New Hanover football keeps win streak alive with ease against Topsail

While Mideastern Conference football has thrown a few curveballs so far this season, one constant was repeated on Friday night at Legion Stadium, as New Hanover soundly defeated Topsail, 27-10, to remain unbeaten in the league.

"It's never pretty, is it?" New Hanover coach Dylan Dimock said moments before the second-half kickoff against Topsail.

In a game riddled with offensive errors and poor ball security, New Hanover was far from sensational but managed to secure its seventh consecutive win.

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After starting the season with an anything-but-pretty 40-3 loss to New Bern, the Wildcats have climbed to the top of the MEC through steady, consistent play.

Even after fumbling the game's opening kickoff and allowing Topsail to score first, New Hanover didn't panic, stopping the Pirates inside the 10-yard line and holding them to a field goal.

"The biggest thing now is complacency. You look at the scores … that doesn't matter. Every team in the conference can beat every team in the conference," Dimock said.

While complacency may creep into a team that hasn't lost in nearly two months, the Wildcats (7-1, 5-0) have been in few blowout games. Beyond a Week 7 shutout against Ashley, New Hanover has had to fight for its right to win all season long.

"I feel like we're heading in the right direction. We're getting better in different phases of the game. Sometimes one phase blows up for us, like ball security tonight. I like where we are, we just need to eliminate some mistakes," Dimock said.

While the New Hanover defense doesn't lead the MEC in many statistical categories, its unwavering consistency has given the Wildcats room to breathe all year. Over the past four games, the unit has allowed an average of 11 points per game.

However, the offensive side of the ball hasn't been a breeze. Injuries and mistakes have made some games more challenging than they need to be for the Wildcats.

Eliminating mistakes against Topsail (4-4, 2-3) would likely have meant a lower-scoring game. The Pirates' only points came from New Hanover turnovers, something Dimock wasn't shy about.

"You can't turn the ball over for a touchdown. That's something that as we continue, is going to lose a game for us," Dimock said.

With two weeks left to play in the regular season, the Wildcats will look to eliminate mistakes sooner rather than later. After playing West Brunswick next week, New Hanover will host Hoggard in their much-anticipated rivalry game in the regular-season finale on Oct. 28.

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: New Hanover football win streak hits seven with victory vs. Topsail