston's 29 and continued to be the most dominant team in the league.  They had big games from QB Van Egger and HB David Harley while their defense continued to overwhelm their opposition.  Kinston now has to go to Burlington next week and so they are thinking now more about next season and whether or not the coaching staff in Kinston will still be around.  Salisbury has to travel to Gastonia next week and don't expect them to take this game lightly as everyone still sees Gastonia as a dangerous team despite their 3-6 record.

 

 

It was another big week for the Salisbury Popes as they pounded rivals Ashveill 40-7 at home.  The Tourists have been struggling all season but in this game ran into a team that is trying to put their stamp on the league as the team to win it all.  The best part for Salisbury coaches is that they won so convincingly with a their backup QB Vince Lande and backup HB John Boroff having great games.  Lande was 23/40 for 268yds and 1TD while Boroff had 141yds on 16 carries.  Salisbury ended the game with 32 first downs and 559yds total net offense.  Next week Salisbury travels to Kinston in what should be a much tougher game and I doubt we'll be seeing the backups starting.  It doesn't let up for Asheville as they'll be hosting Burlington.

 

 

Gastonia's slide was completed in week 8 as they lost 3-2 at home to Charlotte.  Gastonia was in the playoffs last season and thought to be the 3rd best team in the league this season, but they enver quite found themselves and this game just showed how badly they are struggling right now.  It was a fantastic game by the Charlotte defense who held Gastonia to 126 net yds.  The defense knew it would be a tough game with their starting QB on the bench and they never let up.  Kenny Case and Roman Fontenot were the big men controlling the line and putting pressure on with 5 sacks between them and Alfred Miller added 10 tackles to control the running game.  It was a complete shutdown of the Gastonia offense it what ended any hopes of the Pirates making the playoffs.  On the other hand Charlotte now looks like they may be the team to take the wild card spot.

 

 

Ever since Burlington lost to Salisbury they have been playing like a completely different team and this week was no exception as they beat Durham 38-3.  For a team that didn't seem to be their old dominant self in the first half of the season the Bees have really come alive.  It's both apparent in their defensive and offensive play as they racked up 469 net yds while holding Durham to a weak 107.  It shouldn't get any tougher for Burlington next week as they go to Asheville.  It will once again be a Salisbury and Burlington championship game.

 

 

Greensboro had been close the past couple of years to making the playoffs, but they always seemed to be lacking something.  Well this season they seem to be lacking a whole lot and met Winston-Salem in week 8 to determine who the worst team in the league is.  Greensboro came out on top 27-3 getting solid play from QB Jason Fisher and good running from Sheridan Clarke.  They also managed to hold the Twins to 131 net yds.  Greensboro won't be making the playoffs anytime soon, but at least with this win they aren't at the bottom of the pile anymore. 

 

 

Week eight was about one team dominating over another and the Rocky Mount, Kinston game was no exception as Kinston one it 27-3 at home racking up 354yds to 132yds.  It's been an off and on season for Kinston but when they are on they are really on.  Maurice Bloom was the big star for the Eagles racking up 152yds and 1TD on 30 carries.  Rocky Mount's line was bullied relentlessly and this game was over fairly quickly.  Both teams have big games next week as Kinston hosts Salisbury a must win to keep their playoffs hopes alive and Rocky Mount hosts Charlotte a must win for them as well.

 

 

This had to be the game of the week.  Two hot teams and old rivals coming together.  Raleigh proved too much for Wilson in this one beating the Tobs 33-20.  Wilson have played poorly on the road this year and this game was no exception as Derrick Smith was 19/44 with 2 interceptions.  It was a very good game for ex Tobs quarterback Marcus Musson who was 19/30 for 232ysa with 1TD and 1Int, he also ran for a TD.  Musson will be the key for Raleigh if they hope to keep hot and make the playoffs.  They will go to  Greensboro next week where they will face a tough team.  Wilson is now in a situation where every game is very critical.  They will face Winston-Salem next week at Winston-Salem and will need to find their road legs.

 

 

The Playoff Picture

 

Mountain Division

Salisbury 8-0

Charlotte 5-3

 

Piedmont Division

Burlington 7-1

 

Coastal Division

Raleigh 5-3

Rocky Mount 5-3

Kinston 4-4

Wilson 4-4