If you mistakenly thought Thursday’s sports section was inserted from The Daily Tarheel, that’s okay. Our Thursday edition was devoted almost entirely to the spring football game held at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill.

The reason wasn’t that those of us here at the News-Herald have suddenly become fans of Tar Heel football, but rather because two of our very own are expected to start or see significant playing time in the coming season.

Tydreke Powell graduated from Hertford County High School and has already played a lot since going to Chapel Hill. He’s rated by some as one of the top dozen players at his position in college football.

Travis Bond is a Bertie High School graduate who earned his first start on the offensive line for the Tar Heels in last year’s bowl game. He is penciled in at right guard and is likely to start for Carolina in the coming season.

These two young men have represented their schools and this region well. They were two of the most sought-after recruits any of our local schools have produced in the past several years and have paid huge dividends already for UNC.

We are proud of the success Tydreke and Travis have enjoyed at Carolina and we look forward to even more success in the 2010 football campaign.

It is because of those two young men that everyone in the Roanoke-Chowan region – regardless of your favorite team – should be rooting for at least a pair of linemen at UNC.