ROANOKE RAPIDS — The Roanoke Rapids football team’s dream season got even better with their first playoff win in school history last weekend over North Brunswick.

Randy Wrenn | The Daily Herald Roanoke Rapids defenders Kareem Martin (90) and A.J. Alston bring down a North Brunswick defender last Saturday. The Yellow Jackets defense will be tested when they host Tarboro in round two of the NCHSAA playoffs this Friday night. Advertisement

The team waiting for the Yellow Jackets in the second round can quickly turn this thing into a nightmare. Up next for Roanoke Rapids is Tarboro High School and the Vikings have haunted Roanoke Rapids for a long time. Tarboro (11-1) was the 2A state runner-ups in 2008 and defeated the Yellow Jackets, 41-5, in week five. However, Roanoke Rapids (10-3) comes into this contest on an 8-game winning streak and are red hot. Nevertheless, the Yellow Jackets know what they are up against.

“Tarboro is one of the best teams we’ve faced, if not the best team we faced all year,” Roanoke Rapids senior wide-out Tim Alston said. “They are very talented in just about every aspect. We’ve got to play strong defense to stop them. Their offense is explosive.”

Alston said the Yellow Jackets were looking forward to the rematch in the second round of the NCHSAA playoffs, but they know they’ll have their hands full on both sides of the ball. “Up front (their defensive line) and their linebackers are very talented players,” Alston said. “They can run the ball and throw the quick pass if they need too.”

The Vikings averaged 51 points their last three games and have scored 40 points or more seven times this season. Defensively, the Yellow Jackets will have their hands full trying to stop the famed ‘Tarboro-T’ offense, led by tailback Damarius Harper.

“We have to stop the ‘T’,” Yellow Jackets linebacker Chris Lyons said. “Harper is a good running back ... they are one of the best offense’s we’ve faced all year.”

Watching tape usually prepares a team this time of year, but Roanoke Rapids also has the luxury of having played the Vikings.

“It helps,” Lyons said. “If you know what they ran the first time, the second time you’ll be a little bit more ready, but they are a good team and a good offense so we have to come to play.”

Running the ball is Tarboro’s bread and butter, but they can also go to the air if needed. Lyons said that makes things tougher on the defense. “They are a fast team and we have to run with them,” Lyons stating, adding, “We have to fill the holes and key our reads.”

Tarboro was the last team to beat the Yellow Jackets, who have looked like a new squad since that 34 point loss in September.

“Since we played them (in September) we’ve become a better team,” Alston said. “It helps a lot that we are playing hot right now, but we still have to come out and play ball no matter who (the opponent) is. The difference now is we believe we can win and everybody on the team is starting to pull through.”