What the four reigning NCHSAA football champions return in 2023

[TD-FridayNight]

What the four reigning NCHSAA football champions return in 2023

It's already been four months since we crowned four football state champions from the N.C. High School Athletic Association. Here's a breakdown of which players are returning from those championship squads. Stay tuned to HighSchoolOT throughout the month of April for a new piece of football...

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Mount Airy Granite Bears​

1A State Champions​

Mount Airy is the prohibitive 1A favorite in 2023 as the Bears are set to return a whopping 17 out of 22 starters from last year's championship squad. For added measure, Mount Airy's rising senior do-it-all Walker Stroup is set to return with his standout leg on special teams. Stroup also Mount Airy's leading receiver and second-leading tackler from his strong safety position.

Rising senior quarterback and linebacker Ian Gallimore is a hugely important player. He orchestrates Mount Airy's complex option offense and is the leader on the defensive side of the ball. Gallimore threw for over 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns. As a rusher, he gained 569 yards and scored six touchdowns. Defensively, he led the Granite Bears with 138 tackles and was second in tackles for a loss with 27.

Two of Mount Airy's rising seniors are Power 5 prospects.

Running back Tyler Mason was named the Most Outstanding Player of Mount Airy's 20-7 win over Tarboro in the title game. The First Team All-State selection finished the season with 173 carries for 2,309 rushing yards and 52 total touchdowns. Mason has collected offers from Appalachian State, Boston College, Campbell, East Carolina, Georgia State, James Madison, Liberty, Louisville, and Virginia Tech. Mason also plays safety for Mount Airy.

Re-joining Mason in the backfield are rising senior Caleb Reid and rising sophomore Taeshon Martin. Reid (pictured) almost hit the 1,000 yard mark himself and scored 14 times. He also had 100 tackles on defense. Martin didn't have Mason or Reid's yardage production, but his 10 touchdowns as a freshman have the coaches seeing a special future. On the outside, starting receiver and corner Mario Revels will also return.

Defensive end Deric Dandy, a 3-star prospect along with Mason, recently committed to Virginia Tech. In 2022, Dandy registered 95 tackles, 33 tackles for a loss, 6.5 sacks, three pass breakups and two forced fumbles. Two more starters are set to return with Dandy along the defensive line: rising senior Caden Joyce and 320-pound rising sophomore line jammer Third Floyd. While three out of four starters on the defensive line are set to return, four starters should be back on the offensive line.

In all, Mount Airy is bringing back four players that made HighSchoolOT's 2022 All-State team.

Football: Mount Airy vs. Tarboro (Dec. 10, 2022)
Ian Gallimore (15) receives the football during 2022 1A Football State Championship between #1 Tarboro Vikings and #4 Mount Airy Granite Bears on Saturday, December 10, 2022 at Carter-Finley Stadium. (Photo By: Carl Copeland / HighSchoolOT.com

Go Bears 🏈

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[roughtrader4444]

Not sure why you're laughing tarboro vikings fan. I think it's pretty cool that they're bringing back all those players. At least you guys will have some competition in the state championship.

 

[roughtrader4444]

Will be interesting to see how many teams out east see that film and try to run a six-man front. Without the triple option I think you got to be able to throw the ball some. Or at least against a team that's well coached defensively.

 

[Tarborovikingsfan2018]

Not sure why you're laughing tarboro vikings fan. I think it's pretty cool that they're bringing back all those players. At least you guys will have some competition in the state championship.

That was my bad. I thought I hit the like button instead I hit the laughing emoji. Working third shift is brutal lol. Mount airy is the favorite to win it all returning 17 starters is Incredible. I will be truly shocked if they don't return to the title game.

 

[roughtrader4444]

That was my bad. I thought I hit the like button instead I hit the laughing emoji. Working third shift is brutal lol. Mount airy is the favorite to win it all returning 17 starters is Incredible. I will be truly shocked if they don't return to the title game.

Oh I think that's just posturing I think you guys have enough to beat them Believe me. But at least somebody will give you a good game.

 

[Tarborovikingsfan2018]

Oh I think that's just posturing I think you guys have enough to beat them Believe me. But at least somebody will give you a good game.

It's gonna take a way better performance than last year to beat them. Should that rematch take place I believe it'll be a closer game and very good one at that. But the bears should be the favorite when you consider how much they have returning.

 

[Tarborovikingsfan2018]

Will be interesting to see how many teams out east see that film and try to run a six-man front. Without the triple option I think you got to be able to throw the ball some. Or at least against a team that's well coached defensively.

One would think quite a few teams that Tarboro is going to play this upcoming year would try that strategy. Although after East Surry beat us in 2019 I expected a whole lot more teams to throw the ball against us and they really haven't. But the ones that do, it's not been nowhere near as easy to do as East Surry did that night.

 

[Orange01]

One would think quite a few teams that Tarboro is going to play this upcoming year would try that strategy. Although after East Surry beat us in 2019 I expected a whole lot more teams to throw the ball against us and they really haven't. But the ones that do, it's not been nowhere near as easy to do as East Surry did that night.

It's going to take a lot for another 1A team to duplicate the offensive weapons East Surry had that year

 

[Frank Lost Password]

One would think quite a few teams that Tarboro is going to play this upcoming year would try that strategy. Although after East Surry beat us in 2019 I expected a whole lot more teams to throw the ball against us and they really haven't. But the ones that do, it's not been nowhere near as easy to do as East Surry did that night.

That was a special once in a generation team that year.

 

[Tarborovikingsfan2018]

That was a special once in a generation team that year.

Definitely was. It'll be a while before the 1a ranks see a team with a passing attack like that.

 

[Doppleganger#]

The 2019 East Surry team was special probably their best team ever with just about all of their skill players were D1 prospect and much more. How often does a program like East Surry field that much talent in a season? East Surry may never field a team that good for a Long! Long! time.

 

[Doppleganger#]

For Mount Airy they have always had solid teams at the very least as far back as i can remember since they had James Brimm. I have watch MA play all the way through the 90s and early 2000. Seems like every time i watch them they lose. They just didn't look that good in front of me. I ask myself am i jinx? Here is are some i have watch

Starmount 28-6 MA 1990
North Surry 12-0 MA 1991
Thomasville 46-0 MA 1992
Starmount 38-6 MA 1994
North Surry 35-21 MA 1997
East Surry 25-7 MA 2001
Elkin 34-27 MA 2001
East Surry 42-3 MA 2002
Finally i witnessed a MA win the match up 2007 over North Surry 34-14

 

[REWhitley]

Over the past two seasons Mt Airy defense has only allowed an average of 5.9 points per game. If the Coaches are as sharp this coming year, and the players mature as would normally happen, the question might not be do they run the table, but rather does anyone score on them in the first three quarters of any game.

The three best running backs in the state will get theirs (Tyler, Reid, and Martin) but the season will rest on the defense, in my opinion.

 

[Vik-Val 86]

Mt Airy will a fun team to watch. I may just have to come up and watch a game sometime this fall.

 

[TD-FridayNight]

Mt Airy will a fun team to watch. I may just have to come up and watch a game sometime this fall.

You would probably want to see the Mount Airy vs East Surry game since you have seen them both before. All games are listed below home & away.
Aug.18 - North Surry
Aug.25 -@ East Surry
Sept. 1 -@ Surry Central
Sept. 8 -Ashe Central
Conference Games
Sept. 15 -@ North Stokes
Sept. 22 -Starmount
Sept. 29 -@ East Wilkes
Oct. 6 - South Stokes
Oct. 13 - Bye
Oct. 20 - Elkin -- Senior Night
Oct. 27 -@ Alleghany

 

[KW23]

Mt Airy will a fun team to watch. I may just have to come up and watch a game sometime this fall.

You might want to wait till winter the fall games are going to be boring as ever and definitely not fun to watch if you are looking for competitive football.

 

[Vik-Val 86]

I may just well come for Aug 25 game. I also wonder if Draughn will be in the running again in the playoffs. Possibly see a rematch of MA n Draughn game.

 

[roughtrader4444]

I may just well come for Aug 25 game. I also wonder if Draughn will be in the running again in the playoffs. Possibly see a rematch of MA n Draughn game.

I think they might be in the running but I don't think they really have much of a chance. They're running back is the real deal. Quarterback he's pretty overrated he is big but doesn't have a strong arm. He made One good throw on the money in that game. With number one draped all over him. The rest of the time they were too far off the mark and were tipped away by the Mount airy guys. They lost supposedly their fastest receiver who's going to college to play. So I don't see him having the speed to break away from any of the Mount airy guys. But if people play zone against them I think they can do some stuff. He can throw it to an area pretty good. They lost some lime in which I think is where they're going to be hurt their defensive line was pretty good.

 

[Tarborovikingsfan2018]

Mount airy and Reidsville should play each other again. I bet it'd be much closer.

 

[roughtrader4444]

Mount airy and Reidsville should play each other again. I bet it'd be much closer.

I hear you big man. I don't know if that would be that close That's a big step up.

 

[Tarborovikingsfan2018]

I hear you big man. I don't know if that would be that close That's a big step up.

Yeah true. Reidsville is expected to be very good this upcoming year. That receiving core they have is gonna be deadly. It'd be a good test for the bears defense though. Mount airy should go undefeated looking at that schedule.

 

[REWhitley]

Mt Airy will a fun team to watch. I may just have to come up and watch a game sometime this fall.

There is a group of just plain die heart Bears Fans that get the Mt Airy Football games early and tailgate!
I would love for you to come join us.

 

[Vik-Val 86]

There is a group of just plain die heart Bears Fans that get the Mt Airy Football games early and tailgate!
I would love for you to come join us.

That sounds good

 

[buzzcoach]

There is a group of just plain die heart Bears Fans that get the Mt Airy Football games early and tailgate!
I would love for you to come join us.

Will be another fun year so glad you tailgate with us now RE!

 

[Jmappfan5]

MA lost a few linemen to injuries last year, but remained relatively injury free to some key players. Staying healthy and staying hungry will be vitally important to a repeat performance.