High school football kicks off with these 9 games to watch
Charlotte Catholic at Charlotte Christian, 7 p.m.: The defending public school 3A champion visits the defending private school 3A king, and the game is loaded with standout players. Catholic’s ground game and Charlotte Christian’s passing attack are among the area’s best. Get there early.
Harding at Hough, 7 p.m.: Another stellar Mecklenburg contest, featuring the defending state 4A champion (Harding) and last year’s 4AA regional finalist (Hough). Harding running back Quavaris Crouch is considered the nation’s best at his position. Hough’s defense has at least seven starters expected to play major-college football.
Vance at West Mecklenburg, 7 p.m.: Yet another big game? Vance was a 4A regional finalist last year, with quarterback Nigel Summerville passing for nearly 3,000 yards. The Hawks counter with QB Preston Brown and wide receiver Khafre Brown, a major-college recruit.
Indian Trail Porter Ridge at Waxhaw Cuthbertson, 7:30 p.m.: QB Grayson McCall and RB Jaylen Coleman lead an offense expected to make Porter Ridge a playoff power. Cuthbertson has 12 starters back from a team that finished strong last season, upsetting Alexander Central in the first round of the 3AA playoffs.
Lenoir Hibriten at Concord Jay M. Robinson, 7:30 p.m.: Hibriten has 19 starters back from a team that went 16-0 and won the 2AA state title. Jay M. Robinson has most of the offense back from a team that reached the 3A state semifinals.
Newton Fred T. Foard at Maiden, 7:30 p.m.: Maiden went 11-0 in the regular season last fall but lost in the first round of the playoffs to Foard. Both teams are loaded this year and are Catawba County rivals.
Rock Hill Northwestern at Rock Hill South Pointe, 7:30 p.m.: Northwestern QB Dustin Holler threw for 3,100 yards last year as a sophomore, but he faces a South Pointe defense led by DB Jaylen Mahoney (a Wake Forest commit). This Rock Hill rivalry pits a 5A power against the defending state 4A champion.
Scotland County vs. Butler, at Memorial Stadium, 5 p.m. Saturday: Scotland County was 4A state runner-up a year ago and features RB Syheam McQueen, who rushed for nearly 800 yards in 2017 while Zamir White (now at Georgia) was injured. Butler is loaded, with 14 returning starters, including QB Christian Peters and WR-DB Keyon Lesane.
Dutch Fork (SC) vs. Mallard Creek, at Memorial Stadium, 8 p.m. Saturday: Two-time reigning S.C. 5A champion Dutch Fork is led by QB Ty Olenchuk, RB Ron Hoff and WR Jalin Hyatt. Mallard Creek has won three state titles in the past five years and was runner-up in 2017. The Mavericks are loaded with major-college recruits, including OL Parker Moorer, OL Katrel Shaw and RB Trent Simpson.
Steve Lyttle
This story was originally published August 16, 2018 at 12:31 PM.