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By Bob Sutton
Special to The Alamance News
Here’s a look at Friday night’s opening games for Alamance County football teams. All games are listed for 7:00 p.m. starts.
Southern Alamance at Graham
Both teams are under the direction of new coaches with Tony McCants at Southern Alamance and Mykel Searcy at Graham.
Southern Alamance finished 12-2 last year. Graham, coming off a one-win season, has won a total of 10 games across the past six seasons.
The Patriots’ 73-0 opening victory last year marked Southern’s seventh straight triumph in the series, all by at least 15 points.
Eastern Randolph at Eastern Alamance
Eastern Randolph has been a state power, most recently on the Class 1-A level. This is the fourth year in a row that these teams clash in a non-conference game.
Eastern Alamance has won the past two meetings, including 35-15 last year in Ramseur. The Wildcats recovered from that result to win their next 12 games.
See preview of Eastern Alamance’s 2024 season prospects: https://alamancenews.com/eastern-embarks-on-new-era-with-a-new-coach/
Running back Tyrek Samuel of Eastern Alamance has scored a total of eight touchdowns against the Wildcats in the past two seasons combined.
It’s a varied coaching matchup in terms of longevity in the positions. Eastern Randolph’s Burton Cates, a Graham resident, is beginning his 40th year as a head coach, mostly with the Wildcats. He’s the active wins leader in the state with 367.
Eastern Alamance’s Mitch Mitchener will make his coaching debut.
Eastern Randolph is 33-5 the past three years combined.
Eden Morehead at Cummings
These teams meet for the second year in a row. Last year they were supposed to face off in Burlington, but stadium renovations at Cummings forced a change of venue and so the Cavaliers picked up a 28-0 road victory.
See preview story on Cummings’ 2024 season prospects: https://alamancenews.com/cummings-anxious-to-prove-strengths-post-paylor/
Cummings, which didn’t play a non-conference regular-season game at home last season, is aiming for its first non-league home victory since 2021.
Eden Morehead ended up 0-10 last season, losing by shutouts three times.
Orange at Southeast Alamance
Southeast Alamance played the first football game in school history last year in Hillsborough, falling 33-20 to host Orange.
Orange went 3-8 last season. Defeating the Stallions gave the Panthers their lone victory in a 1-5 record against Alamance County teams in 2023.
Southeast posted a 3-2 home record in its first season.
Reidsville at Western Alamance
Reidsville has won the past three years against Western, though last year’s 36-28 result was the closest margin after 35-14 (in 2021) and 44-7 (in 2022) outcomes.
However, Western’s point total last year marked the most points allowed by the Rams in a 2023 game.
Western Alamance won 21-18 against the Rams in 2012 before an eight-year hiatus in the series.
Reidsville has racked up double-digit win totals in eight consecutive seasons.
Northwest Guilford at Williams
Williams pulled out a 39-34 road victory when the teams met in last year’s opener, rallying from a 15-point deficit and winning on quarterback Dan Mahan’s 12-yard touchdown run with 2:08 to play.
See preview story on Williams 2024 season prospects: https://alamancenews.com/williams-intent-on-backing-up-the-bold-expectations/
The Bulldogs are aiming for opening-night victories in consecutive years for the first time since 2018 and 2019.
The Vikings ended the regular season with five consecutive victories before losing to Chambers in the first round of the Class 4-A state playoffs, finishing with an 8-3 record.
Northwest has junior linebacker / defensive end Robert Lange, a transfer from Southwest Guilford.
Get a copy of our 16-page Alamance County High School Football Preview Special Section, now on sale across Alamance County, with reports on each team, interviews with coaches and key players, full schedules, 2023 results, and much more. . .
