Originally published at http://www.wsoctv.com/sports/high-school-football/channel-9-announces-big-22-players-to-watch-class-of-2017/526073455

WSOC-TV Channel 9 and High School Football Extra’s Big 22, brought to you by Bojangles’ Famous Chicken’n Biscuits, announced the 22 high school football players who have been determined as the top pre-season standouts from area high school teams for the 2017 season.  

They will be featured throughout the season on Channel 9’s weekly “High School Football Extra” show, along with in-depth coverage on wsoctv.com.  

Coaches from public and private high schools located in the WSOC-TV, Channel 9 DMA viewing area in North Carolina and South Carolina were asked to nominate three players from their team and two players from other schools to be considered for the “Big 22.”  

The final 22 were selected by the WSOC-TV sports department after reviewing the coaches’ nominations and using a set of judging criteria.

“Recognizing the 'Big 22' players is a great way to showcase these young athletes and demonstrates Channel 9’s ongoing commitment to our community,” said Joe Pomilla, WSOC-TV vice president and general manager.  

For the 2017 High School Football season, the “Big 22” are (in alphabetical order by last name):

• Josh Belk – Senior DT for Lewisville High School in Richburg, S.C.
• Deangelo Blair-Young – Senior RB/LB for South Mecklenburg High School in Charlotte, N.C.
• Elijah Bowick – Junior WR for Myers Park High School in Charlotte, N.C.
• British Brooks – Senior RB for Ashbrook High School in Gastonia, N.C.
• Dyami Brown – Senior WR/DB for West Mecklenburg High School in Charlotte, N.C.
• Elijah Brown – Senior DT for Providence Day School in Charlotte, N.C.
• Quavaris Crouch – Junior RB for Harding University High School in Charlotte, N.C.
• Caleb Deveaux – Senior RB for Marvin Ridge High School in Waxhaw, N.C.
• Jarett Garner – Senior WR for Hickory Ridge High School in Harrisburg, N.C.
• Dax Hollifield – Senior LB for Shelby High School in Shelby, N.C.
• Khamal Howard – Senior RB for East Mecklenburg High School in Charlotte, N.C.
• Sam Howell – Junior QB for Sun Valley High School in Monroe, N.C.
• Cole Jackson – Senior RB for Lake Norman High School in Mooresville, N.C.
• Derion Kendrick – Senior QB for South Pointe High School in Rock Hill, S.C.
• Gerald Nathan Jr. – Senior LB for Vance High School in Charlotte, N.C.
• Nijere Peoples – Senior RB for Butler High School in Matthews, N.C.
• Brady Pope – Senior QB for South Iredell High School in Statesville, N.C.
• Porter Rooks – Sophomore WR for Providence Day School in Charlotte, N.C.
• Rick Sandidge Jr. – Senior DL for Concord High School in Concord, N.C.
• Markees Watts – Senior DE for Lancaster High School in Lancaster, S.C.
• Shamari Wingard – Senior CB for Ardrey Kell High School in Charlotte, N.C.
• Justus Woods – Senior RB for Charlotte Christian School in Charlotte, N.C. 

The “Big 22” players will also be featured on “High School Football Extra Kickoff,” a LIVE prime-time special airing Wednesday, Aug. 16, at 7 p.m. on WSOC-TV Channel 9.  

“High School Football Extra” will air Fridays on Channel 9 at 11:35 p.m. starting August 18.

Concord won a wild back and forth turnover filled game over Anson Friday night at Robert C. Bailey Stadium. 

Brandon Barnhardt opened the scoring for Concord with a 22 yard field goal after the opening drive stalled in Anson territory. Later Spider cornerback Larry Johnson would add an interception off Anson quarterback Dennis Rorie. A few plays later Sean Willix would hit Jimmy Drye for a 73 yard touchdown pass to put the Spiders up 10-0. Anson’s next possession would end with another interception, this time by Spider Thomas Pack (pictured above).

10

40

The Spiders fell to Sun Valley 40-10 on the road Friday at Spartan Stadium. 

The first half saw the Spiders move the ball well with Sophomore Sean Willix taking over at quarterback. Despite gaining yardage Concord was unable to capitalize on several opportunities in the first half. Kicker Brandon Barnhardt would add a 27 yard field goal to put the Spiders on top 3-0. Later in the second half Sun Valley picked off a Willix pass after a tip. The Spartans would take advantage and go up 7-3 on a 2 yard run by Vincent Davis. The first half would end with the Spartans up 7-3. 

Sun Valley would receive the kickoff in the second half and wasted little time scoring only 24 seconds into the 3rd quarter. Later after a Concord fumble the Spartans would strike again. The Spartans would add several big plays and a key defensive stop to take control of the game at 26-3 early in the 4th quarter. 

The Spartans would add two more scores in the 4th to bring the final score to 40-10.

Concord moved the ball well but could not take advantage of some key opportunities. QB Sean Willix performed well in his first start at QB going 15-24 for 404 yards and 1 touchdown. Roger Smith added over 300 all-purpose yards and Jimmy Drye had 9 catches for 134 yards and a touchdown.

Concord will return to action next Friday as they host Anson at Robert C. Bailey Stadium.

Click here for photos from Dale Barbee.

Stats courtesy Scott Dyer and Billy Lyerly. 

49

6

The Spiders defeated Porter Ridge 49-6 Friday night at Bonterra Stadium. 

The Spiders struck early with Antonio Moore finding Evann Carpenter for a long touchdown pass on the Spider's first possession. The Pirates would score on a fumble return to make the score 7-6.

Concord's Roger Smith would score on a 6 yard run early in the 2nd to put Concord up 13-6. Later Antonio Moore would find Jimmy Drye for a 25 yard touchdown. Roger Smith wold add the 2 point conversion run.

Spider defender Matt Josey recovered a Porter Ridge fumble to set the Spider's offense up in Pirate territory. After a long run by QB Antonio Moore Norman Young (pictured) would add a short touchdown run. Lededrick Posey would add the 2 point conversion run. Before halftime Jaquise Moore would haul in a touchdown pass to put the Spiders up 36-6.

In the 3rd quarter Roger Smith rambled 80 yards on a spectacular winding run. Smith's run setup Antwan Haynie's 5 yard touchdown run. Haynie would add another touchdown run the put the Spider's up 49-6.

Antonio Moore would finish 7-8 for 160 yards and 3 touchdowns. Roger Smith added 144 yards and a touchdown. 

Concord's defense did not yield any points. Nathanial Sedergren led all defenders with 8 tackles.

With the win Concord moves to 3-2 and 3-0 in the SPC heading into the bye week. Concord returns to action October 5 against Sun Valley.

Stats courtesy Billy Lyerly and Scott Dyer.

Photos by Dale Barbee.

31

14

Concord defeated Hickory Ridge 31-14 Friday night on a rainy night at Robert C. Bailey Stadium.

Things started poorly for Concord as Dominique Posey fumbled the opening kickoff and the Ragin' Bulls recovered. The Bulls took advantage of the short field quickly as QB Brett Lilly found WR Martin Murrell for a 28 yard touchdown. Return problems would continue for Concord as the Bulls would recover another Posey fumble on the ensuing kickoff. However Concord's defense would hold and force a Hickory Ridge punt. Concord would be forced to punt on the possession but the snap sailed over punter Brandon Barnhardt's head. After the turnover Concord's defense would hold as the Bull's field goal attempt sailed wide left. After a blocked Concord punt Hickory Ridge jumped out to a 14-0 lead after Chase Stout's 3 yard run. 

In the 2nd quarter Concord's offense would get going. QB Antonio Moore would scramble 25 yards for the Spiders first score. Concord defender Norman Young would recover a fumble on the next possession. A few plays later Antonio Moore would find Jimmy Drye on a 13 yard touchdown pass. Later Roger Smith would add a 33 yard touchdown run. Later facing a 4th down at midfield the Spiders faked a punt with Ben Brill finding Dominique Posey who advanced the ball deep into Ragin' Bull territory. Brandon Barnhardt would add a 37 yard field goal to put the Spider's up 24-14 at the half.

As the second half began Roger Smith picked up where he left off in the first half adding another score this time covering 17 yards. The defense and sloppy weather would control the rest of the game. With a storm approaching the game was called with 4:16 remaining after officials spoke with both head coaches. 

The ground game would carry the Spiders on a wet night. Roger Smith rushed for 241 yards and QB Antonio Moore would add nearly 100 yards. 

Stats courtesy Scott Dyer and Billy Lyerly.

From Thursday October 5th's Charlotte Observer 

BUILDING A CYBER FAN BASE

A.L. Brown, other schools now have presence on Web

Internet sites give fans a place to go for team news, stats and history

JOE HABINA

Special Correspondent

When Lane Stribling set out to create a Web site dedicated to the Kannapolis A.L. Brown High School football team, he wasn't deterred by even the greatest challenge.

A lifetime Kannapolis resident, Stribling was unknowingly researching much of the future site's content during 40 years of attending nearly every Wonders game.

But there was one problem. He barely knew his way around a computer.

Like several other local residents who recently turned their prep football passion into an e-pastime, the techno-challenged Stribling labored through, and today he has one of the most comprehensive prep football Web sites in the area.

Kannapolisfootball.com is full of Kannapolis football history, updated statistics for this year's team and many other extras. (Also check out southrowanfootball.com, facseagles.com and the developing concordspiders.com.)

Library helped

Stribling, a retired mill worker, said he started researching material for the site about five years ago. By frequenting the history room at the Kannapolis branch of the Cabarrus County library, he uncovered newspaper articles and photographs from 80 years ago.Highlights of the Kannapolis football site include a couple of historical pages that chronicle the football team, the Kannapolis City Schools system and A.L. Brown's Memorial Stadium. Included are a couple of photographs from Kannapolis' first high school team in 1924.

Particularly appealing are the pages documenting every A.L. Brown season since 1952, the year that school opened. Coaches' names, team records, key players and a couple of paragraphs tell the story of each season.

Stats upon stats

The "For the Record" page includes tidbits on coaching records, records against certain opponents and Wonders' players who have represented the team in season-ending all-star games. And you probably won't find this many statistics for the Wonders' team and the other South Piedmont Conference teams in the same place anywhere else.

Stribling said he puts in as many as 15 to 20 hours a week updating the site. It costs him about $85 annually to run it.

"I love the fact that I can do this for all the players, coaches and fans that have been such a big part," he said. "It's the least I can do for all the great moments these teams have given us over such a long, long time.

"I hope to be around a long, long time and to continue to make this Web site the very best I can make it."

Runs site from a distance

Chris Hughes spends most of his time serving his country. He spends his spare time serving his high school alma mater.Hughes, a former South Rowan football player and assistant coach, produces southrowanfootball.com from more than 100 miles away. He is in the Army at Fort Bragg -- a sergeant working with a special operations medical team. Hughes travels back to Landis each fall Friday and, usually, one other time during the week to supervise the team's game-day video productions and to get material for the Web site.

A self-proclaimed sports-history nut, he said he started compiling information on South Rowan about the time he became an assistant coach in 1999.

On the day before official practice began last year, Hughes said, he spent about three hours getting it off the ground and within a few days had a full-fledged site.

With the help of newspaper files, Hughes researched the score from every South game since the school opened in 1961. Based on that information, he has Raiders' scores sorted by opponents, coaches and decades, each with its own page.

Because individual statistics were not as important to fans and readers decades ago, Hughes' "school records" reach only as far back as the mid-'70s, but they are pretty thorough. The site has inclusive offensive statistics for every South team since 1992.

"Parents can look at their child on there," first-year South Rowan coach Jason Rollins said. "The kids like it because they can see things on there like who the player of the week is. It helps us as a staff, because we can put things on there that the kids need to see."

Rollins has embraced the site and considers it one of the tools he can use to turn the football program around. The "Head Coach Corner" page allows Rollins to post Players of the Week and information on team workouts.

Hughes said the South Rowan booster club has approached him about producing an all-sports Web site. He said he already has sites in the works for the boys' basketball and baseball teams, but plans on turning the maintenance of them over to those sports' coaches.

Web idea is growing

First Assembly's site, facseagles.com, and Concord's concordspiders.com provide their teams' fans with basic information, such as roster and schedule, and game capsules written by the sites' respective administrators. Both sites have a collection of quality game-action photographs.

The Concord site is aiming to set a high standard, with pages under construction for a team history, season-by-season results, and individual records.

What type of impact has the Internet had on prep football teams? Hughes' southrowanfootball.com has had almost 35,000 hits in its 14 months.

That's about five times the combined population of Landis and China Grove, the two towns South Rowan High primarily serves.