Have you ever heard the quote, “The only thing I know is that I know nothing”?
It’s often attributed to the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates and has been butchered into countless variations across the internet. Socrates never actually wrote those words, but six weeks into the North Carolina high school football season, the sentiment feels particularly fitting in Wilmington.
Because what, exactly, do we know about these teams?
Hoggard is 4-1 and has established itself at the top. Beyond the Vikings, good luck sorting out much of anything.
Laney, Ashley, Topsail and North Brunswick are all 1-1 through two weeks of Carolina Coast Conference play, creating a four-way tie for third place. New Hanover is 1-0 in conference play but was off last week.
Even West Brunswick (1-5, 0-2 CCC) isn’t entirely out of the picture.
So, six weeks into a season that has repeatedly made fools of anyone trying to predict it, I'll do the sensible thing and make some more predictions. Here’s my best shot at four Wilmington-area high school football picks for Week 7.
Topsail ends losing streak to Laney
If it feels like I've picked Topsail (2-4, 1-1 CCC) to win a lot this fall, you’re not wrong.
From the preseason through Week 7, I’ve written plenty about the Pirates’ intriguing attempt to rebuild from an 0-10 season under new coach TJ Albert and a new culture in Hampstead. At times, that belief has looked justified. At others, well, refer back to Socrates.
Week 6 fell into the latter category.
Topsail managed just 10 points in a 14-10 road loss to North Brunswick, another reminder that without star running back Kyle Albert, it’s still difficult to know exactly how high this team’s ceiling can be.
Week 7 offers another chance to find out.
The Pirates haven’t beaten Laney (2-4, 1-1 CCC) since 2021, losing five straight in the series and winning just twice against the Buccaneers over the past 13 years. But this Laney team has been searching for consistency, too, and enters Friday coming off a disheartening 20-17 overtime loss to Ashley.
So, yes, I'm going back to Topsail again.
Back home in Hampstead, with a chance to snap another losing streak and add some substance to the idea that this season really is different, expect the Pirates to finally get over the hump against Laney.
West Brunswick pulls off the upset
Almost everything points toward North Brunswick winning this game.
West Brunswick (1-5, 0-2 CCC) entered Week 6 without starting quarterback Josiah Boring, has lost five straight games and now hosts a county and conference rival that has recently owned this series.
After losing seven straight meetings from 2014 to 2021, North Brunswick flipped the rivalry on its head. The Scorpions have won six straight against the Trojans.
Simply put, West Brunswick probably shouldn’t win this game.
So, naturally, I'm picking the Trojans.
For all that has gone wrong during West Brunswick’s five-game skid, this team hasn’t been nearly as far away as its record suggests. Three of those losses came by three points or fewer, leaving the Trojans searching for something to finally break their way.
Beating a county rival at home would certainly qualify.
Much of West Brunswick’s upset potential depends on the health of Boring and the rest of a banged-up roster. But in a season that has already taught us how little we know, don’t be surprised if the Trojans finally find the break they’ve been waiting for Friday night.
Hoggard cruises past New Hanover
Remember that part about Hoggard’s success being the only constant this season?
Well, here’s one prediction I feel pretty good about.
The Vikings (4-1, 1-0 CCC) enter their Week 7 rivalry matchup against New Hanover (2-3, 1-0 CCC) fresh off a 55-14 dismantling of West Brunswick, one of their most dominant offensive performance of the season. Quarterback Matthew Boring was nearly perfect, completing 12 of 15 passes for 196 yards and three touchdowns as Hoggard rolled to its second straight conference win.
Rivalry games have a habit of getting weird, and if the first six weeks have taught us anything, it’s probably best not to declare anything inevitable.
But Hoggard has been the closest thing Wilmington-area football has had to a sure thing. Expect the Vikings to keep it that way Friday night.
Pender gets back on track against Clinton
Pender (2-3) opens conference play against a Clinton team (3-2) averaging 26.2 points per game this fall.
The Patriots have lost three straight, with a weather cancellation and an off week further disrupting an already uneven start. But Pender proved it could hang with Clinton last season, earning its first win in the series in a 50-45 thriller.
The road challenge is formidable, but expect the Patriots to make things interesting as they try to recapture some of last season’s magic against the Dark Horses.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Four bold predictions for Week 7 of Wilmington high school football
