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Is Charlotte Still Dominant?

mrhonda

Well-Known Member
Nov 12, 2012
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I'm posing a question and would like everyone's thoughts. I don't have an opinion or idea one way or the other...just wondering. For quite a few years, Charlotte has had programs that were dominant statewide. You had Independence with Tom Knotts, Mallard Creek with Mike Palmieri, Butler with Mike Newsome and Brian Hales and Chambers. When I moved to Charlotte in 2008, there were some very good teams besides the ones mentioned. East Meck was very good, along with Providence. Recently, there's been an exodus of very good coaches to other states. I'm wondering with the exodus of these top notch coaches, along with the improvement in programs around the state, particularly East Forsyth and the Raliegh area, is Charlotte's dominance coming to an end. There's been evidence of this in recent years. I first noticed a difference with the Wake Forest run, then this past season with Cardinal Gibbons' state championship. In my opinion, the Charlotte area is still producing very good programs, but will we continue to see the dominance that occurred in the past. Some of you guys here are from Charlotte and have followed the ins and outs of Charlotte high school football for a long time. You'd know much better than I as I'm a relative newcomer, having moved to Charlotte from Maryland in 2008. I'm looking forward to your input and hearing things I don't know.
 
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Charlotte is growing. That means more high schools are being built. The mega schools are being split up, and with the widespread crack down where schools are forced to follow the rules, the playing field will be equal until someone gets bored and tries to wiggle through it again.
 
My buddy and I were just talking about this. I am in the opinion that Charlotte had more talent football wise 10 years or so ago. Not as many big time kids currently as it use to be.
 
Charlotte is growing. That means more high schools are being built. The mega schools are being split up, and with the widespread crack down where schools are forced to follow the rules, the playing field will be equal until someone gets bored and tries to wiggle through it again.
Great take.
 
My buddy and I were just talking about this. I am in the opinion that Charlotte had more talent football wise 10 years or so ago. Not as many big time kids currently as it use to be.
10 years ago Butler was going to win their third title in four years with a Page title in between. Then Mallard Creek had their run of a few. I think some of the luster of Chamber’s titles has dimmed because of the crackdowns. If everything was the same without the transfers I think Mallard Creek would be really good. Butler who I support went through a down period but that’s more because of admin numbers but I think Butler will be really good the next few years.
 
The way Creek is zoned. It's just loaded with talent. With the Exit of Palmieri, kids made mad exits to other programs throughout the city. They would've still been a 10-game win team. With the Crackdown of CMS, we're getting a lot of kids returning. The critics of Charlotte Football will say, if you don't win it all you've dropped off. Outside of Buford Ga, which is a Top 5 team Nationally. I see a very impressive season. We'll see what happens. If we fall short, S2V2 will sign on with 20 different personalities to TROLL. LMAO!
 
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A thought came through my mind the other day about how the Mooresville and surrounding areas are booming with houses. That perhaps we could see Mooresville n Lake Norman start rising to power in football in 4A as time goes. Just a thought. They may never get to the level of the Charlotte schools. But will interesting to see how the football power schools will look in another 5-10 years.
 
I've said the same thing about Page. The last leg of the Urban Loop I-840 corridor is still under construction in Greensboro with the last 2 exits still under construction in Page's district. There are a lot of businesses and retail, housing developments, townhomes and apartments going up in the district. Page's district has a lot of room for growth and is a huge part of the booming northern Greensboro suburbs.
 
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I've said the same thing about Page. The last leg of the Urban Loop I-840 corridor is still under construction in Greensboro with the last 2 exits still under construction in Page's district. There is still a lot of businesses and retail, housing developments, townhomes and apartments going up in the district. Page's district has alot of room for growth and is a huge part of the booming northern Greensboro suburbs.
They opened up the I-73 portion when I was a freshman in college in 2008. They’re not done with the loop yet?
 
You guys keep singling out Creek and butler. Yes those schools have dropped of a little bit, but that isn’t what I am talking about. Those 2 schools had legit nationally ranked teams. Idk about mallard creek, but butler finished #3 in the country in USA Today and their other 2 teams were close to that. Creek had nationally ranked teams too. That type of stuff is non sustainable and that is perfectly fine.

what I am talking about is the sheer number of big boys each teams has. Let’s take it back 10 years or so around 2012 and 2013. I’ll pick RB position. In Charlotte at that time you had Elijah Hood at Catholic (UNC), Isaiah Robinson at Indy (wake forest), Shaun Wilson at west meck (duke), butler has Glisson (signed with WSSU but could go D1 if he was good off the field)and Benny Lemay (UNCC), creek had Lawrence Pittman (wingate but similar to Glisson) and Jay Sam (NC state) all in CMS at ONE TIME!!! Outside of Smothers I don’t see that caliber of RB in area..to me that is a big drop off. Around that same time you had Ferguson (Tenn), Scaife (GA state), Grier (Florida), the WM kid going to NC state, Ratliff (UNC), Williams at Creek (UNc). On defense you had Kalambayi at butler (Stanford), Stribling at butler (Michigan), Clifton Duck at butler(App), Tony Reid at Creek(Miami), Brian Walker at Creek (UNc), Anthony Covington at Creek (App/Uncc), Adonis Alexander at Indy (VTech), Jaire Alexander at Rocky river (Louisville)….I can go on and on I know a dozen more kids that made it big time but I don’t feel like typing anymore. Point is I don’t see that quality of player to that depth anymore in Charlotte. Idk if kids are just not playing football or what. I just have the opinion that football was much better in the area back then, rather then now as far as top end guys.
 
The QC is not down at all talent wise. The state has caught up and Charlotte has lost some great head coaches the past few years. To have as many competitive teams as they have yearly is a testament to QC football.

Where Charlotte has benefitted is with the number of out of state/city transfers to Charlotte highschools just to play ball. With the crackdown some of this may slow. But from top to bottom charlotte is well ahead of the state. For every WF, and CG run we have had WC, INDY, Harding, Butler, CC, Hough, MC, and Chambers win big on the state level. No other area of the state can boast that IMHO.

What is of concern is the inability to keep great coaches and the overall weakness of youth football including REC and Middle school. Also linemen, and suburban participation
 
A thought came through my mind the other day about how the Mooresville and surrounding areas are booming with houses. That perhaps we could see Mooresville n Lake Norman start rising to power in football in 4A as time goes. Just a thought. They may never get to the level of the Charlotte schools. But will interesting to see how the football power schools will look in another 5-10 years.
Not likely, both schools will grow, but likely wouldn’t expect to see either turn into a powerhouse, not at the 4A level.

What I think is most likely, and you are already starting to see it, you would see new schools pop up in one or both districts, that could cut one or both school back into the 3A ranks.
 
it’s all about the numbers. When Wake Forest was dominant in Raleigh it was one of the largest high school in Raleigh. Middle Creek was one at the largest schools in Raleigh and it was wake forests main competition. The emergence of Roseville cut Wake Forest’s run short as they split schools. Likewise the emergence of schools in South wale cut middle Creek’s population and run. roseville has lots of development and now Roseville is dominant and also one of the largest high schools in Raleigh. I think what you’re Seeing is the fact that Raleigh schools were 4 a but on a small side and most less than 10 years old, because Raleigh is growing so quickly. those schools were never full. Now the schools are maturing the teams filling out And culture taking hold. you are starting to see the talent stabilize And programs mature. The community is embracing football here now. Football Friday has become a thing it was not eight years ago. I think wake county probably added four or five high schools over the last six years. Some of the most well-known football schools saw their populations drop dramatically with new schools Opening nearby. And these were traditional wake county powers like Garner, middle Creek, Wake Forest Sanderson. Wake county has over 1 million people now so as the schools mature, the towns buy in and the culture is taking hold and you’re starting to see it. when Wake Forest made their run, outside of northern wake county no one really paid that much attention. it was great. But now with the talent explosion at Roseville last year, what was going on in Cleveland and another school Cardinal Gibbons going to three championship games and winning one it is A spark in wake county. you actually hear people talking about high school football who are not tied to it. For many years schools like Broughton, Cardinal Gibbons High School, apex – drew more people for lacrosse than they did for football. That’s changed over the last four years and it’s getting stronger.. you actually hear people talking about high school football who are not tied to it. For many years schools like Broughton, Cardinal Gibbons, apex – drew more people for lacrosse than they did for football. That’s changed over the last four years. it’s getting stronger. Wake forest versus Roseville is now evening news worthy, cardinal Gibbons versus Leesville Road has become a huge thing they actually sell out. You didn’t see this in wake county before. Cleveland has been a huge story in this area over the last four or five years even before Having perhaps states best running back for four years they were starting to break out. Heritage Commands respect and the Durham schools coming into 4a ….. only a matter time
 
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it’s all about the numbers. When Wake Forest was dominant in Raleigh it was one of the largest high school in Raleigh. Middle Creek was one at the largest schools in Raleigh and it was wake forests main competition. The emergence of Roseville cut Wake Forest’s run short as they split schools. Likewise the emergence of schools in South wale cut middle Creek’s population and run. roseville has lots of development and now Roseville is dominant and also one of the largest high schools in Raleigh. I think what you’re Seeing is the fact that Raleigh schools were 4 a but on a small side and most less than 10 years old, because Raleigh is growing so quickly. those schools were never full. Now the schools are maturing the teams filling out And culture taking hold. you are starting to see the talent stabilize And programs mature. The community is embracing football here now. Football Friday has become a thing it was not eight years ago. I think wake county probably added four or five high schools over the last six years. Some of the most well-known football schools saw their populations drop dramatically with new schools Opening nearby. And these were traditional wake county powers like Garner, middle Creek, Wake Forest Sanderson. Wake county has over 1 million people now so as the schools mature, the towns buy in and the culture is taking hold and you’re starting to see it. when Wake Forest made their run, outside of northern wake county no one really paid that much attention. it was great. But now with the talent explosion at Roseville last year, what was going on in Cleveland and another school Cardinal Gibbons going to three championship games and winning one it is A spark in wake county. you actually hear people talking about high school football who are not tied to it. For many years schools like Broughton, Cardinal Gibbons High School, apex – drew more people for lacrosse than they did for football. That’s changed over the last four years and it’s getting stronger.. you actually hear people talking about high school football who are not tied to it. For many years schools like Broughton, Cardinal Gibbons, apex – drew more people for lacrosse than they did for football. That’s changed over the last four years. it’s getting stronger. Wake forest versus Roseville is now evening news worthy, cardinal Gibbons versus Leesville Road has become a huge thing they actually sell out. You didn’t see this in wake county before. Cleveland has been a huge story in this area over the last four or five years even before Having perhaps states best running back for four years they were starting to break out. Heritage Commands respect and the Durham schools coming into 4a ….. only a matter time
Myers Park, Ardrey Kell & South Meck top 3 largest schools in the state. Tell them it's all about the numbers. Hell, Myers Park the largest enrollment in the State, had 3 houses of kids from 5 different States, and still couldn’t get it done. 🤷🏾‍♂️
 
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