Inside Cabarrus County high school football: 10 top players, notes, can’t-miss games
10 Players To Watch
Name | School | Pos. | Class | Comment |
John Brosnahan | Cox Mill | K | Sr. | Kicking game matters, and Brosnahan was all-conference last season |
Jeremy Davis | A.L. Brown | OL/DL | Sr. | All-conference star will anchor the lines in Kannapolis |
Will Exson | Cannon School | WR/DB | Sr. | All-state star one of 28 lettermen back from state semifinalist |
Jarett Garner | Hickory Ridge | WR | Sr. | Had 60 catches for 1,300 yards, 14 TDs as a junior |
Jalan Miller | Concord Robinson | OL | Sr. | 6-3, 320-pounder will help anchor line for team that was 10-3 last season |
Matthew Quates | Concord Robinson | OL | Sr. | 6-1, 305-pounder will pair with Miller to create a massive line |
Gage Redmond | Mount Pleasant | DT/OL | Sr. | Team has won 27 games in three seasons; had 108 tackles last year |
Rick Sandidge | Concord | DE | Sr. | Top 150 national recruit will also play some TE |
Seth Sturdivant | Concord First Assembly | QB | Sr. | 1,800 yards passing and 20 TDs, and has all-state WR D’Wayne Crawford back, too |
Najee Williams | A.L. Brown | DE | Sr. | Quick end had 24 tackles for losses last season plus 10 sacks |
Notes
▪ A.L. Brown returns to the Cabarrus-based South Piedmont 3A after several seasons in a 4A Mecklenburg County league. The Wonders, who return nine starters and 33 lettermen, should be a league favorite.
▪ Coached by former Carolina Panther Brad Hoover, Cannon School was 6-6 last season and reached the N.C. Independent Schools Division II semifinals for the second straight season. Hoover has 14 starters back with plans to reach the finals.
▪ Concord First Assembly was 8-3 last season, its best since 2011. The team averaged 40 points per game and has key skill players returning. ... Hickory Ridge, a 2016 3AA semifinalist, moves into the Mecklenburg County-centric Southwestern 4A but returns 12 starters and 28 lettermen, including RB Jeremiah Boyd (1,328 yards, 14 TDs) and LBs Connor Helm (180 tackles) and Cal Wallerstedt (160).
Can’t Miss Games
Concord at Hough, Sept. 1: Concord steps up in class to face one of Mecklenburg County’s better 4A programs.
Concord Robinson at AL Brown, Oct. 27: Two South Piedmont 3A favorites will face off.
Concord at A.L. Brown, Nov. 3.: What’s changed? One of the nation’s oldest rivalries returns to the end of the regular season, where it belongs. What’s not changed? Winner gets the Victory Bell and bragging rights.
This story was originally published August 11, 2017 at 2:52 PM with the headline "Inside Cabarrus County high school football: 10 top players, notes, can’t-miss games."