A new conference brings new hope for several Charlotte-area prep football teams
First-year Hopewell High football coach Brandon Sneed was offensive coordinator at Mallard Creek before he took his new job.
He was very familiar with coaching and playing in a Queen City conference that might’ve been the toughest in North Carolina. Almost every week in league play, there was a game against a state title contender.
So when the N.C. High School Athletic Association created new conferences this year, as part of a scheduled realignment, Hopewell left the Queen City conference — which included three-time NCHSAA state champ Mallard Creek and two-time state champions West Charlotte and Chambers — and moved into the new Greater Charlotte Athletic Conference.
The GCAC — can we call it that? — held its first media day Wednesday afternoon at Hough. Sneed and several coaches said they were excited about the chance to play in a league that, outside of the nationally ranked Huskies from Hough, should be a lot more balanced.
“We don’t have the volume of heavyweights we’ve had in the conference before,” Sneed said. “I think that’s safe to say.”
Hough reached the N.C. 4A state quarterfinals last season and returns a deep and balanced team. But the rest of the league should be a scramble.
None of the other five conference teams had a winning record last season — Garinger (0-10), Hopewell (3-7), Myers Park (4-6), South Mecklenburg (3-7) and West Mecklenburg (3-7).
That should change in 2025.
“I think there will be an overall increase in competitiveness for the league,” Sneed said. “Last year, unfortunately, it was like the haves and have-nots in terms of the (league) games. So I think this will be a much more entertaining league for that reason, and we’re all trying to chase and catch up to Hough any way we can.”
West Mecklenburg has not had a winning season since 2021, but the Hawks feel like the 2025 season can be a special one. And this new league adds to that.
“This new conference is still hard,” said Hawks junior running back Shawn Blackshear. “We still have Hough, but I feel like we have a better chance of making a playoff berth and having a winning season. I feel like we should get to Round 3 of the playoffs this year. We want it more now. And this year is serious for me. It’s my junior year and I feel like I need to put the city on notice.”
Hopewell and West Mecklenburg were conference mates in past years, but players from both teams — like those at South Meck and Myers Park and Garinger — have a little added motivation this year, they said.
“I feel like we have a better chance of competing,” Hopewell’s Randrez Lyons said. “It’s exciting.”
And Sneed, his coach, said that kind of attitude can make all the difference when you’re trying to turn around a program.
Hopewell has not had a winning season since 2010.
“Naturally,” Sneed said, “when you really believe in something, believe that you have a shot, it’s probably going to increase your belief. It’s hard to go out there if you feel like there’s not much of a chance of success. But I don’t think we feel that way right now.”
This story was originally published July 31, 2025 at 5:30 AM.
