High school football picks, predictions for Fayetteville teams in Week 8

Week 8 of the NCHSAA football season is upon us, and conference play is beginning to get interesting.

Last week, Cape Fear had a disappointing outing against Seventy-First, only scoring on a field goal. Meanwhile, Terry Sanford brought the heat to three-time defending All American champs Pine Forest, winning by two touchdowns at home to keep their conference championship hopes alive.

This week, four more undefeated conference teams will square off, three of which are Fayetteville teams; others are just fighting for a spot in their classification playoff bracket.

Here are The Fayetteville Observer's picks and predictions headed into this week's competition.

Watch football games on NFHS Network

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Seventy-First at Jack Britt

Seventy-First set the tone in the United 8 Conference and commanded a win over Cape Fear last week 43-3 with six touchdowns from DeAndre Nance. Though the Falcons will head to the Boneyard to face a confident Jack Britt defense in this week's 910Preps Game of the Week, Seventy-First's high-octane offense isn't likely to be held up anytime soon.

Over the last 10 games, the Falcons are 7-3 against Jack Britt, with Britt's last win coming in a shortened 2020 season. Seventy-First hasn't allowed a touchdown in 10 quarters, and while the Buccaneers may get on the scoreboard, the game will be Seventy-First's from start to finish.

The pick: Seventy-First

Radio: Mid South Sports 94.3 FM

Cape Fear at Douglas Byrd

Cape Fear will hit the road for a bounce-back game to face a Douglas Byrd team still searching for its first conference win since 2022. While the Colts look to regain footing after a brutal U8 loss to Seventy-First, a trip across town to Ireland Drive will help them get back on track.

The pick: Cape Fear

Terry Sanford at Harnett Central

Terry Sanford will travel to Angier and face a familiar foe in Harnett Central, who they lost to in the last regular season, but got their payback in the playoffs. Terry Sanford is 3-1 in the last four matchups against Harnett Central, and if the Bulldogs’ secondary can stop an arm-slinging Koby Howard for the Trojans, they will leave victorious and take control of the AAC.

The pick: Terry Sanford

Radio: WFNC AM640

Purnell Swett at South View

South View has found major success running the ball over the past couple of weeks, picking up a total of 569 rushing yards during the two games. This week, the Rams come to Hope Mills and the outcome will likely be the same. South View puts out nearly three times the scoring output as Swett, and Swett has only scored seven points since Sept. 20. If they're clicking on all levels, this one could be over by halftime.

The pick: South View

E.E. Smith at Pine Forest

Pine Forest is another team looking for a bounce-back game, and it has landed the right matchup to regroup. Facing a Golden Bulls team at home that is still searching for an identity will be just right for the Trojans, as they'll likely put up another 40-plus performance.

The pick: Pine Forest

Radio: WIDU

Westover at Overhills

The Wolverines are coming off a 34-6 win over Triton, and the offense is clicking. However, the defense still needs a little work defending the pass, one thing that the Jaguars do well. But since Overhills struggles on the defensive end, Westover will likely outscore them with help from Ethan O'Neil-Hubbard and Nasir Wells.

The pick: Westover

North Raleigh Christian at Trinity Christian

The Crusaders have rolled to victory every week since their loss to Providence Day on opening night. In its four wins, Trinity Christian has averaged 47 points, and over a two-game span, Wake Forest commit Elijiah Oehlke has passed for over 240 yards each.

The pick: Trinity Christian

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This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: High school football picks, predictions for Fayetteville teams in Week 8