The one thing that I always looked forward to every year was the former prep magazine put out by Deana and her staff at NCPreps.com, and I understand the amount of work, time and effort that it took to put it together, and hope one day that the magazine can return?....Anyhow, I would like to hear from posters from all the western conferences, and let us all know who are the top players and teams from each conference in the West.....
Here's my unbiased look without knowing all the particulars from each conference:
SMC
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The SMC claimed yet another state title last year as Cherokee hoisted the state football championship trophy for the first time, and return several players from that team as well as a lot of momentum heading into this season which should make for another great year for the Braves....With that said, the SMC is still Murphy's too lose IMO as the Bulldogs do have to replace talented players on both sides of the ball, but still have seemingly enough to claim the 2018 SMC title as the Bulldogs will host both Cherokee and Swain County this year which gives the Bulldogs a big leg up....Swain County has a very talented Junior class which will likely be hungry this year, but can they beat their rival from Murphy two years in a row?..... Cherokee as mentioned above has energized the Reservation which reportedly has led to more kids showing up to play for the Braves this year which should boost depth issues that generally are problematic for the smaller schools in the SMC....Robbinsville does return the leading rusher in Rylee Anderson, but must replace several departed Senior leaders who were impact players on both sides of the ball, so the Black Knights may have a tougher time than normal this year breaking into the top 3 of the SMC?.....Andrews, Hayesville and Rosman should all be more experienced and talented than they were last year, but are any of those 3 teams capable of beating the other top 4 teams in the SMC?....It's a tall task for sure, but that's why they play the game...Overall, the SMC should be more competitive this year, but I believe that Murphy is the early favorite....
SPC
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The SPC finished with Bessemer City and Thomas Jefferson tied atop the final standings last year, but both of those teams could be taking a back seat this year to Mountain Island Charter after heavy losses due to graduation....The Raptors should be the prohibitive favorite heading into the season as both Bessemer City and Thomas Jefferson have to travel to the Island this year....The Community School of Davidson and Pine Lake Prep have both fielded very competitive teams the last few years, but both teams stumbled last year.....Do either of these teams expect to be improved this season?.....What about the Union Academy Cardinals who handed Thomas Jefferson their only regular season loss at the end of last season which forced the Gryphons to share the SPC title with Bessemer City....The Yellowjackets had a potent rushing attack last year, but may take a step back this year, due to heavy losses to graduation, but someone more knowledgeable about the Yelllowjackets than me will have to let us know different?....Provided that all the key members returned for this season, Mountain Island Charter may just be the favorite this year to come out of the 1A West as the Raptors will be loaded at the skill positions with dynamic players returning at QB and RB....Don't know anything about Cherryville or Highland Tech, but it's unlikely that either of those teams will be able to crash the Raptors' prospective 18' SPC title hopes....
NWC
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The more that things change: The more things stay the same, and it should be more of the same this year in the NWC with Surry County neighbors and rivals Mount Airy and East Surry likely deciding who wins the NWC....Both teams will be explosive offensively, but both teams will enter the season with a new man on the sidelines as both Kelly Holder and David Diamont hung up their whistles at the end of last season after outstanding long careers....Normally when an iconic coach retires, a drop off is generally expected, but that is likely not to be the case at either of these schools as both schools have a great tradition, and both teams are loaded with talented and experienced players which means trouble for the rest of the NWC....South Stokes and Winston-Salem Prep will likely decide who finishes 3rd in the NWC as both North Stokes and Bishop McGuinness are still trying to stay competitive in spite of having problems with numbers, so the NWC as usual will likely be decided in the final week of the regular season when the Bears and Cardinals meet in Mount Airy....
YVC
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North Stanly's improbable rise last year caught many by surprise in spite of the fact that the Comets have the most dynamic player in the Conference on both sides of the ball, and have added another talented transfer or two that give the Comets the early nod for the top spot, but both West Montgomery and North Rowan will both still be plenty tough, but may not have quite enough to unseat the defending YVC champ?....All three of those teams will play in the 1AA playoffs and North Stanly along with Mount Airy will likely be the favorites to emerge from the !AA western playoffs?....As for the rest of the conference, Albemarle looks to make waves this year for the first time in a while, but do the Bulldogs have enough to beat any of the top 3 teams?....South Stanly had a coaching change that could impact the Rebel Bulls chances, and North Moore, South Davidson and Chatham Central will all struggle to break into the top 4 in the YVC IMO.....Will this year be West Montgomery's swan song in the 1A class?.....I've read and heard rumors that consolidation with 2A East Montgomery will take place in the future, but was wondering when that is actually suppose to take place?
1A/2A MVC
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East Wilkes has been the dominant 1A team from the MVC the last couple of years, but will enter the season with a new head coach as their head coach took the Mount Airy job....The Cardinals have built a good program, but can they maintain that? Starmount is always a team to consider, due to the Rams rich tradition, but numbers are reportedly down which could spell trouble in the MVC for the Rams.....Both Alleghany and Elkin should be competitive with the Bucking-Elks possibly making a push for the top 1A spot in the MVC this year? Stay tuned....2A Wilkes Central will likely be the favorite to claim the MVC, but must admit that I don't know anything about 2A MVC foes Ashe County, North or West Wilkes, and will rely on someone from that area with knowledge of those 3 teams, but still don't think those 3 teams will be able to unseat the 17' MVC champion Eagles from Wilkes Central...
1A/2A WHC
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It's been Mitchell County then Avery and Polk when sorting through the WHC the last several years,, but will that remain the same after heavy graduation losses by the Mountaineers after last season?....2A Mountain Heritage will likely be the heavy favorite to win the WHC as both Owen and Madison will likely not be able to compete with the Cougars for the 18' WHC title....The most interesting game will likely be when Mitchell County host Polk County later in the season in a game that will likely determine the top 1A representative from the WHC....Polk had a memorable 1AA playoff win last year in the first round, beating North Rowan, and this will be their 2nd season in the 1A class, and the 2nd year for Coach Bruce Ollis who is in his 2nd stint as Head Coach of the Wolverines
That's how I see the West at the moment, and welcome your comments and answers to some of the above questions.....
Roar Tigers Roar!
Here's my unbiased look without knowing all the particulars from each conference:
SMC
--------
The SMC claimed yet another state title last year as Cherokee hoisted the state football championship trophy for the first time, and return several players from that team as well as a lot of momentum heading into this season which should make for another great year for the Braves....With that said, the SMC is still Murphy's too lose IMO as the Bulldogs do have to replace talented players on both sides of the ball, but still have seemingly enough to claim the 2018 SMC title as the Bulldogs will host both Cherokee and Swain County this year which gives the Bulldogs a big leg up....Swain County has a very talented Junior class which will likely be hungry this year, but can they beat their rival from Murphy two years in a row?..... Cherokee as mentioned above has energized the Reservation which reportedly has led to more kids showing up to play for the Braves this year which should boost depth issues that generally are problematic for the smaller schools in the SMC....Robbinsville does return the leading rusher in Rylee Anderson, but must replace several departed Senior leaders who were impact players on both sides of the ball, so the Black Knights may have a tougher time than normal this year breaking into the top 3 of the SMC?.....Andrews, Hayesville and Rosman should all be more experienced and talented than they were last year, but are any of those 3 teams capable of beating the other top 4 teams in the SMC?....It's a tall task for sure, but that's why they play the game...Overall, the SMC should be more competitive this year, but I believe that Murphy is the early favorite....
SPC
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The SPC finished with Bessemer City and Thomas Jefferson tied atop the final standings last year, but both of those teams could be taking a back seat this year to Mountain Island Charter after heavy losses due to graduation....The Raptors should be the prohibitive favorite heading into the season as both Bessemer City and Thomas Jefferson have to travel to the Island this year....The Community School of Davidson and Pine Lake Prep have both fielded very competitive teams the last few years, but both teams stumbled last year.....Do either of these teams expect to be improved this season?.....What about the Union Academy Cardinals who handed Thomas Jefferson their only regular season loss at the end of last season which forced the Gryphons to share the SPC title with Bessemer City....The Yellowjackets had a potent rushing attack last year, but may take a step back this year, due to heavy losses to graduation, but someone more knowledgeable about the Yelllowjackets than me will have to let us know different?....Provided that all the key members returned for this season, Mountain Island Charter may just be the favorite this year to come out of the 1A West as the Raptors will be loaded at the skill positions with dynamic players returning at QB and RB....Don't know anything about Cherryville or Highland Tech, but it's unlikely that either of those teams will be able to crash the Raptors' prospective 18' SPC title hopes....
NWC
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The more that things change: The more things stay the same, and it should be more of the same this year in the NWC with Surry County neighbors and rivals Mount Airy and East Surry likely deciding who wins the NWC....Both teams will be explosive offensively, but both teams will enter the season with a new man on the sidelines as both Kelly Holder and David Diamont hung up their whistles at the end of last season after outstanding long careers....Normally when an iconic coach retires, a drop off is generally expected, but that is likely not to be the case at either of these schools as both schools have a great tradition, and both teams are loaded with talented and experienced players which means trouble for the rest of the NWC....South Stokes and Winston-Salem Prep will likely decide who finishes 3rd in the NWC as both North Stokes and Bishop McGuinness are still trying to stay competitive in spite of having problems with numbers, so the NWC as usual will likely be decided in the final week of the regular season when the Bears and Cardinals meet in Mount Airy....
YVC
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North Stanly's improbable rise last year caught many by surprise in spite of the fact that the Comets have the most dynamic player in the Conference on both sides of the ball, and have added another talented transfer or two that give the Comets the early nod for the top spot, but both West Montgomery and North Rowan will both still be plenty tough, but may not have quite enough to unseat the defending YVC champ?....All three of those teams will play in the 1AA playoffs and North Stanly along with Mount Airy will likely be the favorites to emerge from the !AA western playoffs?....As for the rest of the conference, Albemarle looks to make waves this year for the first time in a while, but do the Bulldogs have enough to beat any of the top 3 teams?....South Stanly had a coaching change that could impact the Rebel Bulls chances, and North Moore, South Davidson and Chatham Central will all struggle to break into the top 4 in the YVC IMO.....Will this year be West Montgomery's swan song in the 1A class?.....I've read and heard rumors that consolidation with 2A East Montgomery will take place in the future, but was wondering when that is actually suppose to take place?
1A/2A MVC
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East Wilkes has been the dominant 1A team from the MVC the last couple of years, but will enter the season with a new head coach as their head coach took the Mount Airy job....The Cardinals have built a good program, but can they maintain that? Starmount is always a team to consider, due to the Rams rich tradition, but numbers are reportedly down which could spell trouble in the MVC for the Rams.....Both Alleghany and Elkin should be competitive with the Bucking-Elks possibly making a push for the top 1A spot in the MVC this year? Stay tuned....2A Wilkes Central will likely be the favorite to claim the MVC, but must admit that I don't know anything about 2A MVC foes Ashe County, North or West Wilkes, and will rely on someone from that area with knowledge of those 3 teams, but still don't think those 3 teams will be able to unseat the 17' MVC champion Eagles from Wilkes Central...
1A/2A WHC
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It's been Mitchell County then Avery and Polk when sorting through the WHC the last several years,, but will that remain the same after heavy graduation losses by the Mountaineers after last season?....2A Mountain Heritage will likely be the heavy favorite to win the WHC as both Owen and Madison will likely not be able to compete with the Cougars for the 18' WHC title....The most interesting game will likely be when Mitchell County host Polk County later in the season in a game that will likely determine the top 1A representative from the WHC....Polk had a memorable 1AA playoff win last year in the first round, beating North Rowan, and this will be their 2nd season in the 1A class, and the 2nd year for Coach Bruce Ollis who is in his 2nd stint as Head Coach of the Wolverines
That's how I see the West at the moment, and welcome your comments and answers to some of the above questions.....
Roar Tigers Roar!
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