The 2010 football season was one for the ages as far as local high school teams are concerned.
But the 2011 season is set to begin Aug. 18 with Week 0 games and there are questions, new coaches, new players at key positions and excitement that builds every July around this time.
Who will be the players that get folks talking this year? It will be hard to top what happened around here in 2010. South Pointe's Jadeveon Clowney, a 6-6, 250-pound defensive end, was named the nation's top overall player by most scouting services. He waited until Feb. 14 to sign. The event was shown live on ESPN. An estimated 100 media representatives were there to report on his choice, South Carolina.
Northwestern quarterback Justin Worley broke nearly every state passing record and moved into the top 10 in several categories for national records. Worley committed early and followed though of signing day on Feb. 2. He was already enrolled at his school, Tennessee, after graduating after the first semester. Worley, 6-5, 200 pounds and with a cannon arm, was named Gatorade's National Player of the Year.
Northwestern went 15-0 - the school's first undefeated season in football - and won the Class AAAA DII state championship. South Pointe played in the Class AAA championship game but lost to Myrtle Beach. Westminster Catawba played in the Christian School's state championship and lost to First Assembly of Concord, N.C., coached by former Carolina Panther Mike Minter.
There is life left and area teams will again be in the mix for postseason honors. but there have been some major changes.
Five schools have new coaches:
One of the state's most successful coaches, Northwestern's Jimmy "Moose'' Wallace, stepped down and Kyle Richardson, the team's offensive coordinator, was promoted to head the program.
Bobby Carroll, who built South Pointe's team from the ground up into a powerhouse, left for the vacant job in York, his hometown. Carroll's Stallions beat Northwestern in the 2008 Class AAAA DII state championship game.
South Pointe defensive coordinator Strait Herron was hired to replace Carroll.
Clover lost Jet Turner, who led the Blue Eagles' move from Class AAA to Class AAAA with ease. Clover won the Region 3-AAAA title in 2006, then won the Class AAAA Division II state championship in 2007.
Turner's replacement is Dan Devine, who had a successful career just across the state line at South Point of Belmont, N.C.
Nation Ford turned loose the only coach it's had since the school opened four years ago, Rusty Jester, and gave the job to Mike Allen. He is the son of former Fort Mill football coach Gus Allen.
So will there be drop-offs or will the new coaches be able to sustain what the old coaches left behind? In this part of the state, the answer is usually the latter.
Teams can begin preseason practice July 29 and can dress in full gear Aug. 2. Scrimmages are allowed beginning Aug. 4. Week 0 is Aug. 18. Week 1, the official beginning of the season, is Aug 25. Week 0 is in place to allow teams with an open date to start a week early if a game can be scheduled.
Class AAAA teams are allowed 11 regular season games. Those in the three lower classes can play 10.
2011 LOCAL FOOTBALL SCHEDULES
CHESTER
8-19;Abbeville at Chester
8-26;Lewisville at Chester
9-2;Chester at Lancaster
9-9;Central at Chester
9-16;St. Jude N.C. at Chester
9-23;Open
9-30;Chester at York
10-7;Fort Mill at Chester
10-14;Chester at Nation Ford
10-21;South Pointe at Chester
10-28;Chester at Fairfield Central
CLOVER
8-19;Clover at South Point N.C.
8-26;Forestview NC at Clover
9-2;Ashbrook N.C. at Clover
9-9;Clover at Fort Mill
9-16;York at Clover
9-23;Sun Valley NC at Clover
9-30;OPEN
10-7;Gaffney at Clover
10-14;Clover at Spartanburg
10-21;Northwestern at Clover
10-28;Clover at Rock Hill
11-4;Clover at Lancaster
FORT MILL
8-26;Fort Mill at Lugoff-Elgin
9-2;Ridge View at Fort Mill
9-9;Clover at Fort Mill
9-16;Fort Mill at Lewisville
9-23;Fort Mill at Broome
9-30;South Pointe at Fort Mill
10-7;Fort Mill at Chester
10-14;Fort Mill at York
10-21;Fairfield Central at Fort Mill
10-28;Nation Ford at Fort Mill
GREAT FALLS
8-26;Nation Ford at Great Falls
9-2;Andrew Jackson at Great Falls
9-9;Carolina Pride at Great Falls
9-16;Mt. Zion Christian at Great Falls
9-23;Great Falls at Buford
9-29;Great Falls at C.A. Johnson
10-7;North Central at Great Falls
10-14;Great Falls at McBee
10-21;Chesterfield at Great Falls
10-28;Lewisville at Great Falls
INDIAN LAND
8-26;Indian Land at Buford
9-2;Blacksburg at Indian Land
9-9;Indian Land at Whitmire
9-16;McBee at Indian Land
9-23;North Central at Indian Land
9-30;Andrew Jackson at Indian Land
10-7;Indian Land at Cheraw
10-14;Indian Land at Central
10-21;Indian Land at Lee Central
10-28;Buford at Indian Land
LANCASTER
8-26;Lancaster at Andrew Jackson
9-2;Chester at Lancaster
9-9;Buford at Lancaster
9-16;Lancaster at Spring Valley
9-23;Lancater at Ridge View
9-30;Lancaster at Blythewood
10-7;Rock Hill at Lancaster
10-13;Lancaster at Northwestern
10-21;Lancaster at Gaffney
10-28;Spartanburg at Lancaster
11-4;Clover at Lancaster
LEWISVILLE
8-19;York at Lewisville
8-26;Lewisville at Chester
9-2;Central at Lewisville
9-9;Lewisville at Nation Ford
9-16;Fort Mill at Lewisville
9-30;McBee at Lewisville
10-7;Lewisville at Chesterfield
10-14;Lewisville at North Central
10-21;C.A. Johnson at Lewisville
10-28;Lewisville at Great Falls
NATION FORD
8-19;Nation Ford at Forestview N.C.
8-26;Nation Ford at Great Falls
9-2;Rock Hill at Nation Ford
9-9;Lewisville at Nation Ford
9-16;Open
9-23;Nation Ford at Northwestern
9-30;Fairfield Central at Nation Ford
10-7;South Pointe at Nation Ford
10-14;Chester at Nation Ford
10-21;Nation Ford at York
10-28;Nation Ford at Fort Mill
NORTHWESTERN
8-26;Northwestern at South Pointe
9-2;Northwestern at York
9-9;Northwestern at Ridge View
9-16;Northwestern at Blythewood
9-23;Nation Ford at Northwestern
9-30;North Augusta at Northwestern
10-7;Spartanburg at Northwestern
10-14;Lancaster at Northwestern
10-21;Northwestern at Clover
10-28;Northwestern at Gaffney
11-4;Rock Hill at Northwestern
ROCK HILL
8-26;Rock Hill at Greer
9-2;Rock Hill at Nation Ford
9-9;Rock Hill at York
9-16;South Pointe at Rock Hill
9-23;Blythewood at Rock Hill
9-29;Ridge View at Rock Hill
10-7;Rock Hill at Lancaster
10-14;Gaffney at Rock Hill
10-21;Rock Hill at Spartanburg
10-28;Clover at Rock Hill
11-4;Rock Hill at Northwestern
SOUTH POINTE
8-26;Northwestern at South Pointe
9-2;AFC Rangers at South Pointe
9-10;West Rowan N.C. at South Pointe
9-16;South Pointe at Rock Hill
9-23;Spartanburg at South Pointe
9-30;South Pointe at Fort Mill
10-7;South Pointe at Nation Ford
10-14;Fairfield Cental at South Pointe
10-21;South Pointe at Chester
10-28York at South Pointe
YORK
8-19;York at Lewisville
8-26;York at Broome
9-2;Northwestern at York
9-9;Rock Hill at York
9-16;York at Clover
9-30;Chester at York
10-7;York at Fairfield Central
10-14;Fort Mill at York
10-21;Nation Ford at York
10-28;York at South Pointe
WESTMINSTER CATAWBA
8-19;W.Catawba at SouthLake
8-26;Cannon N.C. at W. Catawba
9-27;W. Catawba at Providence Day N.C.
9-9;W. Catawba at Christ School N.C.
9-16;Metrolina N.C. at W. Catawba
9-23;Victory N.C. at W. Catawba
9-30;W. Catawba at Forsyth CD N.C.
10-7;W.Catawba at First Assembly N.C.
10-14;W. Catawba at Hickory Grove N.C.
10-28;St. Jude HomeSchool N.C. TBA
Barry Byers 329-4099
