The West Brunswick varsity football team will host West Johnston High School this Friday at 7 p.m. in the first round of the NCHSAA 6A East playoffs. This marks the Trojans” return to the state playoffs for the first time in five years.
As the 14th seed in the playoffs, the Trojans completed their regular season with a 6-4 record and 3-3 in the Carolina Coast 6A/7A/8A Conference. Meanwhile, the Wildcats from West Johnston finished their season with a 4-6 record, placing them as the 19th seed in the 6A East playoffs after a 3-4 performance in the Carolina Pines 6A Conference.
The last playoff appearance for West Brunswick was during the 2021-22 season, where they faced a first-round defeat against Seventy-First High School in Fayetteville, losing 28-6. Their most recent first-round home playoff victory came during the COVID-affected 2020 season when they defeated Chapel Hill High School 42-35 on April 16, 2021. However, that playoff run was cut short with a second-round loss to the Clayton Comets, who were coached by current Trojans head coach Shane Handy.
Handy expressed his enthusiasm for the upcoming game, stating, “It”s exciting. I think it”s great for our kids. I haven”t played in a playoff since I played here in 2021 when I was at Clayton. It”s been a while, so we”re excited about it, excited about having a home game. It”s going to be really good. I”m excited for the kids and the coaches.”
With four days of preparation ahead of the game, Handy is focused on developing a solid game plan against West Johnston, who previously appeared in the 3A state playoffs in 2024. “We”ve got several films on them we”ve watched. They run a 3-4 defense and kind of make it into a 3-3 stack type of defense. We run a 3-3 stack, so it”s kind of similar,” Handy noted. “Defensively, they”ve got some guys up front. I think their linebackers are pretty aggressive.”
On the offensive side, Handy described West Johnston as versatile, utilizing various formations and backfield setups. “They do a lot of different things. It”s nothing we haven”t seen, but they”ll mix it up a lot,” he explained. “The tailback is pretty good, the quarterback throws it okay, and they”ve got some pretty good-sized receivers. The O-line is pretty good. But we feel good about our plan, for sure.”
The Trojans finished their regular season with a strong home record of 5-1, and Handy emphasized the importance of playing at M.H. Rourk Stadium. “Our kids play better at home than they do on the road. It”s obviously big for us. This year we played some decent teams on the road and didn”t play like we should have in some of those games,” Handy said. “But I feel like we always have a good home crowd, and it is a nice place to play. Just a good environment. So we”re super excited about playing at home.”
Handy conveyed to his players that the playoffs present a fresh opportunity, stating, “The playoffs, it”s a new season. What you”ve done in the past doesn”t matter — win, lose or draw. You could”ve been 10-1 or 1-10, but in the playoffs, you”re brand new.” He encouraged his team to embrace the playoff spirit, highlighting the chance to compete for a state championship with the potential for a winning streak.
As the Trojans prepare for their playoff journey, Handy emphasized the excitement and the unique experience for the players, many of whom are experiencing the playoffs for the first time. “Our guys, you know, they haven”t ever experienced it. So it”s kind of a new deal for them. I”ve tried to share with them that I got the chance to play in two Eastern finals and thought it was just awesome to get on that winning streak and start whipping people. Gosh, man, it”s a great feeling.”
