Carolina Panthers hosting top HS football teams at NFL stadium. Who’s playing?
Two reigning N.C. state high school football champions and two regional powerhouses will meet at the annual Carolina Panthers Keep Pounding High School Classic this fall.
Hough High School, from Cornelius, will play Rock Hill’s South Pointe High, and West Charlotte, the reigning N.C. 3A state champion, will meet reigning N.C. 4A champion Grimsley High, from Greensboro.
The doubleheader will kick off Friday, Aug. 22, at Bank of America Stadium with Hough vs. South Pointe at 4 p.m., followed by West Charlotte-Grimsley at 8 p.m. General admission tickets are $8 and are available now via Ticketmaster.
“Belk takes great pride in celebrating the communities we serve and the moments that bring us together,” said Don Hendricks, CEO of Belk, presenting sponsor of the football doubleheader. “This incredible event put on by the Carolina Panthers highlights the talent, determination and spirit of young athletes across our region and we are honored to be a part of it.”
West Charlotte coach Sam Greiner said his team is excited about the opportunity — both to play in the same stadium as the NFL’s Panthers, but also to face Grimsley.
“Man, it’s playing against the state champions, recognizably the best team in the state last year,” Greiner said. “Grimsley is well-coached and has unbelievable talent, and they beat three (powerhouse) teams from the Charlotte-area (in the playoffs) last year, so it’s unbelievable opportunity to try to take down such a team that’s been so dominant.”
The early game will feature a pair of teams expected to compete for state championships.
Hough was 12-2 last season and lost, 35-28, to Grimsley in the state quarterfinals. South Pointe was 11-3 last season and reached the S.C. 4A semifinals. The Stallions have won seven state championships. Hough cornerback Samari Matthews is a top 75 national recruit and No. 7 in North Carolina.
Hough will move up to the 8A class this year, as North Carolina will change from a four-classification system to eight, based on enrollment last fall. Grimsley will be in the 7A class. West Charlotte will be 8A.
“We’re recognized as the bigger school now,” Greiner said of playing Grimsley. “But the talent isn’t changing.”
Grimsley is ranked No. 16 nationally by Sports Illustrated in its “Way Too Early” preseason poll. Whirlies’ QB Faizon Brandon is the No. 1 recruit in North Carolina and No. 6 overall nationally. He has committed to Tennessee.
Greiner’s team at West Charlotte returns 19 of 22 starters from a 13-2 team that won West Charlotte’s second NCHSAA state championship in December and it’s first since 1995.
Greiner said he and his team are excited for a chance to play a team like Grimsley on such a big stage.
“How often do you get the opportunity to start this way,” he said. “The first game we play could be the hardest game we play the entire year. Preparation starts now. Weight room starts now, and spring practice is right around the corner. It’s almost like a carrot game. You’ve got the prize in front of you and you chase it. They have the best QB in the nation, and we really like our guy (rising junior QB Jamouri Nichols), and it’s a great opportunity for him to showcase how good he is, and we plan on protecting the city. This game isn’t at West Charlotte, but we’re going to treat this as a home game.”
This story was originally published April 14, 2025 at 8:45 AM.
