Currently, based off what I've heard through the grapevine, our proposed conference has a very slim chance of changing. That being said...here is what the proposed 2025 4A/5A CVAC conference has to look forward to:
| Team | 24 Record | 24 Off PPG | 24 Def APG | Off Production Returning | Def Production Returning | Team Production Returning ⬆️ |
| W Iredell | 2-8 | 21 | 40 | 53% | 89% 🏹 | 71% 🏹 |
| Bandys | 7-4 | 31 | 20 | 78% ⚔️ | 48% | 63% |
| E Lincoln | 7-4 | 38 | 22 | 55% | 61% | 58% |
| Foard | 1-9 | 13 | 36 | 43% | 52% | 48% |
| Newton | 2-8 | 20 | 34 | 24% | 69% | 47% |
| Maiden | 8-4 | 29 | 15 🔱 | 58% | 33% | 46% |
| B Hill | 9-3 | 36 | 26 | 34% | 30% | 32% |
| Hickory | 14-1 🌪️ | 50 🌪️ | 17 | 6% | 40% | 23% |
| N Lincoln | 12-2 | 40 | 24 | 39% | 7% | 23% |
🏹 West Iredell is returning 71% of their production from the 2024 2-8 team. Their defense should see a big improvement from their abysmal 40 points allowed per game returning 100% of their sack production and 94% of their TFL production. While most of their QB and WR production has left, they'll return 81% of their rushing attack.
⚔️ Bandys, on paper, should be in a prime spot to compete for a conference title. Returning 63% of their production from a 7-4 2024 squad that played better than their record indicates. Their QB and RB play should carry them, returning 90% of their production. Question for them offensively is, will they have the WR corps to help their star QB. The 20 points APG defense should be anchored by returning 69% of their sack production. An impressive JV team should help elevate any missing holes.
🐴East Lincoln will be the most complete 5A squad returning and probable conference title favorite returning 58% production of a 7-4 2024 team that's returning most of a defense that allowed 22 PPG. While they are returning a 2600+ yd/36 TD QB, their offense has lost 68% of their RB and WR production. Their defense returns 66% of their sack and turnover production.
🐯 The 1-9 Fred T Foard team (one win being against West Iredell) returns all of their QB production but only 4% of their RB and WR production from an offense that could only scrape together 13 PPG. They'll return 52% of a 36 points APG defense, highlighted by 64% of their turnover production returning.
👹 Newton is losing 76% of their offensive production, but is returning 53% of their run game. Look for Coach Wilson to lean heavy on the run game this next year with a promising backfield. Their 34 points APG defense should improve, returning 69% of their production, highlighted by 80% of their TFL and sack production returning.
🔱Maiden is keeping all of it's QB production, but will be looking for people to step up at RB and WR (only retaining 40% of production from RB/WR). The best defense of these teams a year ago will be returning just 33% of their production. However, the outlook at this point is better than it was last year at this time. Maiden doesn't rebuild, they reload, and will be looking to regain a conference title with a another senior heavy year.
🐻 Bunker Hill will have the toughest row to hoe for the 4A schools, only returning 32% of their production from a 9-3 2024 squad anchored by a stout DLine and excellent RB play. Though they'll be losing nearly all of their RB and WR production, they return a capable QB. While most of their defensive production is gone, they'll look to lean on 35% of their turnover production returning to keep games close.
🌪️ Hickory (and North Lincoln) will be the biggest question marks for this new conference. Losing 94% offensive production never bodes well for any team, however, their RPO offensive scheme is difficult to defend and they may have the right kids in place to plug and play without missing too much of a beat. Time will tell. Though they are losing 60% of their defensive production, they are returning 53% of a 45 turnover defense that has speed.
🛡️ North Lincoln (like Hickory) is losing 23% of their team production from a year ago, but mainly on the opposite side of the ball, only returning 7% of a defense that allowed 24 PPG. Offensively they are losing all of their QB production and most of their WR production, but are returning 78% of a rushing attach that garnered 4700+ yards and 67 TDs a year ago. Other than their defense, NL biggest question mark is, who'll be their next head coach? How much will their offensive style change? I imagine that however their offense decides to line up, everything will hinge on their 2-headed rushing attack and offensive line.
If this is really how the conference shakes out (in terms of the teams), we'll be blessed with another 4 years of exciting conference play. I see 5 teams here that have a shot at the conference title this upcoming year. May the best team win. GO BLUE!
