On November 17th, 2023, the Hoggard Varsity Football Team played Laney for a spot in the fourth round of the NCHSAA 4A football playoffs. Hoggard had played Laney on the road earlier in the season, and had beaten the Bucs 49-15
The Hoggard Varsity Football Team has had an extremely strong season. Though the season began with an eight point loss against Cleveland, that was Hoggard’s first and last loss of the 2023 season. The team won game after game and earned the title of Mideastern Conference Champions! Hoggard entered the playoffs as the three seed with three home games. Hoggard cruised to the third round of the playoffs with commanding wins in both the first and second rounds. However, unexpectedly, Laney (11) had won their away game against Apex Friendship (6) and would be coming back to Wilmington to play against the Vikes on their home field. It was their second matchup of the season, however Hoggard had much more at stake this time with a win or go home situation.
I arrived around 6:30 to the game, along with quite a few others. I was shocked to see the long lines at every gate that early on. As I walked up the metal steps of the bleachers, I saw that both sidelines were packed! At one point that night, there would even be people standing all along the short fence surrounding the field. The theme for the Hoggard Student Section was “Black Out” and the section was completely filled, almost everyone in the color and not a single gap against the railing in front of the section, as there normally would be that early.
As it got closer to kickoff time, the National Anthem was played. Then the team ran out through the hazy blue smoke, a firework bursting in the sky. Minutes later, Hoggard kicked off to Laney and the clock started counting down. A scoreless first half of the first quarter alerted the Vikings that Laney had improved since their last matchup. The minutes continued ticking by until there were about 4 minutes left and Hoggard opted to go for a field goal. Senior Tobias Brubaker (#1) succeeded in his 25-yard field goal, putting Hoggard on the board first, 3-0. As the time started to run out, less than a minute on the clock, Hoggard punched in a rushing touchdown, extending their lead. The score at the end of the first quarter was Hoggard 9, Laney 0.
The second quarter began, with the score too close in many Hoggard fan’s eyes, but it wasn’t a long wait for a positive score change. Senior Malakahi West (#13) intercepted Laney’s pass with about nine minutes left in the quarter! Hoggard’s offense then took over on Laney’s side. Senior quarterback Hudson Wilharm (#15) threw a beauty of a pass to junior Blake Edwards (#3) for a touchdown, stretching their lead to 15. Shortly after, with around 5 minutes left in the half, Laney had possession. Laney’s Hampton Roderick (#6) found himself in the end zone, scoring their first points of the game. Laney’s Robbie Feamster’s (#82) extra point attempt was good. Feamster later earned Laney the last points of the half, with a successful field goal, putting the game at a very manageable 10-15 for the Bucs.
The third quarter began with the score 15-10, and ended with the score 15-10. It was a very stressful third quarter on the bleachers, as well as the field, knowing that if Laney scored, they’d be ahead.
The fourth quarter began, 12 minutes to put the game away. With 9 minutes left, Hoggard began to pull away from the tight score. It began when senior Josiah Gillespie (#23) intercepted the ball from Laney and returned it 90 yards straight to the house! Brubaker yet again nailed the extra point, giving Hoggard a commanding 22-10 lead with 8 minutes left. Laney’s next possession went about as well as it could’ve for Vikings fans, with another pick 6! Junior Rylan Edwards (#36) all but iced the game, intercepting the ball from Laney with 5 minutes left. Senior Javian Joseph-Fontaine (#9) added insult to injury, earning Hoggard a rushing score putting the Vikes up 36-10. With only 2 minutes remaining, Hoggard still was not taking their foot off the gas after a 75 yard rushing touchdown from senior Tamear Web (#8). The final score was Hoggard 43, Laney 10! An extremely notable player is junior Rylan Edwards. The linebacker got three out of the six interceptions that night, this was certainly one of Hoggard’s best wins all season, with both the offense and defense clicking on all cylinders.
Hoggard's second win against Laney gave the Vikes a chance to get back at the only team they had fallen to this season, Cleveland.
