Langston Wertz Jr.

Langston Wertz Jr.: Richmond Senior football coach Paul Hoggard must feel like his team is the eighth member of Mecklenburg County's Southwestern 4A conference.

Langston Wertz Jr.: In 1963, when Monroe High's football team went 10-0 in the regular season, Johnny Sowell was an infant. Forty-six years later, Sowell is the coach and the face of the school.

Langston Wertz Jr.: It's a tough job being coach for the Shrine Bowl team. ... Someone really good is always left off. And guess who gets all the complaints?

Langston Wertz Jr.: Independence High football coach Tom Knotts says defenses in North Carolina are getting better.

The video game "Rock Band" is about to spawn a real-life rock band.

Langston Wertz Jr.: Butler is transforming into a legitimate national power in front of our eyes.

Langston Wertz Jr.: Mallard Creek High sophomore Mohammad Sirleaf was rather popular Tuesday.

Langston Wertz Jr.: Don't know that I ever remember a year, after 21 years of doing this, where we had so many great quarterbacks in the area.

Langston Wertz Jr.: The N.C. High School Athletic Association is talking about shortening the playoffs in all sports, including football and basketball. It's a long overdue idea, and I have a few suggestions.

Thursday afternoon, the N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association suspended Providence Day coach Bruce Hardin and Concord First Assembly's Mike Minter from Friday's games.