WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A VIKING: "You have to have pride, poise, fortitude. You have to have a big heart to play. Tarboro has a long tradition." – Vikings running back Markel Pettaway

WHAT IT MEANS TO PLAY AS A VIKING: "It's real hard to be a Viking. It's personal responsibility. Just stay on top, be a Viking. Nothing else. You go all out. Tarboro is surrounded by football. It's not known for basketball or anything else. It's really known for football. The community loves it. You have to bring the intensity every Friday night." – senior running back Jamal Farmer

VIKINGS SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER: "We need to be together. We had it last year, but I think we have more of it this year. We want to do better than we did last year and go past the first round. We have a lot of talent this year." – senior quarterback Jeremy Bellamy

BEING A VIKING IN 2008: "We learned from our mistakes last year. We have to lead by example and go all out on Friday night and show people what we are about. We don't need to make any excuses." – Farmer

WHAT IT MEANS TO COACH THE VIKINGS: "What it means here is tradition. When you are Tarboro and you have the 'Tarboro T' ... It doesn't just go a generation or two. It goes generation after generation after generation. I think it really makes it a special place to coach.

"People do love Tarboro football, and expectations are high, as well as they should be. It's a great community with great support, and I think it's a neat place to coach." – Tarboro coach Jeff Craddock.

Jessie H. Nunery can be reached at 407-9951 or jhnunery@coxnc.com