The high school football season in the Wilmington area will be underway before we know it, and this season is one of vengeance.
All area teams play a nearly identical schedule to 2023, and revenge games will be present from the start.
As always, the Mideastern Conference features three nonconference games followed by seven conference matchups. Trask and Pender will begin the season with four nonconference matchups in the Waccamaw Conference.
Here's a look at the area's most compelling games of the 2024 Wilmington-area high school football season.
STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE What Wilmington-area high school football team has the toughest schedule in 2024?
2024 MATCHUPS 2024 Wilmington-area high school football schedules: Here's every matchup this fall
Hoggard at Cleveland, Week 1
2023 score: Cleveland 28, Hoggard 20
The action starts quickly for Hoggard, who plays the only team it dropped a regular season game to in 2023 in Week 1.
The Rams held on to defeat Hoggard 28-20 thanks to a fourth-quarter pick-six that sealed the game. Months later, in the state playoff quarterfinals, Hoggard earned its revenge by slamming a 41-20 scoreline on the Rams in Clayton to advance to the NCHSAA 4A East final.
Both teams will have drastically different makeups this fall, but the matchup is still one of the East's best in Week 1.
Laney at Havelock, Week 2
2023 score: Havelock 20, Laney 17
The only team besides Hoggard to defeat Laney in 2023, Havelock will host the Buccaneers on Aug. 30.
Laney at Hoggard, Week 6
2023 score: Hoggard 43, Laney 10
The final score doesn't reflect it, but the Hoggard-Laney third-round playoff matchup was one of the area's best high school football games last fall.
The Bucs were the only area team to keep things close with the Vikings in the fourth quarter. Trailing 15-10, all the pieces fell apart for Laney, which turned the ball over a total of six times, two of which were returned for touchdowns.
The two Wilmington schools will meet in Week 5 for an exciting early conference matchup.
South Brunswick at North Brunswick, Week 6
2023 score: North Brunswick 34, South Brunswick 28
Throw it out. Throw out the records, throw out the statistics. When it comes to an old-fashioned county rivalry, none of that matters.
The Cougars proved that sentiment last fall, nearly mounting a comeback win against rival North Brunswick in Southport. While that pursuit of a magical come-from-behind victory fell short, this year's matchup in Leland is destined to be one of the area's best of 2024.
New Hanover at Ashley, Week 7
2023 score: Asley 14, New Hanover 7
Before last fall, this game wasn't one many Wilmington fans had circled.
But things took a wild swing on Sept. 29, when the Screaming Eagles handed New Hanover its first head-to-head loss since 2004.
Can New Hanover get revenge, or will Ashley continue to roll out its newfound success? Week 7 will have the answers.
New Hanover at North Brunswick, Week 8
2023 score: New Hanover 30, North Brunswick 21
The Wildcats and Scorpions will meet in Leland on Oct. 11 in a matchup that has become increasingly competitive over the past few seasons.
North Brunswick hasn't beaten New Hanover since joining the Mideastern Conference in 2017 and will be looking for as much home-field advantage as possible.
West Brunswick at South Brunswick, Week 11
2023 score: West Brunswick 43, South Brunswick 42
They might not have had the best records, but the South-West matchup was one of the closest of the 2023 season.
The Cougars host the Trojans in the final week of the regular season, a game that could have playoff implications.
Hoggard at New Hanover, Week 11
2023 score: Hoggard 44, New Hanover 7
Hoggard handled New Hanover in definitive fashion in the final week of regular season play last fall. The scoreline should be closer this year, but a New Hanover-Hoggard rivalry, regardless of the sport, always has potential.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Here are the top 8 Wilmington-area high school football games to watch in 2024
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