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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.
You hear a lot about guys like Independence's Anthony Carrothers or Butler's Christian LeMay, who are both national player of the year candidates, and Mallard Creek's Marquise Williams, who is a candidate for the N.C. player of the year award. Rock Hill Northwestern's Justin Worley, Weddington's Anthony Boone and Northwest Cabarrus' Jeremy Cannon are national recruits.
You may not hear so much about guys like Catawba Bandys Kyle Houser, who has more than 6,000 career yards, or West Rowan's B.J. Sherrill, who accounted for six touchdowns in Friday's 69-14 win over Carson. But these guys can play, too.
I found another great one at Providence High Friday night, where Panthers junior Chauncey Concepcion danced and darted his way past and around normally sure-tackling Independence. The Patriots simply couldn't get him down and Concepcion kept making big plays. Concepcion threw for 231 yards in the 31-27 loss and had a final pass in the air that could've beaten the Patriots. He rushed for 52 yards. He's the same size (5-foot-9) as Carrothers and throws a similar pretty spiral. For the season, he's thrown for 1,627 yards and 14 touchdowns.
"He's a notch below Anthony," Independence coach Tom Knotts said, but he was thoroughly impressed with the Panthers QB.
I was, too.
•Providence has struggled with injuries all season. Ten regulars missed the season-opening 27-17 loss to Richmond Senior. Knotts has said all season that the Panthers would be a dangerous team. They're beginning to look like it now, finally healthy. Providence's receiving corps - Braxton Deaver, Brandon Braxton, Jarrid McKinney and Damon Magazu - are big and talented. The Panthers have good size and a tough running back in Chris Williams.
"They've got all the weapons," Knotts said. "I don't see why anybody thinks that Providence is not a great team."
So here's a game to mark on your calendar: Sweet 16 No. 1 Butler at Providence Oct. 23.
•Last thought on Providence-Independence: Loved how the players on both teams found each other after the handshake line to offer more hugs and congratulations. Nice spirit of sportsmanship there.
•Concord First Assembly is having a strong year at 7-0 and averaging more than 335 yards per game. First Assembly beat Forsyth Country Day 26-16 Friday, earning its ninth straight home win. The defense averages four sacks per game. Three players earned private school Shrine Bowl honors: Tony Moore, Brandon Stegall and Ansley Miller. Friday, the team hosts Huntersville's Southlake Christian, the last team to beat the Eagles at home.
•Neat moment at the Mallard Creek-Vance junior varsity game Thursday. The Mavericks beat Vance 41-13, playing the game for coach David Brooks, who lost his 90-year-old father, Lawrence, the weekend before.
"They played their butts off for him," JV assistant Edward Chambers said. "He was crying right before the game. It was a very emotional win."
•Sunday's "60 Minutes" (7 p.m., WBTV, Channel 3) will feature a segment on the dangers of concussions. Dr. Ann McKee, a Boston University neuropathologist, studied 16 athletes, including 11 football players, and identified a disease called Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy in every one. The disease eats away at brain cells and can lead to dementia.
"Athletes can run almost 20 miles an hour and their size and their weight would be equivalent to crashing a car into a brick wall going 40, 45 miles an hour," said Dr. Robert Cantu, who treats former New England Patriot Ted Johnson."A lot of times I didn't get my vision back before the next snap," Johnson said. "I couldn't see my defensive coordinator signaling in because my vision was still blurred."
