Biggest Crowd at 3A football game
- Thread starter Vik-Val 86
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Can’t remember the exact year, but in the early 80’s Concord at Kannapolis they estimated the crowd to be between 14,000 to 15,000. The fire chief stopped them from letting more ppl in.
SP vs. A L Brown est. 14,000+ in 1999
SP vs. Shelby est. 14,000+ in 1994
SP vs. Shelby est. 14,000+ in 1994
14,000+ at 1984 South Rowan at Kannapolis game.
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I was at the Hibriten n West Rowan game. Big crowd and heck of a game as well.
There was another Kannapolis vs South Rowan game around 86, 87, or 88 where the crowd was estimated to be well over 20,000. The Charlotte Observer posted a picture of the game crowd on their sports page.
From the mid-1970's through the late 80's, the South Rowan vs. Kannapolis game had actually eclipsed the more well known Bell Game between A.L. Brown and Concord. Many people forget now, but from the mid 70's through the early 2000's, South was a powerhouse.
The schools are actually closer in proximity than Kannapolis and Concord, and every year the crowds were in excess of 8,000+.
Looking at the scores, these were all incredible games.
1975: South Rowan 19-18
1976: South Rowan 5-0
1977: Kannapolis 19-14
1978: Kannapolis 7-0 (The infamous wet field to slow down Greg Poole and Lonnell Dunn)
1979: Kannapolis 21-0
1980: Kannapolis 35-0
1981: South Rowan 20-8
1982: Kannapolis 19-14
1983: South Rowan 33-32 (OT)
1984: Kannapolis 24-17 (OT)
1985: Kannapolis 27-20 (3OT)
1986: Kannapolis 18-8
1987: Kannapolis 9-0
1988: Kannapolis 12-0
1989: Kannapolis 20-0
1990: Kannapolis 42-0
1991: Kannapolis 19-17
1992: Kannapolis 35-6
1993: Kannapolis 14-7
1994: South Rowan 14-6
1995: Kannapolis 31-23
1996: Kannapolis 31-23
The largest Concord / Kannapolis crowd I remember is the 1991 fourth round game at Bailey Stadium in Concord.
The regular season game in 1998 would be a close second followed by the regular season game in 1990. Both of those were at Kannapolis Memorial Stadium.
Not football but baseball. Last year 3rd of the playoffs East Rowan comes to South Rowan. I think it was said 1157 fans. Big crowd for baseball. I was at that game. And yes it was a huge crowd.
I was at that game as well, yes it was an insanely large crowed, especially for that field.
The largest I have been to is the 2016 PIsgah/Tuscola game. The biggest crowd I played in front of was AC Reynolds vs. West Henderson in 1983 first round playoff game. Both teams came in at 10-0. 10k-12k was the estimate. That is the biggest crowd I have ever seen at ACR.
That was the game I was thinking about. I was thinking it was the Concord game.14,000+ at 1984 South Rowan at Kannapolis game.
I was there too. I was out of work with shoulder surgery, so I went to all their home games, that was the largest crowd of the year. It was crazy.
The 2015 Crest v Shelby game at Shelby was packed !!!! I don’t know how many people were in attendance but It was crazy. Maybe someone can put a number on it cause idk but the game was amazing….. as all Crest / Shelby games are
It was 4 or 5 deep on the track. I was lucky enough to be in the press box looking over that crowd. Wish I had taken a picture of it.
I know it sounds crazy now, but in the early 2000’s WS Carver and Parkland were bot very good and for several years played at Bowman Gray Stadium, when they played the rest of the games in WS suffered on attendance. They both were 3A then.
The numbers I have heard were 12 to 14 thousand.
Gaffney at Crest in 96 was the biggest crowd I’ve ever been in on the high school level.
And I’ve sat in some big crowds.
And I’ve sat in some big crowds.
That was the game when the helicopter landed at midfield, and the Bear stepped out, and handed the game ball to the referee.
I seriously think 15k is the maximum that AL Brown could pack in there and that includes the hill and Plummers Perch.
Statesville at Hickory in 1966, College Field at Lenoir Rhyne for the WNCHSAA Championship. The crowd was estimated at 10,000.
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Hickory vs Newton-Conover at Gurley Stadium in 1967. The game was for the conference Championship won by HHS 12-7. The estimated attendance was 10,000+. Ned Jarrett owned Hickory Motor Speedway at the time and had his people haul in extra stands to the stadium.
Smith vs Dudley 2001-2006 at NC A&T .
20,000+. Average .
20,000+. Average .
Yep I just remember that was the estimate the Observer gave at that time. I remember saving that particular sports page for years. 15,000 is still a nice crowd.
Also do not sleep on the Hunter Huss and Ashbrook crowds in the 80’s and early 90’s when both were two of the largest 4A schools in the state. Those games had tremendous crowds.
I can't remember if we were 2a or 3a at the time. But the 4th round playoff game between Shelby and Pisgah in 05/06 had one heckuva crowd. Biggest crowd I've seen at Pisgah memorial stadium.
Yes, That was a awesome time with both fanbases, the city and NCAT Students showing up!!!
It was the 2a semi-final game. And that was the largest crowd I ever saw at Pisgah Memorial Stadium by far and that includes all the THS PHS games. There just wasn't any place to watch thegame from on the sidelines and no way to get into the stands. I didnt hurt that all the other teams were done by that time and I saw jackets and jerseys from Brevard to Erwin to Owen and many others there in numbers.
I know the Carver Parkland games used to draw huge crowds when it was at Bowman Gray. Hell, I feel like most games had large crowds back in the day.
Not sure about the numbers but Tuscola vs West Rowan 2009 was a big crowd..bigger than Tuscola vs Hibriten the same year I would guess
Was that the year the half and half really started to get really big?
Yes, I think that was the first time the 50/50 was over $40,000
Played for Dudley we played Smith in 2002
23,000 plus in attendance at North Carolina A&T
23,000 plus in attendance at North Carolina A&T
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