By DAN BISER

The West Columbus Vikings and North Brunswick Scorpions, who both endured disappointing football losses last week, will be out to get back on the winning track Friday night at 7:30 when they clash at Viking Field.

Pending effects of Tropical Storm Ernesto, Friday’s game is subject to postponement or cancellation.

The two teams met last season for the first time since 1991 with North Brunswick taking a 29-6 victory at Leland. North Brunswick went on to finish second in the Waccamaw 1A-2A Conference and closed with a 9-3 record after advancing to the second round of the state 2A playoffs.

Coach Vernon Brigman’s West Columbus team will try to shake off the effects of last week’s 41-7 road loss to East Columbus. The Vikings opened their season on Aug. 18 with a 48-25 victory over Dixon.

Coach Garry Bishop’s North Brunswick squad will try to overcome the difficulties it encountered in a 14-12 loss to visiting Midway in its season opener last Friday.

West Columbus is in a heavy rebuilding stage this season after a talented group of seniors paced the Vikings to an 8-5 record last fall. Among the departed seniors were All-Staters Ricardo Crawford (now on the University of Georgia football team) and Ryan McCleney (now a walk-on for the East Carolina University football team). The 2006 Vikings finished second in the Southeastern 1A-2A Conference and advanced to the second round of the state playoffs for the first time since 1979.

Friday night’s game will feature two of the area’s top running backs in West Columbus’ Travis Leggett and North Brunswick’s Josh Balloon.

Leggett a junior, has rushed for more than 260 yards in the Vikings’ first two games while Balloon ran for 134 yards on 23 carries against Midway.

North Brunswick lost five fumbles and committed several costly penalties in last week’s loss to Midway.

West Columbus lost two fumbles and had three passes intercepted in its loss at East Columbus. One of the interceptions was returned for an East Columbus touchdown, giving the Gators a lot of momentum late in the first half.

The last time North Brunswick and West Columbus battled on Viking Field was in 1990. West Columbus won that game 44-6.