ROCKINGHAM — The Rockingham Middle School football team kicks off its 2025 season Wednesday with an away game at Spring Hill Middle School, and the Rockets have high expectations.
After a strong finish last season and a narrow loss to the eventual conference champions, the Rockets are hungry for redemption and ready to make a run at the Southeastern Middle School Athletic Conference (SEMSAC) title.
“We’re excited for this season,” said head coach Zach Freeman, who leads a deep and talented squad of 47 players. “We have plenty of running backs and plenty of receivers. The defense is flying like crazy. We have skill players all around. Everybody can contribute in some way.”
Last season, Rockingham finished 4-3, missing out on a trip to the conference title game. But the team showed resilience, bouncing back from early losses to East Hoke and West Hoke to close the season strong.
Their only other loss – a thrilling 40-34 battle against Carver Middle—was a statement. Carver, who allowed just 46 points all season, gave up 34 of those to Rockingham. The Rockets were the only team to even come close to the dominant Carver squad.
This year, the Rockets are looking to build on that momentum. They impressed fans and coaches alike last week at the annual middle school football jamboree held at Richmond Senior High School, where they scrimmaged against Hamlet Middle and Southern Middle from Aberdeen.
“Our second-team defense even scored at the jamboree,” Freeman noted. “That kind of depth is going to help us this year.”
One of the biggest changes for the Rockets is at quarterback. Last year’s standout Damarion Allen has moved up to lead the junior varsity team at Richmond Senior High, where he’s helped guide the Raiders to a 3-0 start. Filling his shoes is seventh-grader Mason Smith, who Freeman says is stepping into the role with confidence.
“They’re very coachable,” Freeman said of his team. “And we’ve got a great coaching staff behind them — Derrick Watkins, Noah Preslar, Michael Drumwright, Chris Covington and JB Bridges. They all do an incredible job.”
With a deep roster, strong leadership, and a hunger for success, the Rockets are poised to make noise in the SEMSAC this season.
“We’re ready,” Freeman said. “We’ve got the talent, the teamwork, and the drive. Now it’s time to go out and prove it.”
