Preview: Northern Guilford football season

Northern Guilford steps up to 4A, prepared for the challenge

by CHRIS BURRITT

NORTHERN GUILFORD – Northern Guilford High School’s varsity football program returns 27 seniors from a team that finished last season 5-2 but came close to going undefeated.

The Nighthawks lost 28-24 to Eastern Alamance High School and then 40-34 in overtime to Western Alamance High School, dashing the Nighthawks’ hopes for a spot in the playoffs.

“We were two plays away from being undefeated going into playoffs, whereas we finished 5-2 and didn’t make the playoffs,” head coach Erik Westberg said.

This season, Northern is trying to build upon the close losses as it steps up from 3A to 4A, putting it in the same conference with Northwest Guilford, Grimsley, Page and several other larger high schools.

“It’s defi nitely going to be a challenge for us,” Westberg said. Most of the Nighthawks’ games will be against schools in its conference, putting a greater emphasis on winning week after week to qualify for the playoffs.

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“You want the wins out of your conference,” Westberg said. “Our focus has been getting everybody to understand their job at each snap.”

Two players are vying for the job of starting quarterback. Jack Mercer called the plays on Northern’s junior varsity team last year, and he’s competing against Larenz Smith, who transferred from Glenn High School in Kernersville.

The performance of the two players during scrimmages before the start of the season will help determine which one gets the starting nod, according to Westberg. The team plays its first game this Friday, Aug. 20, against Eastern Guilford High School.

Last season’s starting quarterback, Will Lenard, signed to play at Randolph-Macon College.

On defense, Westberg is counting on linebacker Nkwenti Achina and Ishmel Atkins, a safety who has committed to play at Elon University.

“Our strength is defi nitely our experience,” Westberg said. “We’ve got a lot of players returning who started or played signifi cant snaps. We have a lot of team speed on both sides of the football.”

C ourtesyphoto|ErikWestberg,headcoach

Northern hosts Northwest Guilford High School Oct. 8, giving the Nighthawks the chance to extend their winning streak to three games against the Vikings. They last played in 2019, when Northern decidedly won 42-10.

Westberg and Northwest’s coach, Kevin Wallace, coached together at Greensboro College and Apprentice School in Newport News, Virginia, cementing a friendship that’s fl ourished despite their rivalry.

Westberg said they talk often and usually get together on Friday nights during the season to compare notes about how their teams played.

“A big part of our friendship is that we grew up in the coaching culture,” said Westberg, explaining he and Wallace are of the same mind when it comes to teaching youngsters offense and defense.

“Off the field, we’re really good friends,” he said. “But we are rivals, and we talk a little smack to each other, no question.’’