East Bladen’s approval last November by the NCHSAA to move from the 2A classification to the 1A classification and their subsequent move from the Southeastern 2A Conference to the Waccamaw 1A/2A Conference has completely revamped the 2023 Eagle football schedule.
County rival West Bladen and Waccamaw Conference foes Whiteville and South Columbus are the only 3 teams that remain on this season’s Eagle schedule from last year.
The Eagles went 2-1 last season against those 3 opponents defeating West Bladen and South Columbus while losing to 2022 Waccamaw champion Whiteville. The Wolfpack finished 12-2 and reached the 4th round of the Class 2A playoffs.
Gone from last year’s slate are old Southeastern foes Clinton (11-2 in 2022), St. Pauls (6-4), Midway (7-5), Fairmont (2-8) and Red Springs (1-9). Replacing them are new Waccamaw opponents: West Columbus (9-4), Pender (6-6), Heide Trask (8-4) and East Columbus (3-9).
Also gone from last year’s schedule are non-conference foes Wallace-Rose Hill (12-3) and Wilmington Laney (6-5). Replacing them are non-conference games with North Brunswick (11-2), James Kenan (9-3) and Wilmington Ashley (1-9).
East Bladen faced off with Ashley in the 2022 ‘Bash at the Beach’ preseason scrimmage and traveled to James Kenan in the 1st round of the 2021 Class 2A playoffs where the Tigers pulled out a 41-34 victory in the closing seconds.
It will be the Eagles 1st meeting with North Brunswick since claiming a 21-16 non-conference victory in 2018. The Eagles and Scorpions also squared off regularly when they were both members of a Class 2A/3A Waccamaw Conference.
As for their new conference foes, East Bladen last played West Columbus on April 1, 2021 during the spring COVID football season. That one ended with a 51-16 Eagle victory.
The Eagles defeated East Columbus 55-12 in 2019 when they were both members of the Three Rivers 1A/2A. East Bladen claimed victories in their last meetings with Heide Trask 28-14 and Pender 41-3 in 2016 when they were all members of the Four County 1A/2A.
Coach Robby Priest’s Eagles open their 2023 season at North Brunswick on August 18th, before entertaining West Bladen on August 25th in East Bladen’s home opener.
Here is East Bladen’s football schedule:
Friday, Aug. 18: at North Brunswick, 7 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 25: vs. West Bladen, 7 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 1: at Wilmington Ashley, 6:30 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 8: vs. James Kenan, 7 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 15: vs. South Columbus, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 22: vs. East Columbus (Homecoming), 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 29: at Pender, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 6: at Heide Trask, 7 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 13: vs. West Columbus (Senior Night), 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 20: at Whiteville, 7:30 p.m.
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