But Friday night, at least for one evening, a strong case was made for Secretary of Defense - by 11 united people, not one individual.

That case was made by Smithfield-Selma's defensive unit, which forced six turnovers, blocked a punt for a score and held host Triton to under 100 yards of total offense in a 27-0 season-opening victory at Hawks Field.

The display was needed, as the Spartans' penalty-plagued offensive unit kept shooting itself in the foot against the Hawks of the Cape Fear Valley 3-A Conference.

"Everybody was moving around and flying around [defensively]," said Spartans coach Anthony Barbour. "And the secondary was awesome the entire night - a total team effort."

The effort was magnified after Triton, held to a scant 48 rushing yards in the first half, had burned the Spartans' 'D' for 49 yards on the Hawks' second play of the third quarter. Kiree Warren had toasted the Spartans with his gallop, breaking three tackles and nearly eluding a fourth before being brought down at SSS' 11-yard line.

But the Spartans immediately bowed their necks, forcing Triton wingback Bart Hicks into fumbling on the ensuing play, which Carlos Ryals recovered at the 19.

The Spartans offense, which had constantly shot itself in the foot in the first half, then drove 81 yards in six plays, culminated by Josh Snead's 16-yard burst off the left side for a 13-0 lead.

"We got that turnover, which was big," Barbour said. "Then we got another turnover and took total charge."

With momentum clearly on their side, the Spartans' defense took over the game, forcing two more Triton fumbles and picking off two passes in holding the Hawks to minus-13 yards in offense for the remainder of the game.

Senior linebacker Justin Dixon said the key to the defense's success was simple.

"We just went out there and made plays," Dixon said. "We had to read our own keys, and once we did that, we just had to stop thinking about it.

"We just did our thing - we did our job."

Following Snead's score, the Spartans' defense forced Warren into a three-yard loss and a fumble, which Snead recovered.

But more importantly, and unfortunately from the Hawks' standpoint, they lost Warren on the play to an injury. With the biggest cog in the Hawks' attack incapacitated, it was then feeding time for the Spartans, who teed off on Triton's backfield.

"The defense did a heck of a job out there today," Dixon said. "In the second half, we shut them down - they couldn't move the ball on us at all."

But the Spartans' offense also had trouble moving the ball, mainly due to 14 penalties for 111 yards, seven of the holding variety, which wiped out a pair of apparent scores.

"The first couple of games, you get penalties like that," Barbour said. "But in the second half, we decided to come out and quit making stupid mistakes.

"Fortunately for us, our defense played well, so it was our defense that got us over our penalties."

Snead, just as he did last year at South Johnston, demonstrated his abilities on both sides of the ball. In addition to his 16-yard spurt, the junior gave Triton an eyeful of his defensive abilities, picking off a pass and recovering a fumble.

Snead also stuck a dagger in the hearts of the Hawks, when he corralled the blocked punt in stride at Triton's 3-yard line and raced in for a 19-0 SSS lead.

"Coach told us we had to press on the gas in the second half," said Snead, who gained 60 yards on 11 carries.

"The O-line came together and we were able to put up points." Snead said punt return was a last-second decision.

"I saw the ball," Snead said. "And thought, 'leave it or go get it'. I just had to go get it."

Spartans' quarterback Anthony Rouse dashed in with the two-point conversion for a 21-0 lead.

Dixon also provided his own offensive spark, gaining 106 yards on 19 attempts, including a four-yard burst for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter.

SSS took a 7-0 halftime lead when D. J. Bunn ambled in from a yard out three minutes into the second period, culminating a 43-yard, seven-play drive. Dixon's 29-yard dash around the right side set up that score.

But penalties and three lost fumbles kept the Spartans from producing a larger point output.

"It was our first game," Barbour said. "Receivers can't get out there and line up right, we reach out on a long touchdown run, and we block from behind when running for first downs and touchdowns.

"Plus, we had enough turnovers to even things out - but we'll overcome those things this week."