WILMINGTON (NC) - On Friday night of the third week of the NC high school football season, Raleigh powerhouse Wake Forest High School took on Wilmington powerhouse Hoggard in a smash mouth classic as Wake Forest earned the win 23-8.

Wake Forest struck first late in the first quarter with a great defensive stop followed by a rushing touchdown to take a 6-0 lead. Hoggard, with the home field advantage, blocked the extra point to get some momentum rolling. The first quarter ended with the score 6-0.

Both defenses made big plays in the second quarter to keep the game close. Wake Forest was able to get into an offensive rhythm late in the second quarter to set up a 29 yards field goal before half time to make it 9-0 Cougars going into the break.

Hoggard got the ball to start the second half and put together first downs. But then Wake Forest’s defensive lineman Jeremiah Bethel got a sack to set the Vikings back 15 yards and forced a punt. The Cougars’ offense clicked as QB Dominic Williams hit Nigel Lucas on a 31-yard touchdown pass to make it a 16-0 game with 4:46 left in the third quarter.

Hoggard answered the call as they desperately needed a score. With a little razzle dazzle, the Vikings called a trick a trick play as Trey Parkes hit Conrad Newman for a 21 yard TD pass. The 2-pt conversion was good to cut it to a one possession game. WFHS led16-8 with 2:00 left in the third quarter. Hoggard’s defense soon followed up with a huge stop to put the offense on the field. Hoggard had all the momentum until the Cougar’s Dashaun Grant tipped a pass and intercepted it to stop that drive.

In the fourth quarter, defenses were going back and forth with huge tackles and big breakups to hold the other team scoreless. Hoggard got the ball with 1:31 left in the game and no timeouts. The Vikings attempted another long pass but Grant got his second INT of the game and took this one all the way back for a touchdown to seal the game.

The Cougars came away with a 23-8 win in a great old school style high school football game between two of the best teams in the east. Next week, Wake Forest takes on powerhouse Cardinal Gibbons and Hoggard gets some rest with a bye week.