AHOSKIE – Are the Nighthawks just what the doctor ordered?

On the outside, it may seem a date with the first-year school is exactly what Hertford County High School football boss Greg Watford would want as his Bears try to continue working their way back toward a .500 record.

Watford’s Bears, who enter the contest as the favorite for perhaps the first time in the league wars, are 3-5 overall but are setting at 3-1 inside the league. That mark inside the Northeastern Coastal Conference is good enough for a three-way tie for second place with Northeastern and Pasquotank. The Bears have defeated both of those opponents.

Still, Watford is aware of the test that is coming Friday at Bears’ Stadium.

&uot;They run the veer option and the double dive,&uot; the first-year skipper indicated. &uot;The quarterback is the coach’s son and is a good athlete.

&uot;They are scrappy and will get after you,&uot; he continued. &uot;This will probably be the only time this season we will have a size advantage.&uot;

The key for the Bears, who knocked off then conference co-leader Pasquotank by a count of 39-20 last week, is to continue learning Watford’s triple-option offense.

&uot;Our intensity was good last week,&uot; Watford said. &uot;The kids are getting a better understanding of our system and that’s a key for us.&uot;

HCHS depended a lot on junior LaMarcus Bond, who continues to excel in his first season on the varsity level. He had 129 receiving yards and two touchdowns receptions as well as rushing for 97 yards and another score.

Sophomore quarterback Danny Dembry was also on target last week, passing for 129 yards and two scores.

Still, after starting the season with four consecutive losses, the Bears’ road to the post season is clear: they must work each week on that week alone.

&uot;We are taking it one week at a time now,&uot; Watford insisted. &uot;That is what we need to do as we advance late into this season.&uot;