Why South Caldwell High coach makes no apologies for team’s 1-10 record, playoff berth

When the N.C. High School Athletic Association playoffs continue with second round matchups Friday, some of the state’s heavyweight programs will be in action, often playing each other.

In Belmont, for example, four-time state champion Shelby visits 2016 champion South Point. In Matthews, two top 10 Sweet 16 teams -- 11-2 Myers Park and 8-2 Butler -- are playing for a quarterfinal berth

In Hudson, however, a high school football team that finished the season with one win is also playing in a second-round game. South Caldwell (1-10) will host Hickory Ridge (10-2).

“When I sat in the coaches clinic (last) summer and they were explaining the new playoff system and I looked at an assistant I had with me,” South Caldwell coach Marc Kirkpatrick said. “We looked at each other and said, ‘Theoretically, if we win one game, as long as we win the right one, in the conference we’re in, we get a home playoff game -- and a bye.’ I came back and told my other coaches and they all laughed at me. They kind of didn’t believe it.”

But because South Caldwell is only one of two 4A teams in the Northwestern conference, it essentially could win the league’s automatic 4A playoff berth by beating the other 4A team in the league, McDowell. South Caldwell beat McDowell 46-27 last month.

So a team that has lost four straight games and has been outscored 466-168 this season got the No. 2 overall seed in the 4A playoffs and was off last week.

“I look at it record-wise and I can see how you would say we’re not deserving,” Kirkpatrick said, “but it is how the conferences are set up. I took it as an opportunity to get a few more weeks of practice. I’ve seen some of these things on Twitter, where people are complaining, but I have no control over what the state does.”

So Kirkpatrick led his team in four days of practice last week and spent this week getting ready for Hickory Ridge. An assistant at the school for 18 years, this is Kirkpatrick’s first season as head coach.

The Spartans have won three games in the past two seasons.

“If I were on the outside looking in, I would agree with everybody that record-wise that a 1-10 team shouldn’t get in,” Kirkpatrick said. “Being on the inside, though, we’ll take it as an opportunity.

“You have to take opportunities when they come in life, and we’ll take advantage of what was given to us. Whether it’s right or wrong, that’s not our deal. But when an opportunity like this hits you in the face, you take advantage of it.”

This story was originally published November 15, 2017 at 7:03 PM with the headline "Why South Caldwell High coach makes no apologies for team’s 1-10 record, playoff berth."