Eastern NC Playoff Clash: Hawks & Blue Devils Host Familiar Foes

Nov 4

Nov 4 Eastern NC Playoff Clash: Hawks & Blue Devils Host Familiar Foes

4A: #14 North Lenoir Hawks (11-12) vs. #19 North Johnston Panthers (7-15-2)

The Hawks and Panthers don’t just share a conference—they share a rivalry. North Lenoir swept both Neuse 6 2A/3A meetings this season: 2-0 on Oct. 2 and 6-0 on Oct. 27, posting clean sheets and outshooting North Johnston 13-0 on frame. The all-time series sits at 6-6-1, but the Hawks have won four of the last five, including a 2019 playoff nail-biter (2-1).

North Lenoir (11-12, 8-4 conf.) enters on a two-game win streak, scoring 15 goals in their final two games. They average 3.7 goals per game (86 total) and drop 9+ goals on weaker foes—three times this year. At home (7-4), they’ve hung four 8+ goal games. Defense allows just 1.5 goals per conference game with five shutouts, all in league play. Roster: 4 seniors, 10 juniors, 6 sophomores, 1 freshman—veteran midfield, young back line holding steady.

North Johnston (7-15-2, 5-6-1 conf.) rides a 3-2 double-OT win over Southwest Edgecombe to end the regular season but was blanked 6-0 just three days prior by these same Hawks. They score 1.5 goals per game (36 total) but face 9.9 shots on goal per game and allow 2.8 goals—zero clean sheets in last 12. Roster: 8 seniors, 7 juniors, 6 sophomores—heavy senior presence but youth in goal and defense.

3A: #10 Spring Creek Gators (11-12-1) vs. #23 South Lenoir Blue Devils (6-13-2)

Spring Creek owns the all-time series 7-0, including a 9-0 rout in 2019, but hasn’t faced South Lenoir since joining the Swine Valley 2A/3A this year. The Gators ride a three-game win streak (21-4 scoring edge in October) into their home playoff debut.

Spring Creek (11-12-1, 9-3 conf.) was 2-9-1 non-conference but flipped to 9-3 in league, allowing just 15 goals in 12 conference games. They score 2.1 per game (51 total) with 10 multi-goal scorers and go 3-for-3 on PKs. At home (7-3), they’ve posted four shutouts in last six. Roster: 3 seniors, 12 juniors, 10 sophomores, 5 freshmen—deep, balanced, and peaking.

South Lenoir (6-13-2, 1-9 conf.) went 5-4-2 non-conference (36 goals) but collapsed to 1-9 in the East Central 3A/4A, scoring 6 goals total and allowing 36. They’ve been shut out nine times, including five in conference. On the road (3-8-1), they allow 3.6 goals per game. Roster: 5 seniors, 7 juniors, 5 sophomores, 3 freshmen—junior-led attack, thin depth.