What will be the difference? Page at Dudley on Friday night

What will be the difference in this game?

What will settle the final outcome?

Last year we had Ragsdale(13-0) at Dudley(13-0) in the playoffs and this year’s game(Page-Dudley) bears striking similarities to what we ran into last season……

Page(8-1) at Dudley(8-1) and both teams suffered their lone losses at the hands of Ragsdale in Jamestown. Dudley fell 18-8 to the Tigers, back on August 28 and Page experienced the same fate, 42-21 on September 11.

Last year’s Ragsdale-Dudley game was one for the archives/books, but that was last year, and now we are talking 2009 and the Metro 4-A Conference title. The winner of Friday’s Page-Dudley game is right in line, for the 2009 regular-season crown.

What will determine the winner in this game? What will be the difference?

They are already talking crowds in excess of what we saw last year for Ragsdale-Dudley and you would think the home field/crowd advantage would favor Dudley.

Could this gate be split with an even number of fans from Page and Dudley? We shall see come Friday night and this is N.C. A&T’s Homecoming Weekend, so that might bring in a few extra Dudley alum, or they might be saving their money up for the Aggies on Saturday afternoon and Saturday night. You have to believe that the true fans support both/all Blue and Gold……

The home field/crowd advantage favoring Dudley…..

What about on the field?????

On the way in, I would say, offense favors Page and defense favors Dudley.(If I remember correctly, Dudley beat Page by just a TD early in the regular season in 2008, at Page.)

Page with Drew Rogers and James Summers as the super-sophomores have really come on strong this season for the Pirates and senior QB Bruce McCoy, has said by his play on the field that, “you can’t get me out of this lineup”.

Lenny Gordon has had himself one heck of a senior season as the top Pirate fullback and as the #2 or #3 tailback and we hear that Thuc Phan is due back on Friday night after turning his ankle in the Smith game and having to miss the past 7 quarters of action for Page. It will be a big boost for Page on offense to get Thuc back, especially with his returns on punts and kickoffs…..

McCoy and Summers can both pass for Page and Summers can tuck and run and both McCoy and Summers end up in pass patterns when they are not under center or in the gun…..Rogers has put up the most yards and touchdowns and he will be a real test for the Dudley defense.

And speaking of that Dudley “D”, they picked up 2TD’s on picks last Friday night at Western Guilford and when you start talking about that the Panther defense, a smile comes to the face of most folks talking football down on East Lee near Lincoln Street.

The DB’s are as good as any in the region when you look at them as a collective group. Amerson, Martin, Okoro, Reynolds and Simmons are as good as any of the defensive backs you will see anywhere on the HS level. Six men up and five men back and you have to think those DB’s will be stepping up or walking up a little bit closer to the line come Friday evening. The Dudley DB’s were in lockdown mode against Western and the Hornets could not find any space……

Major Bryant, Denzel Jones, Travores Jenkins and Brandon Burkes are the men that hold down the middle and you can count on them. Jones got banged up a bit last Friday night, but he should be right back in the thick of it, this Friday.

Bell, Neal and Level among others can spot the D’ line and Major Bryant likes to creep up and join them so he can turn the run back inside for his linebacking partners.

Dudley has the defense and Page has the offense, as the Pirates are averaging just over 42 points per game on the way in and the Panthers are giving about a third of that.

Those total numbers read:
Page offense:
378 total points scored and 42ppg….

Dudley defense:
108 total points allowed and 12ppg allowed…..

Dudley’s offense can be potent and they can grind it out with Peterson and Gaylord in the backfield and last week they incorporated the DB’s into the offense with Amerson, Martin and Reynolds becoming receivers. Alex Moore is a very efficient QB for Dudley and he works in a run-first, pass-second system for the Panthers and that’s what works best for them.

Page’s defense, led by Jon Spain will have to get ready for the run and the DB’s with Campbell, Todd and company will have to come up and add on the hits/sticks to the Dudley RB’s. Tony Rustin in the middle of the D’ line will need to bring his lunch as they say, and he could go a long way in determining how far those Dudley backs go on offense.

Dudley has offense and Page has defense, but I still think we need to go back to those earlier numbers and those numbers are probably line dictated numbers…..Page’s offensive line is one of their best in recent years and the Dudley D’ line is not what it was last year, but with Major Bryant coming up and stepping in, they are still just as mobile and they are quicker.

Quicker to the ball will be the key for both teams…..

Quicker is the key, but if kicker becomes a key, then Page is in with Austin Anthony. I’m not sure if this kid has missed one all year. Page would be set to win the kicking war and Dudley will have to make sure, that it’s defense doesn’t allow the kicking game to become a factor.

Great coaching staffs on both sides of the ball and many of the Dudley coaches used to be Page coaches or Page players…..

This is for the Metro 4-A Conference Title and it all goes down, on Friday night, at Dudley’s Tarpley Stadium. We should be in store for one heck of a game.

Just some early thoughts on the way in and what are the rest of you thinking/saying?????

27 thoughts on “What will be the difference? Page at Dudley on Friday night

  1. You’re right Andy, it will be a huge crowd at this game, but…the blue and gold wont be out numbered at the “Tarp”.
    Panthers D has been playing better lately and the offense has two many weapons now.
    It’s usually a close game , but I’m picking the Panthers
    6th in a row , over them Pirates
    28-14

  2. I’m liking the Pirates to get it done. Page is an offensive juggernaut, and can score often. Also, the Pirates are well over due for a win over Dudley. And remember last year, Page was stopped by a 12-man call (dumb decision by Coach G) on a Dudley 4th down deep in Panther territory. This game should be close, but I like a Page win with Austin Anthony being the deciding factor.

  3. Page is ready!!!!

    Dudley has a few offensive players that are out there in the limelight but I’m telling you–Page has got some firepower!!!!

    Drew Rogers???? OMG!!!!! And he’s only a sophomore. He’s young enough to keep the talent there for the next few years and wise enough NOT to get rattled. It seems he performs better and better under pressure.

    I think the defense is going to determine the winner of this match. Dudley will take it to the air but if Page can stop ’em, a force Dudley’s QB to throw wild, they’ll prevail.

    At any cost, this is going to be a good game.

  4. By the way–does anyone know Dudley’s JV record? Page’s JV is undefeated.

    Thanks in advance.

  5. to even compare this game to the ragsdale vs. dudley game last year is ridiculous. a regular season game between two 8-1 teams or a 3rd round playoff game between two 13-0 teams…..no comparison

  6. I’m going with the defense – so that means Dudley. Between their defense and being ablr to control the clock with the run game on offense Page’s opportunities to score will be limited. Going to be a good game.

  7. @ observer–

    No need for the personal attack with sarcasm. I am neither mother nor father of Drew Rogers. I am on the other hand, a loyal fan of Page’s football program.

    With that typed, no matter what the outcome, I anticipate a very good game.

    Keep it moving with a spirited topic without wasting your energy trying to determine who I am. I’m not concerned with who you are so why should you be concerned with my identity?

    Carry on…….

  8. Another thought–

    If you (or anyone else) could help out by giving Dudley’s JV record so far this year, I’d appreciate it.

    Thanks in advance!

  9. Dudley will when this by 12. Page is going to have to score more than 21 points to beat Dudley and I just don’t see it happening. Page has the athletes to put the points on the board, but Major Bryant AKA ManChild will be out to prove how good this year’s Dline is. Dudley’s secondary is more than capable of shutting down Page’s passing game.

    Dudley’s offense can be one dimensional at times. That being said….they seem to be able to pass the ball when necessary. Coach Davis is a student of the game. I’m sure he’s seen enough film on Page to have his guys ready. Dudley will put the ball in the air when needed and with success. I’m still not sold on Page’s defense.

    The wild card for me is the Summers kid. I think he will be the most talented kid on that field and there will be a lot of talented kids on that field. Summers plays the whole game a QB and it could go in Page’s favor. Summers has that much talent. The kid has a cannon for an arm and he glides across the field when he runs. I won’t forget that TD run versus Ragsdale where it looked like the kid wasn’t even trying. Two high school coaches looked at me in disbelief and asked each other…did you just see that? Give him the ball and I’ll take the Pirates by an extra point or a FG.

  10. Underdog, unfortunately one thing you have to learn here is people will put you down on this site.

  11. Friday night’s game is HUGE. This is pretty much for the Conference Title. Similar to the SEC and ACC Championship games in college football.

    There is so much more history with Dudley and Page than there is with Dudley and Ragsdale.

    Coach Steven Davis got his start as an assistant coach at Page under Marion Kirby along with another former Dudley head coach Victor Floyd.

    Remember the Edwards kid that left Page and went to Dudley and then led Dudley to the State 3-AA title game vs. Gastonia Ashebrook in Coach Floyd’s last year. DeMario Pressley and Edwards were the leaders as juniors that year and Edwards ended up getting a full ride to Florida State after his second half performance in that game.

    Remember when Dudley went over to Page that year for the game and DHS Coach George Ragsdale(now RB’s coach at N.C. A&T) and the Panthers got stirring with the Page Pirates in the post-game handshake line. There was a lot of stirring going on and I’ll leave it at that.

    Remember that the current Dudley quarterbacks coach(and he’s a very good one) Antonio Kirkpatrick was the Page Pirate QB back in the day and he experienced many of these Page-Dudley battles.

    There is a lot of history between these two teams and now it’s time for the current editions of the Panthers and Pirates to make their mark and I’m telling you, this game will be HUGE tomorrow night.

    Not to be lost in the shuffle, Glenn at Ragsdale is also HUGE tomorrow evening. Also looks to be for the conference crown.

    Don’t forget Page at Dudley. Get there early…….

  12. I think many of us are almost there already and you are on the MONEY. Damon spelled backwards is Nomad and don’t be one.

    You can almost feel it!!!!!

    Tarpley Stadium is the place for everyone to be on Friday night. If for nothing else, let’s give this game and the Gate City, the Big Game/Big Event atmosphere.

  13. I would call the school office and find out if they have pre-sales going on at Dudley and Page and as far as we know, Walk-ups will be welcome on Friday night.

    We want to see the place packed and feel assured, that will be the case……

  14. I wish this game was going to be televised. There are people all the way in PA and NY who can’t wait for the outcome! (Coach Gheradi and Coach Tom Perry–former MVHS coaches)
    I’ll be giving them the play-by-play action and it will be sweet if it goes in our favor.

    I’m also hoping some clips will make it to you….tube.

  15. Alright Page Pirates (JV) on the win tonight! The game was good from start to finish. Late in the fourth quarter (1:57) Dudley had the chance to convert on a 4th and 1 to put them in a position to punt but Page’s defense PUSHED them back and held on for the win.

    Not to take anything from Dudley–they had at least 3 blasts–two were punt returns that resulted in touchdowns but Page’s defense was able to sustain when it counted.

    Again, Congratulations Pirates JV for a well deserved win!!!

  16. will i can not wait until tonight when page takes on dudley for the metro 4A title gussed hows going to win the number one red an black the page pirates this football team is ready an will fight every time in the game they will score lots of points an by the end of the 4th page 42 / dudley 14 that will be the final of tonight’s game every body i hope to see every body at this football game tonight get ready it’s football time pirates style arr good luck pirates.

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