GASTON – Having a non-conference schedule that includes no 1-A teams is not easy by any standards.

Having a non-conference schedule that includes state powerhouses such as Charlotte Country Day make it even more difficult.

But Northampton County High School – West head coach Diego Hasty wouldn’t have it any other way.

&uot;Our schedule is just against teams that have been strong in the past,&uot; Hasty said. &uot;Hopefully those schools will make us stronger and tougher for conference play.&uot;

Hasty’s Hurricanes start out with three consecutive non-conference home games, beginning August 19 against Roanoke Rapids, followed a week later by Northwest Halifax.

On September 2, West will host an out-of-state school in Greenville County, Va.

The Hurricanes’ first road trip of the season will take them across the state to Charlotte where they will face Country Day on September 9.

The first road match is followed by two more against Brunswick County, Va. on September 16 and Franklinton the next week to round out West’s non-conference schedule.

&uot;I like playing those teams because each team is going to show us something different, so we gain experience,&uot; Hasty noted. &uot;What Charlotte is going to show us is going to be different from Halifax.

&uot;The kids should be ready to face all different kinds of offenses and defenses.&uot;

The Hurricanes will get their first break of the season in between Franklinton and the beginning of their conference schedule, which starts on October 7 when they host Louisburg.

The next week, they will travel to their cross-county rival Northampton County High School – East, followed by their last road game of the season at North Edgecombe.

The last two games of West’s season will be against Southeast Halifax on October 28 and senior night against Weldon on November 4.

&uot;The non-conference schedule will make our group more physical and there are a lot of very physical teams in our conference,&uot; Hasty said. &uot;Hopefully we’ll be tough and strong when October rolls around when we begin conference play.&uot;