East Columbus Gators Sports
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East Columbus High School
GATORS
Lake Waccamaw, NC · Columbus County
Fall standings · Checked Oct. 6, 2026
2026–27Athletics Coverage
Neuse News Sports
Latest Gameday: Week 8
October 9, 2026 · Greene Central vs. Kinston Rivalry Preview | Week 8 Picks & MVP Watch.
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Your East Columbus Gators Hub
Follow East Columbus football from Lake Waccamaw, including the Gators’ 2026 schedule, results, roster, individual statistics and game coverage. Neuse News Sports coverage of East Columbus is football-only.
2026 Schedule & Results
All 10 listed regular-season games. Scores show East Columbus first. All times Eastern. Scroll the table sideways on smaller screens.
| Date | Opponent | Result / Time | Coverage / Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| vs. Green Sea Floyds | W 12–8 | Game Recap | |
| at Heide Trask | W 12–6 | Game Recap | |
| vs. Chatham Central | L 0–14 | Game Recap | |
| at Whiteville | L 0–41 | Game Recap | |
| vs. Hobbton * | L 13–32 | Game Recap | |
| at Union * | W 14–6 | Game Recap | |
| vs. West Columbus * | L 8–35 | Game Recap | |
| at East Bladen * | 7:00 PM | Game details | |
| vs. North Duplin * | 7:00 PM | Game details | |
| at Lakewood * | 7:00 PM | Game details |
* Conference game. Home games are marked “vs.”; away games are marked “at.”
Inside Gators Football
The football team page brings together all 31 listed players, the 2026 schedule and reported results.
Visit the football team pageArticles & Game Recaps
Latest first
Original Neuse News Sports articles appear by publication date. Game recaps appear by game date and were reviewed and expanded Oct. 5, 2026.
Original Neuse News Sports article
East of I-95 Top 92 Football Rankings Updated After Week 7
Northside-Jacksonville climbs to No. 2 after routing Croatan, while Jacksonville and Southwest Edgecombe drive a major Week 7 shakeup in the East of I-95 Top 92.
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Original Neuse News Sports article
NCHSAA Football RPI Rankings 10/4/26
Complete NCHSAA football RPI standings for Classes 1A through 8A, updated October 4, 2026, with every team’s rank, record and RPI.
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East of I-95 Week 7 Football Predictions: 56 Games
Trey Scott enters Week 7 with a 118-32-1 record and predicts the winner and margin for 56 East of I-95 high school football games.
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FINAL SCORE
Oct. 2, 2026 • HOME
Game Recap
West Columbus loss exposes Gators’ scoring gap after Union breakthrough
East Columbus could not build on its conference win at Union, falling 35–8 to visiting West Columbus on Oct. 2.
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NCHSAA Football RPI Rankings 9/30/26
The complete NCHSAA football RPI standings for Classes 1A through 8A, updated September 30, 2026, at noon, with every team’s record and RPI.
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East of I-95 Top 92 Football Rankings Updated After Week 6
The East of I-95 rankings are now a permanent Top 92 after First Flight and West Bladen ended their varsity seasons. See every team’s record and Week 6 movement.
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Week 6 East of I-95 High School Football Predictions: Winner & Margin for Every Game
The Trey Scott Sports Show predicts the winners and margins for Week 6 high school football games across Eastern North Carolina.
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FINAL SCORE
Sept. 25, 2026 • AWAY
Game Recap
Dexter’s 129 rushing yards, disruptive defense lift Gators past Union
Demetrius Dexter ran for 129 yards and East Columbus’s defense held Union to six points in a 14–6 road win on Sept. 25, snapping the Gators’ three-game losing streak.
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East of I-95 Top 94 — After Week 5
The East of I-95 Top 94 has been updated after Week 5! 🏈 J.H. Rose remains No. 1, Hunt climbs to No. 2 and Fike enters the Top 5. West Craven and Southwest Edgecombe move ahead of Northeastern, while Rosewood and…
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NCHSAA Football RPI Rankings 9/23/26
NCHSAA Football RPI RankingsLast updated: September 23, 2026, at 12:59 p.m.
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FINAL SCORE
Sept. 18, 2026 • HOME
Game Recap
Dexter leads offensive response, but Hobbton hands Gators third straight loss
East Columbus ended a two-game scoring drought, but Hobbton’s early lead and 278-yard rushing performance were too much in a 32–13 conference-opening loss on Sept. 18.
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East of I-95 Top 94 Football Rankings — After Week 4
Check out the movers and risers for the East of I-95 Football rankings after week 4! There is a lot of shuffling in the Top 25! Who is not getting enough respect? Check out the Full Rankings at NeuseNewsSports.com
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NCHSAA Football RPI Standings: Classes 1A–8A (9/14)
Full standings by classification are listed below. Each entry includes the school, record and RPI. Class 1A was updated at 11:54 a.m.; Classes 2A–8A were updated at 12:52 p.m.
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FINAL SCORE
Sept. 11, 2026 • AWAY
Game Recap
Whiteville’s 21-point second quarter sends Gators to second shutout loss
Whiteville scored 21 second-quarter points to break open a scoreless game and defeat East Columbus 41–0 on Sept. 11.
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East of I-95 Game Predictions: EVERY GAME!!!!
Week 4 is here. Trey Scott picked 55 games featuring teams East of I-95, including some of the biggest matchups on the schedule. Who did I get right? Who am I completely wrong about? 🏈 SouthWest Edgecombe at Tarboro🏈…
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NCHSAA Football RPI Rankings: All Eight Classifications for Sept. 9
Complete standings are listed in the article. Each entry includes the school’s record and RPI. Rankings and records reflect the supplied Sept. 9, 2026 standings.
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East of I-95 Top 100 Football Rankings: Updated After Week 3
Presented by The Trey Scott Sports Show, the East of I-95 Top 100 rankings feature a new No. 1 after Week 3, with New Bern climbing three spots to take the top position. Fike, Midway, St. Pauls, Wilson Prep and…
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FINAL SCORE
Sept. 4, 2026 • HOME
Game Recap
Stukes records four sacks, but Gators shut out by Chatham Central
Jacob Stukes recorded four sacks and 11 tackles, but East Columbus could not produce a score in a 14–0 home loss to Chatham Central on Sept. 4.
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GATORS FOOTBALL
FINAL SCORE
Aug. 27, 2026 • AWAY
Game Recap
Three interceptions, Crosby’s 12 tackles carry Gators to 2–0
Demetrius Dexter intercepted two passes and Dawson Crosby added another as East Columbus won 12–6 at Heide Trask on Aug. 27, opening the season 2–0.
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East of I-95: Top 100 teams after week 1
The East of I-95 Top 100 Football Rankings are here. With only one week of football to evaluate, these will likely be the toughest rankings of the season. As the season progresses, results, strength of schedule and…
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FINAL SCORE
Aug. 20, 2026 • HOME
Game Recap
Hudson, Shipman help East Columbus open Thorpe era with 12–8 win
JT Hudson caught a touchdown pass and freshman Terry Shipman added a rushing score as East Columbus opened Vinston Thorpe’s first season with a 12–8 home win over Green Sea Floyds on Aug. 20.
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Original Neuse News Sports article
Breaking News: Kinston Coach Vinston Thorpe Named Head Football Coach At East Columbus
Vinston Thorpe, a former Kinston offensive coordinator and Greene Central assistant, has been named the new head football coach at East Columbus.
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Original Neuse News Sports article
Jones Sr. Falls Tough Opener: Coach Sellers Eyes Growth After Loss
From the archive: Coach Sellers discusses a young team’s growing pains after Jones Senior’s season opener.
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