Undefeated Tarboro vs undefeated southwest Edgecombe
- Thread starter vikandpiratepride
- Start date
Ah, a thread for the Tarboro folks and SWE’98 tucked in between the 18 weekly threads on SMC. Should be a fun game.
This one is going to the closest game we’ve had in a while. I’m more worried about this one than I was the rocky mount game
I think this years function at the junction could be an instant classic and further solidify it as one of the best rivalries in the state. I think this is SWE best chance to knock off Tarboro since their last win in 2015. The battle at the line of scrimmage will be a huge factor in this one for each team to have success doing what they do best RUN. I think #11 could be an x factor for SWE. If SWE can establish the run there will be plays there for #11 in the pass game. I think this game will be close but I still think Tarboro's speed and physicality will reign supreme in the end. I predict 31-22 Tarboro. If SWE can do what I mentioned, then the score can be flipped in SWE's favor. High school football fans will enjoy this one.
This game won’t be a blowout. It’s going to be an electric atmosphere and I know a lot of people at Southwest really believe they have the team this year to beat Tarboro.
I think Tarboro is the better team, but anything can happen when you play in Pinetops. This will be the toughest game Tarboro has had during the 34-game win streak.
I think Tarboro is the better team, but anything can happen when you play in Pinetops. This will be the toughest game Tarboro has had during the 34-game win streak.
I think it'll be a closer game than usual. Nas Black vs Keishon Porter will be a BATTLE! Porter only has one route & thats deep but with his height & elite basketball skill. Lets not sleep on the run game also. SWE has some pretty solid RBs. It'll be a BIG test for the guys on Friday but i still have Tarboro coming out on top 35-14
Porter is also a 3 star WR ranked in the state at 60 for football. He also has offers in basketball also for several schools. One being Texas A&M.
Lol I got a feeling this game will get alot of talk this week. This is the most legit team talent wise Tarboro has faced in several years.
A 4.6 is not a easy time to reach. Judging by Tarboro QB's 100m time he is just under a 4.6. Traveon Freshwater from NE now at ECU runs a 4.69 at the shrine bowl combine. Watching Porter I haven't seen 4.6 speed out of him. He will have the opportunity with his skill set to play in college for basketball or football thats for certain.
The SWE game last year was was postponed due to Florence and ended up being season finale. That was a playoff-like atmosphere between two teams looking to make deep runs in the post season. Tarboro scored with just over a minute left to ice a 35-14 game. SWE has most of their crew back while Tarboro lost most of the offensive playmakers. Tarboro looks sharp going in and so does SW. I think the wildcard is how well each team 'throws" the ball. The Cougars have a next level athlete at WR, but Tarboro has been getting some decent production through the air the last couple of games. Tarboro seems to always carry an edge on defense, but this will likely be the toughest game Tarboro will have this season.
He plays football for the love of the school. He plays basketball for the love of the sport. He's a basketball player playing football. Most of his basketball offering schools asked him not to play football this year, but he said felt like he would be letting his school down if he didn't. I dont think a football scholarship moves his needle.
Dont generate much talk because it's pretty much to go work and go home. Talk on the field, where they have been yelling at the top of their lungs lately. Unlike the western folks up here, that love to argue back and forth like little teenage girls about who's prettier. But if Tarboro loses, it won't be because the threw the game. SWE is a legit squad. Every year, SWE is Tarboro's closest game score wise. And yes, we beat them occasionally. So dont think it was a colossal failure if Tarboro loses. But whatever team wins, it'll get a hardy congratulations from the loser, and no whining. But that's just how we do it down east.
Not sure of the overall record, but maybe like 30-12? In tarboro’s favor ?
I know since 98, tarboro has won 15 and Swe has won 6, five of those being from 05-09.
I know since 98, tarboro has won 15 and Swe has won 6, five of those being from 05-09.
Tarboro has dominated the series for the most part. Last I checked Tarboro led the series like 30-12. However the games are always close and it draws huge crowds. The schools are 9 miles apart
In my opinion, The numbers are very misleading on how close the series actually is - especially the last 15 years or so. Southwest is very well coached and it’s always a battle when these two hook up. There’s almost never an easy win for either team.
The games from the last two years are on YouTube if you want to get a better understanding.
The games from the last two years are on YouTube if you want to get a better understanding.
When I started at THS, there was no rivalry with SWE. The rivalry really started in 1984 when the Cougars beat the Vikings 9-7 the first game of the season. Tarboro and SWE met again in the playoffs and the Vikings won that game on the way to winning the 3A state championship. From that day forward, it was an annual event known as the Function at the Junction, the Junction being the crazy 5-way Wiggins Crossroads located between the schools. Tarboro fans...was there once a victory bell that went to the winner of the game each year? I seem to remember that, but the game itself always seemed to matter more than any other on the schedule.
I for one am amused at the box of gimmicks they have at SWE. They have that cannon in the west end zone, because Cougars fire cannons, right? They have the cougar roar sound effect they play on the PA. They do the first down chant that ECU does, even though the fans don't seem that into it, at least at the games against Tarboro anyway. We have none of that stuff at Tarboro. We have Sweet Pea carrying the flag and Butch Cannon providing top notch stadium announcing. It's football. Why do you need more than that?
I for one am amused at the box of gimmicks they have at SWE. They have that cannon in the west end zone, because Cougars fire cannons, right? They have the cougar roar sound effect they play on the PA. They do the first down chant that ECU does, even though the fans don't seem that into it, at least at the games against Tarboro anyway. We have none of that stuff at Tarboro. We have Sweet Pea carrying the flag and Butch Cannon providing top notch stadium announcing. It's football. Why do you need more than that?
We didn't beat Tarboro 91-94 when I was at SW. We would handle them in every other sport, with the exception of track and field. I think it's in our head now, at least for us old timers.
Tarboro owns the series hands down. Back in the 80's it was one of the biggest games in the state. WRAL would fly over and land their helicopter on the baseball field to cover the game. It would be packed to the brim. After Head Coach Jimmy Tilman left SW, the bottom fell out of the program, mainly due to horrible coaching hires. There's always been the talent at the school, just terrible coaching and schemes. SW became a women's basketball and wrestling school and football was dead. Once in a while we would have a decent year. Not until Raymond Cobb came over from North Edgecombe did the program come back to life, and that has continued under the leadership of his son now. SW has only produced one NFL player, Yancy Thigpen.
Funny you mention the Junction. I've told people for years when the game is at SW it's "The Function at the Junction". When it's in Tarboro, it's SW vs Tarboro. "The Junction" was basically a nickname for Cougar Stadium back in the 80's.
Apparently someone in the booster club is a big pirate fan. They shoot a cannon, and do the first down thing. It was popular at first, but seems to lose luster with the number of first downs our squad gets now. Now back in the 90's a first down was a big thing. Lol.
People do get confused about this. It’s only called the “Function at the Junction” when the game is played at Southwest. Not sure why people say it when the game is at Tarboro
Well, perception is reality. When Brian Bailey, Billy Weaver and Brian North all start referring to every Tarboro/SWE as the Function at the Junction, then that's just what it is. I'm willing to accept the new interpretation as both games being called that, but I think the label came about originally in reference to a game being played at SWE.
That's absolutely right. Brian Bailey is first I heard refer to it as that at Tarboro also back in the late 90's on touchdown friday. I recall the reasoning he gave was both places ought be referred to as the function at the junction because of the US 64 junction headed into Tarboro. I was ok with it and have always accepted it as such. The name has brought alot of much deserved hype to this game.
The junction is in reference to the old 5 way intersection down the street from SWE. That's why it's the Function at the Junction only when it's at SWE. I hate it when it's referred to that when it's at Tarboro. As far as the theatrics at SW home games, you have to understand where we are. In dead country. So Friday night football is more than "just football." It's a gathering. A get together. A source of entertainment. Probably the only time you get to see your friends. That's why we liven it up. The cannon goes off for touchdowns, not first downs, but it does get annoying at times, especially with the amount of scoring we do these days. But hey, it's a form of cheering. Doesnt the Tarboro crowd celebrate whenever they score a td? Who says it should just be relegated to a tennis handclap? The dancing, the cougar growls, the P.A. announcer who is an actual fan and is actually into the game...it's supposed to be exciting! Get on your feet! Cheer! Create an atmosphere! It's not baseball. Lol. Each school has their own home attitude, but I'm thrilled that we like to have fun at SWE. It's more than just football. It's Friday night!
SWE’98, I knew I could wind you up with that. BTW, tennis handclap my ***! You know better than that! Also, don’t forget to wear white!
Last edited: