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Here’s how Hoggard football can overcome Cleveland in NCHSAA playoffs

About 2,280 hours ago, the Hoggard High School football team suffered its only loss of the 2023 season. 

Ninety-five days later, the Wilmington school has gone 12-0, perusing through opponents with seemingly unlimited dominance. 

However, the No. 3-seeded Vikings (12-1) will face their most daunting challenge of the 2023 postseason as they travel to Cleveland (13-0) to face the No. 2-seeded Rams in the NCHSAA 4A East playoff quarterfinals.

Both teams enter the matchup after big wins in Round 3, with Cleveland bolting past New Bern 56-13 and Hoggard overwhelming Laney 43-10. 

While Cleveland is used to regular season dominance, 2023 marks the first time it has reached a playoff quarterfinal since 2019. Hoggard is in a similar boat as it’s back to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2017.

In a story that only seems fitting, two of the best teams out of the East are meeting for a second time in 2023, but only one can book a spot in the state regional final. Here’s how Hoggard can overcome undefeated Cleveland this Friday. 

Limiting mistakes

It sounds simple, but turnovers very well could be the deciding factor in Friday’s matchup.

Despite falling into an early 22-8 hole to Cleveland in Week 1, Hoggard battled back to make it 22-20 entering the fourth quarter. 

That’s when Cleveland sealed the game as Rams junior Sawyer Lowe intercepted a Hudson Wilharm pass and returned it for a touchdown. Hoggard would get one final chance to tie the game, but ultimately fell 28-20.

Since then, Wilharm has thrown 23 touchdowns to just two interceptions, and the Hoggard offense has turned the ball over less than 10 times.

Cleveland also had its share of mistakes in Week 1, as junior quarterback Jackson Byrd was intercepted twice and fumbled once. Since then, Byrd has thrown 35 touchdowns to seven interceptions. 

Hoggard has a defense capable of limiting an electric Cleveland offense, but it will need a perfect night offensively to become the first team of 2023 to defeat the Rams.

‘Take it up a notch’

The entire Hoggard football team knows winning Friday’s matchup will require its best performance of the season. 

“We’ve got to take it up a notch,” Hoggard coach Craig Underwood said after Friday’s win over Laney. “We certainly have to play better than we did tonight. (Cleveland) is a very good football team, and we have to go on the road.”

The Vikings have fielded one of Wilmington’s most experienced teams this fall, with nearly 40 seniors competing on the varsity squad.

“It’s going to be brutal, it’s going to be a dog fight … we’re not going to hold back because we can’t,” Hoggard junior linebacker Rylan Edwards said of the showdown with Cleveland. 

Senior defensive end Malakahi West says the team enters the game with a feeling they’ve rarely had this season. 

“Everybody has a chip on their shoulder,” West said. “We all think we’ve got the edge, and Cleveland is not a rollover opponent, so it should be a good game.”

Cleveland has had enormous success over the past few years, losing just five games (Four in the postseason) since 2019. The team has coupled offensive triumph with defensive excellence this fall, allowing just 11 points per game. 

With a chance for revenge and a trip to the NCHSAA Eastern Regional Final, Hoggard is ready for its biggest test of the year.

“Our guys are really excited about the challenge,” Underwood said. “Getting to the fourth round and practicing on Thanksgiving is special, so we’re just excited.”


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