Sweet 16 Preview: Yes they have a UNC recruit, but don’t call Hickory Ridge a 1-man team
Editor’s Note: The Observer is taking a look at the 16 teams that are ranked in the preseason Sweet 16 prep football poll, released in random order. The true order of the teams will be revealed later this month.
Hickory Ridge wide receiver Christian Hamilton wants you to know that the Ragin’ Bulls are not a one-player team.
Hamilton, a four-star wide receiver committed to North Carolina, actually wants you to know they are far, far from it.
“Everybody sleeps on us,” Hamilton said, “but we’ve just got to show out, and everybody has to execute and we can be great. I know they just look at me like I’m the only person on the team, but everybody on my team can play.”
Honestly, a year ago, that “one-man team” thing was also hovering around Hickory Ridge, which went onto finish 9-3, win the Greater Metro 4A conference championship and reach the second round of the N.C. 4A playoffs. Along the way, Hickory Ridge came within a whisker of beating national power Chambers in the regular-season and then gave the Cougars a fit in the playoffs.
This year, 10 starters and 35 lettermen return from that ‘21 Hickory Ridge team, and there’s enough promising young talent returning that fourth-year coach Jupiter Wilson, a former starting lineman at UNC, has some pretty lofty expectations.
“I’m cautiously optimistic,” Wilson said, before beginning to sound like he was not cautiously optimistic. “I’ve got a lot of talent. We’re missing some seniors (graduated) from the offensive line and quarterback, but the guys stepping in are probably as good. Defensively, we can be as good as anybody, especially at linebacker...They’re as good as anybody I’ve coached.”
On that defense, Wilson expects big nights every Friday from guys like defensive back Jamari Rogers-Freeman and that linebacking corp, which includes Kyle Perry, Jordan Wilkes, Vincent Tuders and Luke Gilbertson.
And on offense, the Bulls have a bona-fide star in Hamilton, but plenty of skill talent, including a new quarterback — 6-foot-5 junior Caden Haywood — that Wilson just gushes about.
“He can really, really throw the ball,” Wilson said. “He can sling it. He plays basketball and baseball and is a really good baseball prospect. He’ll be the guy, and probably in the last week of practice, he’s had the best week I’ve seen a quarterback have.”
When we asked Hamilton about his new quarterback, he would only smile and shake his head.
“Man, he’s good,” Hamilton said. “I’m not going to say anything, but watch out for him.”
And all that may be true about Haywood and the defense — and even about the confidence that Wilson said his team has shown after battling Chambers and winning conference last year.
But how well the Bulls will do this year will rest heavily on the shoulders of their star.
“He gives you a sense of comfort,” Wilson said. “You just know in the game, when things are tight, you get the ball in his hands and good things happen...He can you a free seven- to 14-points per game.”
Hamilton calls himself an old soul. He doesn’t play much PlayStation or Xbox. “I would rather enjoy life,” he said, “than play videos games.”
The music on his phone includes some Drake and Lil’ Baby, but also includes heavy doses of Michael Jackson and New Edition.
On the field, he is ranked as the No. 11 prospect overall in North Carolina by 247 Sports. The service lists him as the No. 34 overall recruit nationally at his position.
Hamilton, who grew up a Clemson fan, had offers from schools like Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Texas A&M and Notre Dame. But when he got the offer from Dabo Swinney’s Tigers, a lot of people thought that would be his choice for college.
Including his coach.
Hamilton told Wilson that he would not take an official visit to Chapel Hill the week before his announcement. Wilson thought that would seal the deal for Clemson.
“I didn’t say anything to him about (his recruitment all along),” Wilson said. “I would joke to him and say, ‘If you go to (UNC), you might get about $40,000 worth of Jordans by the time you graduate.’ Honestly, I wanted him to figure it out on his own. I know he had a lot of colleges that wanted him. I got to make my decision and people let me do it. I wanted to make sure he did the same thing.”
Hamilton said he was still going to Clemson just two weeks before his commitment last month, but he said he fell in love with the players and coaching staff at North Carolina.
“It’s just a family atmosphere,” Hamilton said. “It’s more about a 40-year decision for me, too; what it can do for me after. Football won’t last forever.”
On the day of his commitment, Hamilton pulled off a big surprise. After he thanked everyone, he announced he was going to Clemson and unzipped his jacket, revealing an orange Clemson T-shirt. Then he grabbed a Clemson hat and put it on.
But then, just as the large crowd started cheering madly, he pulled off that Clemson shirt and revealed a navy UNC T-shirt underneath. His mom unzipped her jacket to show off another Tar Heel Tee.
The crowd went crazier.
“I just had to troll a little bit,” Hamilton said. “I know everybody thought my dream school was Clemson, but I had to switch things up. I just loved (Tar Heels) coach Mack Brown, (UNC receivers) coach (Lonnie) Galloway. It feels like I won’t have to adjust there.”
And with the college choice behind him, Hamilton just has a few goals: repeat as league champs, make a deep playoff run and prove, once and for all, that Hickory Ridge is about way more than just one guy.
“I’m telling you,” Hamilton said with a big grin, “we’ll be ready. I really think we’re going to surprise a lot of people this year.”
Inside Hickory Ridge Bulls
Head Coach: Jupiter Wilson (4th season, 22-10)
2021 Record: 9-3
Returning Lettermen: 35
Returning Starters: 10
Key Returnees: WR Christian Hamilton (5-11, 180, Sr.); LB Jordan Wilkes (6-1, 220, Sr.); LB Kyle Perry (5-11, 180, Sr.); DB Jamari Rogers-Freeman (5-8, 165, Sr.); LB Vincent Tuders (6-1, 210, Sr.); OL Justin Long (6-3, 270, Sr.); RB Aaron Carey (6-1, 210); QB Caden Haywood (6-5, 210, Jr.); LB Luke Gilbertson (5-11, 190, Sr.); WR Jalen Harris (6-3, 180, Jr.)
Fresh Faces: DT Jayden Hare (6-3, 310, Sr.); DT Jaylen Ussery (6-3, 305, Sr.)
PHOTO GALLERY: Hickory Ridge football
This story was originally published August 3, 2022 at 6:00 AM with the headline "Sweet 16 Preview: Yes they have a UNC recruit, but don’t call Hickory Ridge a 1-man team."
