Tough Big East Conference up for grabs

Last season, the 3-A Big East conference saw a close finish as four teams finished with eight wins or more.

The Hunt Warriors won the conference and made it all the way to the 3-AA eastern regional final before falling to the Southern Durham Spartans. Hunt has now reached the regional final four years in a row but has yet to come away with a win.

Hunt returns the weapons needed to finally get over the hump. They’ll have quarterback Jacob Williamson and running back Darius Barnes back, but they lost their entire defensive secondary, including N.C. State recruit Dexter Wright.

Fike was last year’s runner-up in the conference and finished with 11 wins. The Demons have the majority of their offense and defense back, including Anthony Evans, who rushed for more than 1,800 yards with 18 touchdowns as a junior. While they graduated several linemen, the Demons should be equally as competitive in 2014 and could be an early favorite to win the conference.

The Rocky Mount Gryphons also made a run at the conference in 2013, and like Hunt and Fike, they return a lot of their starters as well. Rashawn Harris, Broderick Caudle and Bikembe Kearney were all-conference selections as receivers and secondary players, but just four total defensive starters return.

Southern Nash also won nine games in 2013 but graduated many important players. Head coach Brian Foster expects his team to be younger, but just as talented. The Firebirds have three running backs who saw time last season and can help rebuild the offense.

Northern Nash will be a team to watch as head coach Randy Raper starts his second year. Raper enjoyed a lot of success at Hunt High before moving on to coach the Knights in Rocky Mount. His team won four games in his first year at the school, but will continue to build with experience on offense.

The majority of Nash Central’s winless 2013 team returns, giving the Bulldogs hope at a rebound season.