Northeastern Coastal Conference play continues Friday night.

Bertie High School, fresh off perhaps the biggest win in the past four years, heads to Pasquotank County High School where they will try to remain unbeaten in league play.

Hertford County on the other hand, is looking to get back to the winning ways that carried them to the top of the Northeastern Coastal a year ago.

Bertie rallied from a 28-8 deficit Friday night in Windsor and knocked off a powerful Edenton team that has been atop the conference for three years running. It was also the first time the Falcons have beaten an Edenton club in more than four years, according to second-year coach Willie Roberson.

The Falcons still stand 1-5 overall, which is a fact that isn’t lost on the coach.

&uot;Right now we have a feeling of jubilation,&uot; Roberson said. &uot;We’re excited and looking for bigger and better things.

&uot;You’ve got to get a win to know you can,&uot; he added. &uot;It’s hard to support and defend a losing program, but any time you can play a team of Edenton’s caliber and come out with a ‘W,’ it makes you feel great.&uot;

Roberson said the win could be attributed in large part to the lessons learned while the Falcons were enduring a rugged non-conference schedule that included 4-A heavyweights New Bern and J.H. Rose

&uot;We had a hard non-conference schedule,&uot; the coach said. &uot;I think playing hard teams made us hard.&uot;

As the Falcons prepare for Friday’s trip to Pasquotank County High School, they know they have their work cut out for them.

&uot;They’re a big, physical team,&uot; Roberson said. &uot;They mirror us in a lot of ways. They run from the I-formation just like we do, but also use the Wishbone when they get in the redzone.&uot;

Defensively, Bertie has to concentrate on making sure they don’t give up big plays while offensively the Falcons will try to ensure a win by not turning the ball over.

Another key for Bertie will be looking to get a crack at a team that enjoyed beating them last year.

&uot;They really enjoyed beating us last year,&uot; Roberson said. &uot;They celebrated on our field, took pictures and things of that nature. We’ll be looking to repay that when we go over there.&uot;

For HCHS, the Bears came within a hair of knocking off undefeated Northeastern before falling 39-32.

The Bears started 0-1 in conference last season before putting it together and making a run to the Eastern finals. It was on the shoulders of LaMarcus Bond the Bears went to that lofty perch.

It will take the combination of Bond and junior signal-caller Danny Dembry to get them back to the top of the heap.

Thus far Dembry leads HCHS offensively, racking up 678 yards on 64 carries this season, including nine touchdowns. He also has 292 yards passing on 25-of-48 through the air. He has thrown one interception, but has two touchdowns.

Bond has scampered for 455 yards on the ground, scoring seven times on 60 carries. He also has 12 receptions for 114 yards and a touchdown. The senior has three returns for a touchdown this season. He has scored on punt returns of 47 and 65 yards and a kickoff of 79 yards.

Defensively, the Bears are led by linebackers Tremayne Newsome and Joel Britt along with defensive lineman Tydreke Powell.

The biggest challenge for Hertford County thus far has been turnovers as the Bears are minus five in the turnover margin.

HCHS will look to snap a four-game slide when they host Edenton at 7:30 p.m. Friday night.