From summer heat to winter chill, NC high school football season provided memories

It seems like almost yesterday that I was writing to you about the first week of practices and upcoming games that would start the 2021 High School Football campaign, but in what seems like a blink of an eye, we’ve concluded the season and are all looking forward to the holidays.

The two-a-day practices that took place under the steamy August sun are now distant memories, and many of the thrilling victories and outstanding individual performances are stored away in our memory banks, but this 2021 season could go down as one of the best seasons in the state of North Carolina.

From the incredible college recruits that we have moving on major universities across the country, to the down-to-the-wire battle for the Mr. Football award, this season provided a lot of storylines and highlights that we’ll all cherish for many years to come.

In the culminating weekend in Raleigh and Chapel Hill, we also were able to see four action-packed championship games that seemed to be the exclamation mark at the end of an incredible year.

Defense rules in 4A

When a line of strong rainstorms swept through Carter-Finley Stadium on Saturday evening during the first quarter of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association 4A state championship game between Cardinal Gibbons and Julius Chambers High School, the heavy precipitation didn’t put a damper on the crowd, the players, or the intensity level on the field.

In fact, it was quite the opposite. The storm, which packed a powerful combination of 30 to 40 mile per hour winds and sheets of rain that blanketed the stadium, seemed to be the spark needed to open the flood gates for Cardinal Gibbons as they dominated the back-to-back champions from Charlotte to claim their first state title in school history with a 14-2 victory over the Cougars.

The Chambers defense was unable to slow down senior running back Donovan Sheppard who tallied 140 rushing yards on 29 carries, and quarterback Connor Clark, who connected with Maverick Shotwell on a 34-yard scoring strike in the first quarter was able to mix in some well-timed passes which kept the Cougar defenders off balance all night.

It was the defense however that really propelled Cardinal Gibbons to their first title as Will Mason led that 11-man wrecking crew in stopping on of the most potent offenses in the state all season long.

While the 4A championship game was certainly headliner, and the grand finale in a well-run four-game championship weekend by the NCHSAA, the other three games delivered some amazing action and excitement.

Offensive explosion

On Friday night in Chapel Hill, Dudley High School powered their way past a J.H. Rose team that simply wouldn’t quit. While the Panthers won the game 69-40, every time it appeared that the Rampants were out of it, they would find a way to make plays and keep themselves in the game.

Dudley quarterback Jamier Slade won the MVP honors for the game and dazzled fans with 115 yards passing, 102 yards rushing, and accounting for five touchdowns in the game.

Even in defeat, Rose quarterback Will Taylor carried his teammates on his back as he connected on 16 of 31 passes for 228 yards and three touchdowns, while Jayden Grimes, who hauled in nine catches for 150 yards was the Offensive MVP in the losing effort.

Even more offense

The fireworks provided in the 2A championship game will have fans talking for years. Shelby pulled away to a 55-34 victory over Wallace-Rose Hill, but the performances by Golden Lions quarterback Daylin Lee and Bulldogs running back Kanye Roberts were ones for the ages.

Roberts carried the ball 26 times for 253 yards and five touchdowns for Wallace-Rose Hill, and you could feel the energy in the stadium on each of his carries because players and fans on both sides knew he could take it the distance on any carry.

He electrified the stadium on the first possession when he rocketed down the sideline for a 56-yard touchdown, then just seemed to get stronger as the game went on.

Looking back, it could have been a swing-and-a-miss by some of us in the media not having him as a finalist for Mr. Football, because he was the real deal.

Not to be outdone, Daylin Lee connected on 20 of 26 passes for the Golden Lions for 313 yards and threw for five touchdowns, and speaking of Mr. Football, there is no question that Mr. Lee will be among the leaders in his senior campaign in 2022.

Consistency reigns

In the 1A championship final played at Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill, Tarboro did what Tarboro does, they won yet another state championship by defeating Mitchell 28-7.

The championship was the eighth in Tarboro history and running back Tobias Joyner put his name in the illustrious Tarboro record books by rushing for 132 yards and scoring two touchdowns while earning the game MVP honors, and the title is the seventh for head coach Jeff Craddock.

Closing the book on this tremendous season, it had some ups and downs, some teams still missed games due to COVID-19 and as always, weather delayed some games and jumbled up the schedule at times, but my hats are off to the players, coaches, and especially the athletic directors and administrators who kept the seasons on track.

I also applaud my colleagues in the media for doing their job to report and cover the sport, and I especially want to thank the fans out there who continue to follow their teams and show support to the local athletes in their communities.

Well, this closes the book for me on this football season, but you guys know I’ll be back in full-force next year.