Surprise Teams

[MHSBigBlue06]

Excluding the yearly powerhouse teams, Who are you guys looking at as potential surprise teams that will be better than people think?

First one that jumps off the page to me is Reagan. Not sure if it counts since they’re always kinda in the mix as a top 10-15 team, but they could take a big leap forward this year.

Lake Norman is someone I think could be strong. Gotta have one of the largest OLs in NC led by the LSU commit , a D1 caliber sophomore RB… they will be a tough out.

Not sure it counts as a surprise, because expectations are always high for them, but Hickory Ridge. 6-5 last year with a strong core returning, especially the offensive side of the ball.

 

[Chopper747]

Independence

 

[New3ra]

Independence

I don’t think they are a surprise team. Most people know they were young and they are ranked top 5 in the preseason polls for 4A.

 

[NBBears20124ACHAMPS]

Jordan returns almost everyone from last year's squad plus they upgrade with a State Championship winning coach. In 3A, watch out for Southern Durham.

 

[Blue and Gold22]

I'm intrigued by West Charlotte

 

[Vik-Val 86]

I was thinking about West Charlotte as well. I believe they will be better this year than last season. A team to keep an on in 3A.

 

[Mopar forever]

West Charlotte impressed me last year against Kings mountain and I felt like they were going to win but seemed to self destruct.

 

[New3ra]

West Charlotte impressed me last year against Kings mountain and I felt like they were going to win but seemed to self destruct.

Yeah I believe they gave that game away getting in their own way. I want to see them get matched up again this year.

 

[PagePirates44]

Sleeper team in the Triad has to be Southwest Guilford. They return virtually everyone, and should be a tough match up for everyone not named Grimsley on their schedule.

 

[MHSBigBlue06]

Independence

Good call. Completely slipped my mind on that one

 

[BlueDevil1996]

Give me
East Burke - I think they have their best shot to finish at least a respectable 4th or 3rd place in their conference. they have a very good core rn , freshmen class is good and They have great HC in Minors so Everything is going well in ICARD

Hickory - I think they prob have a few ?s like their Lines n such but they have a solid QB and they have some good skilled player so they could make a run this season

Mooresville: If everything can Aligned this season - This could be the first time since 2011 that Mooresville could make a actual deep playoff run ofc depending on seeding n all. Mooresville playoff success in last 10-15 years has been very lackluster so Mooresville has prove themselves so Not a "Surprised" team but a UNDERDOG, Overlooked type team imo

Independence as stated above

AL Brown - I think they have a chance/possibility to shock some folks, they got at least 2 very good WRs and They should have a decent Line and Run game should be fine as well. They got a new coach and all that so they may still be a few yr out but the potential is there this season

 

[portcity FB]

Jordan returns almost everyone from last year's squad plus they upgrade with a State Championship winning coach. In 3A, watch out for Southern Durham.

I thought about them too. Their O line and run game was impressive. They could not throw the bal and their defense was awful. NB had the ball maybe 7 mins the whole game against them and scored at will.

 

[NBBears20124ACHAMPS]

I thought about them too. Their O line and run game was impressive. They could not throw the bal and their defense was awful. NB had the ball maybe 7 mins the whole game against them and scored at will.

OL was some of the biggest kids I've ever seen in High School. Stats were crazy, 29 plays for NB compared to 76 for Jordan.

 

[Thinkpositivepc2]

Richmond Raiders could be a surprise team. Not many expecting them to bounce back from last year but I can see a championship run. Going back to Triple Option, their old bread and butter.

 

[New3ra]

Richmond Raiders could be a surprise team. Not many expecting them to bounce back from last year but I can see a championship run. Going back to Triple Option, their old bread and butter.

Championship run?

 

[Thinkpositivepc2]

Championship run?

Yeah, don’t count out raider magic. They have the pieces to be great. Weakened conference could give them a playoff boost. All teams in the conference are taking major hits as Richmond gets older and better.

 

[New3ra]

Yeah, don’t count out raider magic. They have the pieces to be great. Weakened conference could give them a playoff boost. All teams in the conference are taking major hits as Richmond gets older and better.

I will have to check them out once things get rolling.

 

[ScotlandAlumni99]

Well... Championship huh?... Imma be honest... I don't even have the raiders winning the conf... let alone a state ring. I can see them 2nd or maybe splitting a championship with either Pinecrest or the Scots at best this year in the Hills conf.

 

[CPC4LIFE]

Reagan is nice, I see them as the favorites in the CPC even though East Forsyth has landed a 4 Star QB from Walkertown that's 5 minutes down the road. I Don't think that's enough for East.... I do believe Walkertown is their(East Forsyth's) farm team.

 

[Vik-Val 86]

Im going out on a limb with West Iredell in Northwestern Foothills 3A. Not that they win the conference. Or even come in 2nd or 3rd. But I think we will see much improvement with this team than previous years.

 

[Naquedskwirrels]

Sleeper team in the Triad has to be Southwest Guilford. They return virtually everyone, and should be a tough match up for everyone not named Grimsley on their schedule.

Idk about that, they lost 20 Srs. Jv team went 2-8 and got blown out in all their losses, so not much help coming up from jv. They'll be about like last year if not worse.

 

[CatholicCougs14]

Idk about that, they lost 20 Srs. Jv team went 2-8 and got blown out in all their losses, so not much help coming up from jv. They'll be about like last year if not worse.

I’m sure they’ll bring in people to help.

 

[Naquedskwirrels]

Lets hope so but I doubt it...nobody is trying to go to SWG. Maybe this new coach an change that.

 

[MHSBigBlue06]

Lets hope so but I doubt it...nobody is trying to go to SWG. Maybe this new coach a change that.

We saw them in the playoffs… physically that team has serious potential. Their downfall was the lack of numbers. If they get their numbers up there is a good chance SWG will take off in a few years time

 

[PagePirates44]

Idk about that, they lost 20 Srs. Jv team went 2-8 and got blown out in all their losses, so not much help coming up from jv. They'll be about like last year if not worse.

Sure, but how many of those seniors were starters? I'm hearing rumblings of basically every skill position on both sides of the ball are returning and they have been able to plug in the holes on the line. That seems to me like the makings of a sleeper.

 

[tarheel fan1]

You'd think at least one team in High Point would be good.

 

[sammyk]

You'd think at least one team in High Point would be good.

Thing is high point is not what it used to be

 

[Blue and Gold22]

Richmond Raiders could be a surprise team. Not many expecting them to bounce back from last year but I can see a championship run. Going back to Triple Option, their old bread and butter.

North Carolina football is at its best when Richmond is in the top tier. I love traveling out there for playoff games. Place is electric.

 

[PagePirates44]

just spoke again to the gentleman who was a coach at SWG last year, and he is telling me that there are 15 starters returning for SW Guilford and 3 starters transferred in on the OL/DL. That's quite a bit.

 

[Rebel One]

Yeah, don’t count out raider magic. They have the pieces to be great. Weakened conference could give them a playoff boost. All teams in the conference are taking major hits as Richmond gets older and better.

I wish I had your optimism. I just have a very bad feeling about this year. I don't think we'll win more than 3 games.

 

[New3ra]

I know Tabor was just inside the top 25 4A team in the early preseason rankings but I really think they may be closer to 10-15. I believe they can knock someone off in the playoffs this year. It will all depend on their QB play. The offense kept the defense on the field a lot last year once the QB went down. I know they got a transfer in at Qb. They return the entire defense this year so I expect them to be even better than projected. Early game against Grimsley will be telling.

 

[PagePirates44]

Mt Tabor used to be in the Metro 4A, the Spartans playing Page and Grimsley this year brings back memories of yesteryears.