H.S. FOOTBALL: EB and Patton seek to start league play with a win, Freedom set for major test

Entering next week, more than one-third of the 2025 high school football regular season is already in the books.

Burke County’s three Western Piedmont 3A/4A Conference teams each start league play in Week 5 on Sept. 19, which also features the local nonconference matchup of the season with A.C. Reynolds coming to Morganton to face Freedom.

As always, The Paper’s sports staff will take our best shot at breaking down the matchups and predicting the outcomes.

Here are the local Week 5 games …

Patton at East Burke

Two of the three county teams who are desperate for a victory meet next week in Icard as someone jumpstarts their season with a conference-opening victory.

The Panthers and Cavaliers have both shown the ability to get the ball in the end zone and have both played close games through Week 3 though neither has yet broken through.

Both teams figure to look heavily to the ground attack for traction on offense as Cavaliers senior Ossie Burkeen (58 carries, 281 yards, four touchdowns) and Panthers sophomore Jet Chatman (32 carries, 181 yards, two touchdowns) rank first and second among county running backs in rushing yards through three weeks, with the duo also combining to find the end zone in four of their five total games to date.

Statistically to date, EB has the advantage when it comes to passing, with junior Carter Bennett having thrown for 252 yards and a pair of TDs while Panthers’ quarterbacks have combined for under 50 yards and no TDs.

Patton has been better on defense, however, limiting Freedom to two fewer TDs than did EB and allowing just 22 points in its only other game, fewer than EB has allowed in any of its first three losses.

Ultimately, turnovers and penalties could go a long way in determining the outcome of this one, in which points may prove hard to come by.

The Cavaliers lead the teams’ all-time series by a 9-6 margin, having won four straight since Patton last won in 2019.

NOTE: This game can be heard on The Big Dawg 92.1 FM, featuring Bob Clark and The Paper’s Josh McKinney on the call, beginning at 7:15 p.m.

Predictions: Paul Schenkel: Patton 21-14; Josh McKinney: Patton 27-24

A.C. Reynolds at Freedom

The Rockets have produced winning overall records for 20 consecutive seasons on the gridiron, winning 10 or games on 11 occasions during that span, most recently in 2022.

Reynolds advanced past round one of the 4A playoffs in each of the last three seasons, winning multiple postseason games in 2022 and 2023 before reaching only the second round last fall as its six total wins represented the program’s fewest in a season since 2011.

First-year starting quarterback Kolton Rymer completed 24 of 37 passes for 271 yards, two TDs, and one interception through three games as the Rockets scuffled to a 1-2 start — albeit against quality competition — that included lopsided losses to Brevard and Robinson and a one-point win over Maiden.

Senior running back Tyvon Patterson-Davis leads Reynolds with 148 rushing yards after totaling 469 rushing yards and five TDs last season, and senior Kayden Ray is the team’s leading receiver to date with nine catches for 158 yards and two TDs.

Freedom senior QB Kaden Davis looks to continue a stellar start to the year which included 711 total yards and 13 TDs through three weeks, with county-leading receiver Kobe Johnson (eight catches, 219 yards, three TDs) his main target so far after a county co-player of the year junior campaign.

Eight different Freedom players had rushed for at least 50 yards through three weeks, and seven of those players had found the end zone on the ground.

Until Friday’s late Week 4 game at Reynolds’ Asheville counterpart, T.C. Roberson, the Patriots hadn’t been tested early like the Rockets have. Will that matter in this one? Perhaps.

History also doesn’t favor the Patriots as Freedom is just 3-9 all-time against Reynolds in the teams’ 12 meetings, which spanned 1985 until 2008.

NOTE: This game can be heard on KICKS 103.3 FM beginning at 7 p.m.

Predictions: PS: Freedom 48-38; JM: Freedom 28-27

Draughn at R-S Central

The Hilltoppers lost by single digits (vs. McDowell and North Henderson) in both of their first two games before a Sept. 5 bye, while the Wildcats lost each of their first three games by at least 40 points as they failed to both score an offensive touchdown and produce a player with 70 or more yards in any offensive capacity.

The lack of continuity at the QB position has hurt Draughn, who was already expecting to start the season with a third different starter in as many years in Fore Putnam before he suffered an injury last month and didn’t see a snap through three games.

Dante Tillery, Henry Cooper, and Currie White have each thrown passes, and Carson Winkler lined up behind center in preseason scrimmages. Until the Wildcats find an answer at the sport’s most important position, things will be rough.

R-S is led by the big two of sophomores Rylan Holley (223 passing yards, 243 rushing yards, two total TDs) and Jakis Smith (184 rushing yards, 110 receiving yards, four total TDs).

The teams’ all-time head-to-head series is tied at 2-2, and next week’s meeting is the programs’ first since 2016.

Predictions: PS: R-S Central 41-13; JM: R-S Central 35-8