West Charlotte coach Sam Greiner had mixed emotions after Friday night’s win. Here’s why
Second-year West Charlotte football coach Sam Greiner’s team didn’t play on the first week of the 2021 high school football season, and the rust showed some on his team’s offense in its first game Friday at Harding.
Grenier led Harding to its first state title in more than 50 years during the 2017 season, but then spent three seasons out of coaching before taking the reins at West Charlotte. Coming back to the field where he had his best moments was emotional, but it was business as usual in the end as the visiting Lions opened the season with a convincing 20-8 win over the Rams.
Harding fell to 1-1 after beating Garinger last week.
“I’m very proud of our guys,” Grenier said. “It’s always tough having a bye week the first week of the season. Your first game is against someone who has already had a game and felt out the cramping and the conditioning,
“I love being here. I spent a lot of time here, so it’s bittersweet because I love all of those guys over there that coach.”
West Charlotte’s first offensive play of the season, an apparent 80-yard touchdown from quarterback Josh Mahatha to Endai McDowell, was called back for a penalty, causing the Lions to lose 15 yards. On their next series, Mahatha lobbed a perfect pass to AahQuorea Maye, but it fell through his hands at the goal line.
WIth 10:24 left in the second quarter, the mistakes continued as Mahatha and running back Ant Carpenter mistimed a snap, allowing Harding’s Julian Carmichael to pick up the fumble and return it to the Lions’ 47. A West Charlotte personal foul fueled a drive that led to a 4th-and-goal - and the Rams’ best chance to score - but running back Amoriea Jenkins was stuffed at the Lions’ 3 on fourth down.
The Lions answered with a 40-yard touchdown pass from Mahatha to receiver Khemaan Flemings capping off a nine-play, 97-yard drive just under two minutes before the half. providing the first scoring for either team.
While the Lions took some time to get going in the first half, Endai McDowell wasted no time proving a second-half spark, returning the opening kick of the second half 72 yards to put the Lions up 14-0 and set the tone for the rest of the game..
“Coach said it was on me,” McDowell said. “But I said I was going to take it back for a kick return and that’s what I did. First off, I already knew I was going to the crib. I thought was going right, but I saw a hole to the left and I had to hit it hard. I had to finish it for my boys.”
After a stop on their next possession, Carpenter redeemed his miscue from earlier, pounding in a 7-yard touchdown run that put the Lions up 20-0.
Harding made a late push, but the Lions defense held strong for the win.
Overall, the Rams struggled to move the ball early, but they were able to bounce back from an 0-7 COVID-shortened 2021 spring season during which they scored a total of 20 points.