I say yes...

But what's your thoughts?

I Love High School Football

Here’s what I love about high school football no matter where it is played.

I love the clever offenses and defenses that you’ll never see in the NFL or NCAA. I love the kid who does his job game in and game out and never gets his name in the paper. I love the kid who rushes for 345 yards on 6 carries with 6 touchdowns. I love it!

I love the coach who calls a hook-and-ladder with 6 seconds left to win the game. I love the coach who calls the triple-punt pass only to have it intercepted for a touchdown. I love coaches who like blood and guts and would only throw the ball if they thought God himself ordered it. I love the coach who spreads the field and throws it all over the place even if at the end of the year their quarterback only completed 30% of his passes and the team went 2-8.

I love the parents, girlfriends, and siblings who live and die with every snap of the ball hoping their boy will make the big play and more importantly will finish the game uninjured. I love the parent who misses the big game in order to work the concession stand to raise money for that much-needed blocking sled. I love the parents who shake the coach’s hand win or lose and hug their son after the game no matter how much it embarrasses him.

I love the cheerleaders who give their all every game and keep cheering even when the less-than-faithful fans have given up and gone home. I love the cheerleaders that keep on plugging even though it started raining and the temperature dropped to 33 degrees. I love it when the cheerleaders run down to the end zone to cheer for an extra point try. Maybe we need to pay them back by attending their competitions (yes they are athletes).

I love the big glorious bands that have costumes, flag lines, cart-wheeling drum majors and baton wizards. I love the toot-toot-bang-bang reviews that only have 12 members but play their hearts out and get better every week. I love funky bands that are inspired by Virginia State and Grambling. I love traditional bands that only play Sousa.

I love the announcers at the game. I love the understated guy who simply gives us ball carrier, tackler, yards gained and down and distance. I also love the guy who thinks he’s John Madden and gets all fired up, questions referees calls and says hello to his friends in the crowd over the public PA.

I love concession stands, especially when they have at least one thing they sell that are really proud of. I love the teachers who give up their Friday nights to take tickets, or just want to get a chance to interact with the students in a different setting than the classroom.

I love a little trash talking in the paper and a little smack on the message boards. I love watching the pre-game warm-ups when both teams are just trying to look meaner than the other. I love watching a team gather together to pray before a game even though no adult told them they should. I love watching handshakes after a game when both teams know they faced an opponent who gave his all.

I love watching the referees get together before the game and at halftime to make sure they’re all on the same page. I love watching the referees scramble off the field before too many people think to tell them about that penalty they called with 0:06 left on the clock.

I love 50-50 drawings, local businesses that advertise in the program even though it probably won’t bring them even one more customer. I love the sheriff’s deputies shooting the breeze with members of the community. I love seeing principals talking with the kids and I love 6-year-old girls who cheer as mascots with the cheerleaders.

I love football players strapping on their pads in silence while coaches sit in their office and chew their nails. I love it when the “two’s” get in the game and actually score. I love watching the JV players and little league players walk around with their jerseys on. I love it when a punt goes 70 yards and when it only goes 2. I love it when a play is so confusing that the referees have to talk for five minutes to sort it out. I love watching the emotions of the coaches on the walkie-talkie on top of the press box and I love watching the smoke come out of the ears of the coaches on the field. I love it when the coach keeps reminding his kids to “get back,” and then gets tangled in the chains the very next play. I love the look on the faces of the scouts when they get back after the game and get the news that their team just upset the district favorites.

I love a big hit, a qb sack, a 90 yard run, a blocked kick, a broken play that goes for a touchdown, a long bomb (even if it’s dropped). I love it when a kick hits the upright (whether it bounces through or not). I even love touchbacks.

I love onside kicks, 4th down and goal, 3rd and short, 1st and 25. I love it that I know the difference in a muff and a fumble. I love safeties. I also love trick plays.

I love the playoffs, I love upsets, I love overtimes and I love blowouts.

I love getting in the car ANYWHERE in the state on Friday night and being able to pick up several high school games on the air, even if I’m the only one listening. I love coming home and getting online to see the scores and watching the local television stations for scores and highlights. I love getting the paper on Saturday morning and reading about a game that I already saw. I also love reading about the games I wish I could have seen in person. I love hunting down that one score that nobody seems to have.

I love that I know the difference in a dive, a power and a trap. I love wondering if the defense really plans to sit in that 4-4 all night or if they will adjust after another couple of big runs. I love wondering if that linebacker is division I material.

I love Senior's Night and Homecoming. I love a long road trip and love hosting our most hated rivals.

I love watching the bats catch the bugs in the lights and I love schools with no lights that play on Saturday afternoon. I love watching the streamers blow on top of the goal posts. I love that there is always a great pick-up game going on behind the bleachers and that there are a lot of middle school students at the game just to talk to their friends.

I love it when the crowd claps even when the other team’s star gets up after an injury and that we go quiet together when we see them bring out an ambulance. I love it that we have after game parties.

I love homecoming parades. I love it when they tell us the J.V. score over the PA and I love it when they tell us how the field hockey team is doing. I love being in a big crowd and love being the only guy who toughed it out on a cold night to see a struggling team.

I love tailgating, running in to people I haven’t seen in years, and watching kids eat pop corn. I love getting in the car and cutting on the heater after a particularly cold night. I love eating at the local greasy spoon before the game.

I love it when a game is “for all the marbles,” and I love it when the kids are playing for nothing but pride. I love it when the cheerleaders run to the end zone to cheer for the extra point. I love it when a welcoming party greets the team after a big win, and I love it when a greeting party awaits the team after a heartbreaking loss. I love it when the crowd gets word of a score from another game that will determine if their boys get in the playoffs.

I love kids who are honorable mention for all-district and I love kids on the scout D. I love people diligently keeping stats on every play of the game and the four mangers who keep everything working smoothly. I love an act of sportsmanship.

I love the way the field looks when it is freshly lined and mowed. I love the way it looks on week 8 when a year’s worth of battles and drought has rendered it mostly grassless.

I love that football players are football players at least for four months a year instead of being rich kids or poor kids or white kids or black kids or cool kids or nerds or smart kids or dumb kids.

I love that kids never forget their coaches, and I love the coach’s families for letting them do such a thankless job and touch the world in such a special way.

I LOVE IT!

(This was written by a man we call Mr FootballFridayNights a former Coach, a High School Football Fan from the Davie County area. A fan that you might see in a football stadium anywhere a good game is being played no matter who the teams are.)

Hayesville, Andrews, and Cherokee will be at RVille for a four team scrimmage. Face painting for the kids. Good food for all. Meet the players! At Big Oaks.

They are, apparently hiring a new boys coach,

LUMBERTON – Coaches from the ten schools participating in this year’s Battle of the Carolinas Football Classic gathered at Lumberton High School Friday to talk about their team’s prospects for the upcoming season and about the upcoming Classic which features 4 teams from South Carolina and 6 from North Carolina.

Headlining the group was Dillon Coach Jackie Hayes whose Wildcats have won their last 37 games and captured four straight state championships. Dillon will play Purnell Swett in the Classic at 8 p.m. on August 10th.

Lake View has won 9 South Carolina Class 1A state championships. The Gators kick-off the Classic against Fairmont at 5 p.m.

Perennial Class 4A power Scotland will battle East Bladen at 6 p.m. “Our fan base is behind me as long as we win or tie,” laughed Scot Coach Richard Bailey. The Scots finished 12-1 last season and captured their fifth consecutive Southeastern Conference championship.

Coach Bailey’s Scots return 4 starters on offense and 4 on defense. “However our jayvee team was undefeated last year,” he said. “Sergio Gibson who started 3 games for us at quarterback is back, and Zamir White is the No. 1 running back in the U. S.” White ran for 2,159 yards and 41 touchdowns.

“This might be our best offensive line group,” continued Bailey. “We probably have ten guys that can play. On defense we have 4 junior linebackers who are as fast as any we’ve had, and we have 3-year starters at nose guard (Octavis McLaurin) and safety (Donta Green).”
“Expectations are always high,” concluded Coach Bailey. “For our fan base anything short of a state championship is a disappointment.”

“I don’t know who I made mad to draw Scotland,” said East Bladen Coach Robby Priest. “I look at it as a positive thing. I doubt we play anyone that good the rest of the year. It is a chance for our kids to play against a powerhouse and we are looking forward to it.”

“We will run the wing-T on offense, and line-up in a 40 on defense,” continued Priest. “We lost a lot of high character guys last year, and we won’t be as big but we will be a whole lot faster.”

“We have some skill guys returning in Ethan (Hines) and Eian Hines, but we need to find a quarterback,” said Coach Priest. “Our offensive line should be improved.”

The Eagles finished 10-3 last season and reached the second round of the play-offs. “Our defense will be more athletic,” noted Priest. “They will be more fun to watch, and more like the East Bladen defenses of old.”

West Brunswick will play Latta at 7 p.m., and the final game of the evening will pit host Lumberton against Marlboro County, SC.

Each game in the Classic will consist of two 12-minute quarters with a running clock. A year ago East Bladen led until the closing seconds when Latta scored and tacked on a 2-point conversion for an 8-7 win. James Granger, an organizer of the event said, “It is a big deal for this community. Having schools of the caliber that we have here gives folks a chance to watch some good football.” http://www.bladenonline.com/battle-of-the-carolinas-boasts-strong-field/

Both teams have nearly all of their starters returning. These 2 teams are on a different level than the rest of the State when it comes to the Offensive Line. They were easily the best two teams in 4AA last year, in which Mallard came from behind to beat East Forsyth in OT.

Other than MC who is best,Indy?

If someone here went,how did both look?

Anyone know what format the scrimmage will be friday night????

Wanted to take a minute and mention a few things I saw from Lakewood scrimmage vs Clinton last night. A lot has already been said about Clinton, but Lakewood looks to have a chance to be good this year. Their D flys around, there offense has some good backs (Dre Oates) formerly a Clinton back, and there backup QB can really run. Mainly they have coach James Lewis who always has his team playing hard and disciplined. Look for Lakewood to do what they always do make the playoffs and cause an upset or 2 and make things interesting in the 1A class. They may not be WRH or JK but I think they are the next best team in that conference, we'll see. Good luck leopards.

Anyone see dogs? Info appreciated!!

Crest has benefitted lately from playing my Red Raiders early. We experiment with personnel in the non conference portion of our schedule and adjust accordingly. That needs to stop to shut these CC numbnuts up. Can anyone question our dominance against these wannabes in conference? Crest's best 11 will never beat ours, and never will Shelby's!

Should we stop experimenting with 2 platoon and put our best 11 against theirs on the 19th, the cramping will commence and order will be restored.

Screw Crest, Lincolnton and Shelby. 2 platoon versus Clover and the other light weights. One man's reasonable opinion.

Tired of these CC woosies being gifted. We will dominate Crest and their second cousins because good always triumphs and Cleveland County sux!

It is on !!!!

WE ARE THE MIGHTY RED RAIDERS!!!

7 teams will be at East Montgomery tomorrow starting at 5 00 including East and West Montgomery, North Stanley, East Surry, East Columbus, West Stokes, Southern Guilford

Anyone have any idea who will be at the Mooresville jamboree this year? Only 2 teams i know for sure (not including Mooresville) are Davie County and Cox Mill.

I have been attending the finals since 1977. And what year and teams that played that had the most fans in attendance

Here is a feature on Cherokee QB Tye Mintz.

https://ncpreps.rivals.com/news/chris-qb-corner-tye-mintz-cherokee-hs-

Here is an article on Vance QB Kingsley Ifedi.

https://ncpreps.rivals.com/news/chris-qb-corner-kingsley-ifedi-vance-hs-

Does anyone have the full lineup for all the teams on August 10th. I know we scrimmage Davidson Day and Dudley.

Some have said in years past north was a one pony show and would quickly fade away but I'm here to tell ya folks, North Stanly wins the Yakin Valley conference this season and is serious contenders for a state title!!!!!!!! Come one come all see the greatest show on grass!!!

Damn good question. Our school and program have been through some turbulent times in the past couple of years which have put us in a total rebuilding situation. 6 HC's in the last seven years. A school board that came within a whisker of closing the school. Can we ever get back to our hayday. I don't know. But from talking to one of the asst coaches I think Coach Mason may be just what we need. However in the end it will come down to the kids on the field. Are they willing to pay the price to put Pride back in the bulldogs. From what I am hearing coach Mason is trying to head in that direction.
Our program didn't go in the toilet overnight and we will not recover overnight. This year could tell us a lot if we are heading in the right direction. Getting the kids back in the weight room is a good first step. Understand we may be short on numbers but kids that want to win and pay the price is one thing we have to have. It could be a tough first step this coming season or they may surprise us all. Whichever we as fans need to be there on fri nights to maybe take our lumps along with the team. but we MUST be there to support them.
I for one am excited about the coming season. I hope the rest of the bulldog fans are also!!!

The Clinton radio broadcast team will be on site tonight at Lakewood high school for the scrimmage at 7pm. The radio crew of Ron Davis and Jonathan Griffin will trying some new things tonight with interviews, player interviews, even fan interviews, along with regular updates. This will not be like your standard broadcast with commercials, you may hear general conversation amongst us and fans, players and coaches. It should be fun.

P.S. If you ever hear any dead air between periods of commentary, we are on the move for further interviews on a different part of the field. So stay tuned.

www.mixlr.com/oldies1170
www.oldies1170.com

List the scrimmages your school will be participating in:

Where?
Date & Time?
What teams?

I think they can start on 8/10.

Most of you may wonder what a Catholic fan is doing posting on the 1A boards, but I just have some thoughts on my mind concerning a former 1A power. Albemarle.
Man how the tables have turned in Stanly County, I remember just a few years back the thought of West Stanly and North Stanly beating Albemarle was laughable, now as we enter 2016 it looks like a real possibility that Albemarle could go 0-for against Stanly County schools(I do give them a better shot against South Stanly though).
I have a few good friends who coach in Stanly County and it just seems the tables have turned. I've noticed a large migration of talent northward away from Albemarle when in past years it'd been the opposite. Just strange to see.
I for one think West and North Stanly will both beat Albemarle down this year. That is just the truth. I for one cannot believe I just typed that and no disrespect to those programs, but my oh my how the tables have turned...

i was checking out a NFL Reference site and it said Todd burley was born in Baltimore MD,is this true?...I always thought he was home grown from Tarboro.

The Asheville Citizen reports did Robbinsville has a new transfer from Swain. He is an All SMC lineman. He will be a big addition for the Knights. He is a very good player.