Cabarrus County high school football previews includes players to watch, teams to watch and
▪ Kannapolis Brown’s offense will be state title potent: Brown returns seven offensive starters from a team that averaged 32 points per game. Coach Mike Newsome once had one of the state’s most prolific offenses at Butler. He may be on the verge of the same thing now.
▪ Mount Pleasant will make a state title run: with 28 lettermen and nine starters back from a third round playoff team, coach Michael Johns has a deep team. QB Chance Daquila (1,925 passing, 21 TDs), RB Garrett Overbay (1,275 yards) and LB Landon Honeycutt (104) all return.
▪ Northwest Cabarrus to make a jump: Northwest won six games last season, as many as in the previous three years combined. Expect the trend to continue this season with 13 starters, 30 lettermen back including QB Nick Wilds-Lawing (1,300 total yards, 20 TDs), running back Tyrese Blake (1,260 yards) and receiver Israel Sturdivant (700 yards receiving).
Derek Boykins, Central Cabarrus, LB/RB, 6-2,225, Sr.: South Carolina recruit is one of 15 starters returning from team trying to improve on 4-7 record.
Jordan Medley, Kannapolis Brown, QB/DB/ATH, 6-3,200, Sr.: Medley quarterbacked an offense that averaged more than 400 yards per game.
Garrett Williams, Harrisburg Hickory Ridge, DB, 6-0,185, Sr.: Syracuse commit had 68 tackles and three interceptions last season.
Butler at Harrisburg Hickory Ridge, Oct. 19: This game could go a long way towards deciding the Southwestern 4A championship. Butler, Hickory Ridge, Myers Park and Porter Ridge are all among league favorites.
Kannapolis Brown at Concord Robinson, Oct. 26: the two favorites from the South Piedmont conference meet in the next-to-last regular-season game. Could this decide the title?
Concord at Kannapolis Brown, Nov. 2: One of the nation’s oldest rivalries still burns hot, and the winner still gets the Victory Bell.
A. L. BROWN
Head Coach: Mike Newsome (8th year as A. L. Brown head coach; 158-44 overall; 64-27 at A. L. Brown; 94-17 at Butler).
2017 Record: 10-3 (4-1 in the South Piedmont conference).
2018 Conference: South Piedmont conference (SPC)/3A.
Returning Starters: 10 (7 offense; 3 defense).
Returning Letterman: 31
Key Returning Starters: Jordan Medley, Sr., QB/DB/ATH (6-3,200); Jaran Cooper, Sr., RB (6-0,225); Jnaz Jordan, Sr., DB (5-10,175); Nick Lyerly, Sr., RB/Slot (5-8,175); Kedric Bingley-Jones, Jr., DE/TE; Chandler Teal, Sr., OL (6-0,250); Justin Holsclaw, Sr., LB (6-2,215); Jalen Goode, Sr., OL (6-0,240); Antonio Knight, Sr., WR (6-2,180); Steven Robinson, Sr., TE (6-3,230); Darian Lott, Sr., DL (6-3,245).
Key Newcomers: Josiah Cauthen, Jr., DB (5-10,170); Jaren Lipscomb, Jr., DB (5-10,170); B. J. Foster, Jr., LB (6-1,230); Camari Collins, Sr., OL (6-1,260); Jatarius Mason, Jr., OL (6-2,260).
Outlook: Coach Mike Newsome has 29 wins in the last three seasons at A. L. Brown, and the Wonders appear to be on the verge of something big. This year, senior quarterback, Jordan Medley is back to lead a high-powered offense (408 yards per game last year) that will look to lead Brown back to the South Piedmont conference title.
-Jay Edwards
CANNON SCHOOL
Head Coach: Brad Hoover (4th year as Cannon head coach; 19-17 at Cannon School).
2017 Record: 7-5 (3-2 in the NCISAA Piedmont Athletic conference 6 (PAC 6)).
2018 Conference: PAC 6/NCISAA 4A.
Returning Starters: 15
Returning Letterman: 26
Key Returning Starters: Gabe Ortiz, Sr., RB (5-7,155); Timmy Jones, Sr., LB (6-3,195); Khayden Harris, Sr., WR/DB (6-3,185); Larkin Lancaster, Sr., QB/DB/WR (6-0,180); Patrick Carlson, Sr., WR/DB (5-8,165).
Key Newcomers: N/A.
Outlook: Former Carolina Panther standout Brad Hoover has built the Cannon School program into a consistent winner, advancing to the NCISAA Division II semifinals last year. This season, the Cougars are led by seniors in quarterback Larkin Lancaster, running back Gabe Ortiz (978 yards rushing last year) on offense and linebacker Timmy Jones (124 tackles last year) and defensive back Patrick Carlson on defense.
-Jay Edwards
CENTRAL CABARRUS
Head Coach: Kenneth McClamrock (2nd year as Central Cabarrus head coach).
2017 Record: 4-7 (1-4 in the South Piedmont conference).
2018 Conference: South Piedmont conference (SPC)/3A.
Returning Starters: 15
Returning Letterman: 40
Key Returning Starters: Derek Boykins, Sr., LB/RB (6-2,225); Hakim Simmons, Sr., LB (6-1,230); Christian Rameriz-Clayton, Sr., DL (5-9,225); DeAndre Boykins, So., ATH (5-11,175); Ke’Shawn Harvey, Jr., RB (5-11,185);
Key Newcomers: Riley Rowe, Jr., OL/LB (6-2,205); Jaden Cutting, Jr., DB (5-9,160).
Outlook: Central Cabarrus has been up and down the last four years going 21-25, including a 4-7 mark last season, where the Vikings lost five of their final six games to miss the playoffs. This year, 15 starters return to the lineup, including senior linebackers Derek Boykins (South Carolina commit) and Hakim Simmons. Along with junior running back Ke’Shawn Harvey, they give Central Cabarrus the playmakers on both sides of the ball to be a factor in the SPC race and get back into the playoffs, where their experience (40 lettermen back) should make them a tough matchup.
-Jay Edwards
COX MILL
Head Coach: Craig Stewart (6th year as Cox Mill head coach).
2017 Record: 3-8 (1-4 in the South Piedmont conference (SPC)).
2018 Conference: South Piedmont conference/3A.
Returning Starters: 12 (6 offense; 6 defense).
Returning Letterman: 28
Key Returning Starters: Terrell Dawkins, Sr., DL (6-4,240); Cody Cline, Sr., DB (6-1,170); Michael Lewis, Sr., WR (6-1,190); Dane Horton, Sr., QB (6-1,190); Davonte Dillard, Sr., DL (6-0,235).
Key Returnee: Cameron Webb, Sr., DB (5-11,160).
Key Newcomer: Jeylnn Barnett, So., RB (5-11,170).
Outlook: Cox Mill is 7-25 in the last three years combined but the Chargers do return 12 starters, led by senior quarterback Dane Horton and a strong defensive line, featuring major Division I prospect, Terrell Dawkins.
-Jay Edwards
CONCORD
Head Coach: Marty Paxton (1st year as Concord head coach; 12th year as head coach overall; 58-56 overall).
2017 Record: 5-7 (2-3 in the South Piedmont conference (SPC)).
2018 Conference: South Piedmont conference/3A.
Returning Starters: 11
Returning Letterman: 20
Key Returning Starters: Jourdan Heilig, Sr., LB (6-3,210); Sam Hartsell, Sr., OL (6-5,280); Clint Bost, Sr., LB (6-1,200); Ikym Hall, Sr., WR (6-1,155); Anthony Flores, Jr., DL (6-1,260).
Key Newcomers: N/A.
Outlook: The Spiders averaged 11 wins per season from 2010 to 2016, before falling below .500 for the first time since 2009, including a first-round playoff exit to Belmont’s Stuart Cramer. This year, former Hickory Ridge and Mooresville coach Marty Paxton looks to get things going back in the right direction. Concord will led by senior linebackers Jourdan Heilig (151 tackles last year) and Clint Bost (127 tackles) while a younger offense grows up on the fly.
-Jay Edwards CONCORD FIRST ASSEMBLY
Head Coach: Brad Lamb (1st year as Concord First Assembly head coach).
2017 Record: 6-6 (2-3 in the NCISAA PAC 6 conference).
2018 Conference: NCISAA PAC 6 conference/NCISAA 3A.
Returning Starters: 10
Returning Letterman: 10
Key Returning Starters: Kyle Howard, Sr., WR/FS (6-1,200); Tre Boyd, Sr., WR/SS (5-8,152); Brendan Graves, Sr., RB/LB (6-2,190); Josh Diaz, Jr., OT/NG (6-0,285); Jevon Myers, Jr., WR/DB (6-2,180); Raehmojhzn Rice, Sr., WR/DB (5-10,170); Tim Smith, Sr., WR/DE (6-5,190).
Key Returnees: Eric Bone, Sr., QB (6-2,215); Fred Peace, Jr., RB/LB (6-0,220).
Key Newcomers: Xander Lamb, Fr., WR/DB (5-11,150); Jarrett Robinson, So., QB/TE/DE (6-5,220).
Outlook: Former NFL player (Baltimore, Buffalo, Green Bay), Brad Lamb takes over a program that has 21 wins in the last three seasons, including a berth in the Division III semifinals last year.
