North Greene is coming off one big Region 1-1A win over Cosby, but things will not get any easier this week as the Huskies travel to Happy Valley to take on a Hampton team that is ranked No.8 in the state.
“We’re turning around and have another big Friday night,” North Greene coach Eric Tilson said. “There is a lot of excitement around here and this is a big game. The Huskies are coming into town, and we’re looking to be the top dogs.”
North Greene and Hampton have not met on the gridiron since 2016, but the Bulldogs are back in Class 1A and Friday’s outcome will likely go a long way in determining the Region 1-1A championship.
Despite the eight-year hiatus in the series North Greene and Hampton have met 29 times since 1976 and the Bulldogs are 29-0 in the series.
“It’s another region contest and we need to go out and take care of business,” Tilson said. “We know Hampton is a storied program, but at the end of the day the 2025 North Greene Huskies are playing the 2025 Hampton Bulldogs. Thirty years ago doesn’t matter, last year doesn’t matter. Friday is what matters.”
Hampton comes into the game with a 4-1 record and is coming off a 48-0 win over Jellico. The only blemish on its record is a 39-0 loss to Happy Valley. In its four wins Hampton is averaging 47.5 points per game.
Like always the Bulldogs will rely on the power run game. Quarterback Connor McKinney will lead the effort and last week against Jellico he ran for 84 yards on nine attempts, and threw for 90 yards and four attempts. Jayden Kuhn ran for 101 yards and Isaiah Belcher added four touchdowns.
“They are going to run the Power I with a lot of double iso, sweeps and some counters,” Tilson said. “They’ll use lots of tight ends and lull you in with the run game, then they’ll throw one deep. One thing that is different this year is their quarterback can throw it. So, they will spread it out a little more than usual.”
The Huskies have a potent offense of their own that will have to be ready for an aggressive Bulldogs’ defense.
North Greene comes into the game with a 3-2 record and coming off a 35-19 win over Cosby. The Huskies are scoring 32.2 points per game. Last week quarterback Thomas Darnell and running back Brayden Weems both crossed the century mark on the ground while Leon Johnson ran for 75 yards.
The Huskies can also make plays through the air with dangerous targets in Kelson Eastep, Brandon Weems and Matthew Boyd.
“They run a 4-4 defense and they bring a lot of pressure. Our offensive line has to be ready for that and has to protect well. So far this year they have done that, we’ve only given up one sack this year,” Tilson said. “There are some places we match up with them really well and then there are place we are going to have to overcome some deficiencies. But if we play with the same effort we played with against Cosby then we have a good chance.”
Kickoff on Friday is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at Happy Valley High School. The game will be live on the airwaves on WIKQ 103.1 FM.
