Smith has to be favored at (5-0) and they are at home…..Dudley is still the top team till someone knocks them off…..Smith has the offense and Dudley has the defense….Smith has that O-line and the Golden Eagles have a pure passing quarterback in Jeff Sims….Elijah Jordan is small and he won’t be able to bring it into the meat of that Dudley defensive line…..Dudley will grab the ball and run it on Smith and run it hard and long, therefore limiting the Smith offensive touches…..Dudley ran into a real team at Durham Hillside and you see what happened…..(Hillside may be at a level above many of our North Carolina HS teams.) Smith is on the way up and Dudley is headed down….[This is just some of the talk that is going around town……]
Yes, these are just a few of things that we are hearing, on the way in to Dudley at Smith this coming Friday night, at Smith’s Claude Manzi Stadium, on the Smith High School campus, just off of Holden Road, near High Point Road….
The buzz is on and is it a buzz worth having?????? Yes it is….This ought to be the talk of the town right up until 7:29:30 on Friday night….
At the barber shops, the doctor’s office, at church on Sunday, at the grocery store, at the pizza stop, the wing/chicken shack, the rib shack(preferably Shane’s), at the Mall, at the Pee Wee and JV football games this week…..All over town, there’s a BIG ONE fixin’ to go down and it’s time to get ready to “Get Down”, all over this town, with Smith and Dudley, due to do battle on Friday…….
Let’s hear from you, as the BIG GAME approaches…..
Go Eagles!
Smith by 10 points
After seeing Smith up close against HPC I knew they were the real deal and had what it took to get past Dudley and Page to win the Metro conf.
Dudley defense is still good, but this isn’t the panthers defense of old, and this definately is the Smith of old. I had Smith favored before Dudley’s loss. The Golden Eagles take this one and are ready to FLY this season!
We are ready to smash anyone that come our way. We rule this area! Bring it own!
As a former coach and have been around the sport of football for awhile, I have to look toward the sky and those soaring Eagles of Ben L Smith this time around; they’re fast and quick. Dudley,(my alma mata by the way) might just be in for a little disappointment this time around.This game is befitting as the 1st one played a few years ago(2001) at A&T,when the late Tony MCkee coached them to victory in front of 18,000 Eagle and Panther fans. Coach Brewington has those young men believing that they can win,Dudley after along run ,might be coming close to (as Gladys Knight once sang) the end of that illustious road. Not because of last night’s defeat, it’ just about that time. Everything must change,nothing remains the same; the young become the old. Now ,I know most folks are going to eat me alive on this,but . . . . .this is not the same team of the last few Dudley teams. It started unraveling last year in the semifinal game against Asheville Reynolds. They don’t have the pieces they once had.You see with Dudley fans as with NC A&T fans,they both always want to blame coaching when they lose and not the fact that they may just not have the PLAYERS. Coach Davis & Co. have done an incredible job over there the past few years,but time has a way of catching up with you.This is same staff that brought them those state championships the last few years . . .now they can’t coach is what I’m hearing! Nah! aint buying that,they just don’t have the same type of kids as they once did; parity is a “motherf#%ker”everybody else is improving as well. A great run . . . but not this year ! Good luck to both teams on next Friday night, and fans remember it aint life or death . . it’s a game played by kids . . .they’re not professionals . . . .let them enjoy it while they have the chance . . ok !
Ol’ bawl Coach,
Well said! It amazed how all of sudden some people were saying Davis and staff couldn’t coach. People forget so fast. The 1st Dudley state championship team wasn’t suppose to win it that year. Coach Davis adjusted and coached em’ up! The following year, everyone had Dudley on their radar. Dudley was wire to wire favorites that year and they didn’t disappoint. When I wasn’t checking out my little brother and SEG, you could find me at a Dudley game.
As far as Coach Davis the man…I don’t know him personally. I do know for a fact this guy has helped more than one kid who never played a down for him get to the next level. That to me says a lot about his character.
Hiis teams always seem well prepared and compete every snap. Like Ol’ bawl coach said….things go in cycles. You can’t win them all.
Andy,
Fields is a big kid with lots of talent. Haynesworth is talented also, but the report I keep getting is that SEG is running the ball in a variety of ways. That being said, I must give credit to Coach Fritz and his coaching staff. Many of the SEG faithful, myself included, have critized the offense play calling at times. I have to credit where credit is due. The coaching staff is responsible for a lot of the success of this team. If this team is going to make some noise come playoff time, coaching will be the key. Talent doesn’t win ball games alone.
The thing that shocked me from last night’s numbers was the fact that Dudley gained just 46 yards on 30 rushes…..That tells me Durham Hillside must be built like a brick wall up front or they must run to the football like a bunch of Banjee Indians….
46 yards on 30 carries, there must have been a whole lot of stopping going on….
Southeast has Grimsley this week and then they face Smith….The Smith-SEG has the looks of a big one on the outside looking in, two weeks away…..Who’s been doing the QB’ing for SEG? Is Will Greene still calling the signals, I know he was earlier in the year…..Does the quarterback do any of the running?
@ Andy – Hillside, was built like a BIG BRICK WALL. They had some big Horses up front and they had their linebackers creep up as well and shot thur the gaps like bullets. Sometimes they were back in our backfield before the running backs ever received the handoffs. Our secondnary and O line took alot of punishment that night.
@ Ol Bawl Coach – The reason I blame the coaches is these points. 1) Going back to that Regional Championship Game, Dudley only allowed A.C. REYNOLDs one meaniful drive that whole night ( when they scored their only T.D. ) But Dudley’s offense standed and I do mean stayed out on the field that whole 2nd half. 5 Drives into the 10 yard line with no points. You had a decent kicker who could kick aleast 60% and you don’t even try a freakin fieldgoal down by only 1 pt.???? 2) To me, My Opinion, Ricky Lewis lead those teams to those championships with his willpower. Their D – line was lights out awesome to match. I think he is a Great Defensive Coach, but if it wasn’t for the play of Ricky, they wouldn’t have won those States Championships. 3) I been watching and supporting Dudley football as a fan for 8 0r 9 years since 2001. Why hasn’t they pluck somebody tho Kick ?????? Most schools have somebody that can kick every year. We are mad because he has run that same offense for 6 years….run run run. You have to mix it up sometimes. Teams finally fiquring out how to limit Dudley offense the last two years by crowding the box. So why not throw some inside slants to your tall receivers, instead of running on a 3 and 9 ??? Aleast try it. He has the players Coach, he just don’t use them right. OHHHHHH !!!! I almost forgot this point, You in a time out and over and over and over again your players still are confuse about what plays to run out on the field, confusion everywhere….late play calls and delays of games over and over again. This started in that Regional Championship game. People are mad that he don’t have a better way of quickly calling plays to avoid the late calls. I just don’t think Dudley is sliding down just yet, But they just son’t have a field general like Ricky Lewis Jr. anylonger. He was a very special young man and leader. Because Dudey’s J.V. the last 5 years have been either 8 – 2 or 9- 1. The Winsow Center pumps out players after players that will later attend Dudley, so if that don’t dry up, Dudley’s program want either.
Dudley had the kicker in Brandon Burkes until he went down with that serious neck injury….Brandon was a very steady kicker and late last year he was on target almost every time and he was in for heavy consideration for the FG late in the game with AC Reynolds from Asheville…I think that Brandon would have had a very chance to make that field goal, but now that is ancient history….
Denzel Jones was kicking before Brandon last year and he has been back at this year……He like Brandon is a straight-on kicker and he has a decent foot and has been much improved on his kickoffs…..
Smith has a steady kicker who I think came over from soccer a few years ago and they also had a solid kicker at Smith last year and he got a shot to kick at Livingstone College this year……Orlando Lopez last year, and the other kid this year might just be Fernando Hernandez…..
I’m pretty sure it has been Orlando and Fernando kicking for Smith…..
This is going to be a good week/game and they will keep it brewing with Coaches Brewington and Davis pushing and preparing their kids in practice this week…….
I think Smith will win this game this year. The Smith players seem to be faster than Dudley this year at all positions. Speed is important.
Like I said, they don’t have that type of kid to “put it on my shoulders,Ill take you there. What goes around comes around. Yes,Windsor Center had ALWAYS supplied Dudley with athletes,but, where are they going now? To that new Pop Warner league, and everybody gets digs on them. You gotta sell your program now days in the youth leagues cause they’re gonna go where people are succesful and where they never here the bickering some of these Dudley fans are doing. The loss to Hillside might be a blessing in disguise; it comes right before the Smith game which is the first conference game,the “eye opener’ they might have needed. Sometimes you can get entangled and strangled by your own success and not really be able to breathe.Dudley will be fine because . . .they’re . . .Dudley,but you can bet your bottom dollar all they’re opponents now will have a copy of the Hillside game . We can talk and jabber on here all we like,but what it comes down too is let these kids play there game ,it’s there time . . .not yours;you’re sitting around watching the final product while they practice their butts off each and everyday,win or lose. Give ’em a break, they’re KIDS first ! Good luck to all the kids playing this friday night,somebody gonna win, somebody gonna lose . . . . .go out and have some good ol pure F-U-N . . .something a lot kids their age don’t.
Did I miss something, I don’t recall anyone saying anything about the kids and their play or their heart???
Oh here we go,
Dudley and Smith game is near!!! I see and notice some people on here and NCPREPS and on the bandwagon for the most part, some people having Smith winning, just a prediction, what people have to understand is Dudley is very young, we have Seniors in important spots. Smith should be decent they have alot of seniors, via QB,RB,WR,and DB’s. Dudley will be ready to play, if Smith think Dudley are hanging their heads your wrong, we took a butt-whooping to a team thats on another level. So dont think that the game is won already…lol. Thats the reason the game is played, last time Dudley loss like this we didnt lose the rest of that year or the year before. And another thing Dudley is not sliding or going away, its just other teams are peaking this year via (Smith) beleive it or not they are a veteran ball club now, they played alot of games together, Dudley is playing with alot of talent but youth, which they will eventually peak this year or maybe next year, but im here to squash that Dudley is falling off, it should be a good game vs Smith I cant wait,
Do I hear the violins playing in the background about youth . . .c’mon be a man ! Excuses , excuses! Yeah you right about one thing . ..the last time Dudley got that kinda butt kicking them “whirlybirds” shut you out 21- ZIP ! Now they’re rebuilding,so . . . .get ready Panthers for some more if Smith pulls this one off,Page will get you as well and maybe another surprise that you want see comin’. It goes in cycles or circles (lol) Now you gonna see how the rest of theso called “youthful ” teams feel,don’t feel so good duzzit ?
This will be a dog fight come Friday Night. I have feeling Dudley will pull it out (base on their defense and the lose the suffered last Friday). But Smith with that offense is so explosive I really can’t tell who will win. The only thing I can be sure of is if I am in town this Friday I AM AT THIS GAME!
The Smith Golden Eagles are taking over ownership of the Metro Conference and we are moving in after the Dudley game on Friday. Plan on still staying till mid-December.
As a football fan, I would love to be able to see this game. Andy, I know you plan on broadcasting this game!!!! As former mentor to students at both Smith and Dudley, I have no rooting interest. I just hope it’s a great game. The more physical the better. A true contest of wills! To the victor be the spoils!
Just like Michael J. used to say, I’ll/We’ll Be There……..
I’ve seen you posts many times about team (s) youth. If Dudley has young players they have young players. U act like Dudley has never lost before.
The fact of the matter is other than a couple of people here and there I hardly ever hear/see the Panther Nation bashing other teams.
Plz Panther Nation don’t feed the animals…they just get more delirious and feel like they have more reason to be umm ugly.
If you hate us sooo bad..why our name always in your mouth?
The rivalry is back
The Eagles are back
The Panthers better be ready. We have played many big games in the Davis era, some with that huge bullseye on our back. We wear it well.
Ol’ Bawl coach reminds me of the washed up QB from over 40 yrs ago……….schizophrenic and probably is typing from his computer over at one of the local nursing homes………….and he has the nerve to call himself an alum of Dear Dudley High. Chickens coming home to roost for what?? In the earlier part of this same decade Dudley had its losing seasons as well, but they also worked hard, ignored the “bleacher coaches” and fair-weather ‘fans’ and went on to play in 4 state title games winning 2 of them. Going 50% in the state title games is quite impressive………….NE hasn’t been to a title game since 2003, Grimsley had “the team to beat” from 2005-2007 and all they did was run their mouths when they were winning, Page starts off hot every season but can’t seem to get out of the 1st round of the playoffs, HPC had the #1 team in the state in 2004 and got knocked out by who?, Northern with Keenan Allen couldn’t finish last season…………if not for Dudley Ragsdale probably is crowned state champions in ’08 and ’09………..Smith now has the “bandwagon team” that all of “Guilty County” is trying to get behind to knock off the evil empire of DHS………..I mean really, it’s hilarious…….
Andy, your site said I posted twice after only hitting submit once?? Now I have 2 posts, what gives man?
unless smith has a quarterback name vad lee and monsters up front that are all 300+ at all starting o line positions and a whole d-line of 300+ pounds with defensive ends with 4.4 speed… then ima go with DUDLEY!!. i hope everyone is not basing this week game on what happened last week. dudley is still a very talented team… they just ran into a BIGGER and BETTER HORSE last week… and a HORSE of a very different breed!!! hillside team is on a another level then 99% of the teams in this state… plain in simple they beat dudley up front and that rarely happens…. if you think smith has those same type of horses then thats your opinion but dont think the panthers are about to hang it up of after that lost to probably the best team in the state… and without a doubt the most talented team in the state.
We’ll do some checking…..I have seen this before, but we will give the double-post some definite attention.
I am a die-hard Panther fan, but must admit that I am thrilled to finally see Smith back in the hunt. They have had too much talent to have been down for soo long. I remember the days of the Blues Brothers and the epic Dudley/Smith battles. Meeting at Burger King on Market Street and hanging out and talking about the game. Two thoughts: Smith is Back and thats good for Guilford County football period!!! and it is GREAT to see more emphasis placed on a rare Dudley loss when back in the day we were not even in the conversation. I predict an epic battle of old, but at the end of the day its all LOVE!!!!! Congrats to Smith for the overdue turn-a-round and congrats to those panthers for a great effort in the loss to Hillside ( Your next 3AA state champion) if they can win that one “luck” game that all champions pull out. Whose gonna host the old skool after party like we used to have back in the day???????
I wish they would move the Smith – Dudley game to A & T friday night, because I think 15,000 people would be there to see it. I understand why Smith’s AD wants it at their place, I really do. But it would just be Crazy Nice to see a BIG BIG CROWD pulling for both teams, Both Bands BLASTING AWAY…LOL, And The Tailgating….. A Nice Peaceful, Playtalking Atmosphere.
It’s good to see to good teams going toe and toe, with so much on the line 🙂
Last week Dudley- Hillside crowd was big as well and the Bands gave all they had as well….even in the loss, I enjoyed the atmosphere at Hillside High. It was like Southern Univ. vs. Jackson St. or something.
As of fan of Greensboro High School Football, this Friday night will be huge. I just hope it’s more like Hagler v. Leonard than Duran v. Leonard pt. 2 (no mas). Most of my people over 30 familiar with boxing’s good old days will get the analogy. How about Duran v. Hagler? A good old fashioned knock down drag out fight.
Good luck to both schools. I wish I could be in the stands for this one.
#If this post made no sense to you….look it up on you tube or wikipedia
How about Tyson-Holyfield. This one could get eary!
Apollo Creed II
Everyone will be on their best behavior, so this won’t enter the Tyson losing his mind error. I just pray it doesn’t go the way of Tyson versus anyone pre Don King and Robin Givens. Game could be over by half time if that happens.