Who was/is the best football player from your high school?
- Thread starter Deana_King
- Start date
Honestly, it still might be Andy Headen (Eastern Randolph). Headen played for the New York Giants back in the mid 80's and was on the Giant team that won the Super Bowl (86).
Alan Hooker, Scott Riddle, and Keke Spinks also come to mind.
Alan Hooker, Scott Riddle, and Keke Spinks also come to mind.
Deana If I geussed for STM I would say Carlos cant remember his full name but was RB. James Houston also come to mind. Who you got?
Carlos King, Donnie Bryant, Reggie Billips for Starmount.
I hope this is ok to bring presently a 4A school in on a 1A board. But my school South Iredell which was 2A at the time won the 2AA State title in 2012. I would have to go with LaChastin Smith of South Iredell. RB/LB. He scored the last TD with not much time left to help win the 2AA. State Championship game. Some other worthy mentions but I would list him on top.
Mount Airy High School- Buzzcoach.
I would suggest RB Terry Thompson (went to ASU) and RB Tyrone Westmoreland went to Florida State and then All American at Carson Newman. Also a 2 time State Wrestling Champion.
Yes I had thought about Tyrone Westmoreland as well. He could be the top as well. I remembered him not only football days but wrestling days as well. I don’t recall Terry Thompson. Apparently he must been before my days of being at South. But thanks for the info. I should also add Tyrone Westmoreland still holds the most yards rushing for any Iredell County school with 6’602 yards.
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Terry Thompson was the all every thing running back for South Iredell when the school first opened. He was one more tough, hardnose and fast running back. I think but am not sure that he was the RB at Troutman for Bill Hayhew before consolidation took place in the 1966-67 school year.
It’s a tough question because we have had a lot of great players come through.
Never saw Jackie Brown play because he was way before my time, but a lot of the older Ram supporters say he was incredible. He was the first African-American to get an athletic scholarship at University of South Carolina and played all 3 sports there. He was drafted by Baltimore Colts.
Carlos King is probably the most well-known Ram due to playing at NC State and being drafted by Pittsburgh Steelers. Also, was with the Denver Broncos.
Reggie Billips, Chris Charles, Donnie Bryant, James Houston, Jake Barr, and many others.
I will go with Carlos.
Never saw Jackie Brown play because he was way before my time, but a lot of the older Ram supporters say he was incredible. He was the first African-American to get an athletic scholarship at University of South Carolina and played all 3 sports there. He was drafted by Baltimore Colts.
Carlos King is probably the most well-known Ram due to playing at NC State and being drafted by Pittsburgh Steelers. Also, was with the Denver Broncos.
Reggie Billips, Chris Charles, Donnie Bryant, James Houston, Jake Barr, and many others.
I will go with Carlos.
Chris Griggs from East Surry in my opinion
Go Big Red
#27Forever
Go Big Red
#27Forever
My vote for Mitchell goes to John Phillips. Went on to be a 2 time all American at Clemson. Phillips set a single-season school record as a senior with 103 knockdown blocks. He also had 100 knockdowns as a junior in 1986, making him the only Clemson player with more than one season in triple-digits. He finished his career with 245 knockdowns over 2,330 offensive snaps.
Go Mitchell
Go Mitchell
I am not a Iredell County person but I would find it hard not to list Tyrone Westmoreland. 6,600 yards rushing and close to 100 TDs. Did real well at then D2 powerhouse Carson Newman. Also, was a state champ in wrestling.
I would agree. At the time I had posted my statement above. Both names Lachaston Smith and Tyrone Westmoreland were the top two I could think of. I went with Lachaston Smith due to how he performed and help carry the team to a State Championship game. But I know Tyrone had big yardages in football and plus the big performance he had in wrestling. If I’m not mistaken and someone correct me but I think Tyrone ran track as well.
Westmoreland teams played 3A prior to subdividing which was made the bar a bit higher.
I'll take a stab at some area schools and my thoughts on what I know/remember
East Surry-Chris Griggs-He set the tone for the 2000s in the area and was the first of many good backs we'd see in the 2000s.
East Wilkes-Micheal Callaway(played briefly in the NFL) or Luke Samples(Held the single game passing record for a few years while also being top 10 in single season passing yards until the air raid really took hold)
Elkin-Justin Billups or Tyler Transou(don't hear him talked about much but he led Elkin to 2 state titles as a dual threat QB while also playing DB and returning punts. Rarely came off the field his final 2 seasons if I remember right. He took over at QB midway through his sophomore year in 2004 only to lose to Swain in the 4th round and probably made one of the greatest plays in Elkin's history as a freshman turning a botched extra point snap into a 2 point conversion that turned into the winning play against Swain in 2003 to advance to the state championship)
Surry Central-Wilbert Brown(Man was he could cut a rug. I feel like he was a bean pole but if he found a gap or got free it was game on.)
Starmount-Carlos King
Mount Airy-Michael Dobson-another great back from Surry County that was unstoppable in the 08 season.
East Surry-Chris Griggs-He set the tone for the 2000s in the area and was the first of many good backs we'd see in the 2000s.
East Wilkes-Micheal Callaway(played briefly in the NFL) or Luke Samples(Held the single game passing record for a few years while also being top 10 in single season passing yards until the air raid really took hold)
Elkin-Justin Billups or Tyler Transou(don't hear him talked about much but he led Elkin to 2 state titles as a dual threat QB while also playing DB and returning punts. Rarely came off the field his final 2 seasons if I remember right. He took over at QB midway through his sophomore year in 2004 only to lose to Swain in the 4th round and probably made one of the greatest plays in Elkin's history as a freshman turning a botched extra point snap into a 2 point conversion that turned into the winning play against Swain in 2003 to advance to the state championship)
Surry Central-Wilbert Brown(Man was he could cut a rug. I feel like he was a bean pole but if he found a gap or got free it was game on.)
Starmount-Carlos King
Mount Airy-Michael Dobson-another great back from Surry County that was unstoppable in the 08 season.
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West Wilkes- Randall Parson
Wilkes Cental- Sherman Boles
Elkin- Mike Chatham
MT Airy- James Brimm
Lake Norman- Josh Ladowski
West Iredell- Jerome Henderson
Statesville- Vinson Smith
North Iredell- David Chambers
Kannapolis- Ethan Horton
North Surry- Kelly Holder
South Iredell- Tyrone Westmorland
South Rowan- Greg Poole
Weddington- Will Shipley
Mooresville- JR Sweezy
Wilkes Cental- Sherman Boles
Elkin- Mike Chatham
MT Airy- James Brimm
Lake Norman- Josh Ladowski
West Iredell- Jerome Henderson
Statesville- Vinson Smith
North Iredell- David Chambers
Kannapolis- Ethan Horton
North Surry- Kelly Holder
South Iredell- Tyrone Westmorland
South Rowan- Greg Poole
Weddington- Will Shipley
Mooresville- JR Sweezy
I will go with Kevin Parks of West Rowan.
Never heard of Heath Shueller lol. Now Heath Shuler that finished 2nd in the Heisman voting would of been fun to watch in Josh Heupel offense.
Didn't Luke Samples of East Wilkes have a great career at Catawba College setting records and winning conference championships?
Ladowski was either the best or second best (behind Jefferson Boaz) quarterback never to play a down at Carolina. He went to Carolina as a baseball player but back problems hurt his play then. My understanding was the football coach wanted him to come out and the baseball coach said as soon as the football team picked up half of his full scholarship.
For Lincolnton I would probably have to go say either Charles Briggs or Goo Wyatt. Others you could make the argument for includes CJ Wilson, Sage Surratt, and Peanut Cunningham.
I remembered watching Goo and Charles Briggs. They were definitely good players. I didn’t get to see the others.
Any Maiden fans want to make their list. I could think of a few or so. But I rather the Maiden guys weight in on this one.
Wish he was helped more in classroom. Waste of great talent. Could have played D1.
Not a Maiden guy but some of the best Blue Devils I have seen include, Bruce Ikard, Caleb Farley, Matt Johnson, and THE Tommy Henry.
Carl Pickens for Muphy. Willie Brown was an amazing talent as well. I believe he had over 400yds rushing in one half.
I expect you were at the Thomasville game at Lincolnton. The Wolves jumped out big and held on. Did not expect them to lose in the title game.
