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As the scoreboards ticked down to zero and the final horns blew in last Friday’s prep football games, we saw the conclusion of the 2021 regular season and boy what a regular season it was. For casual fans and observers, this year may have seemed like any other season, but for the diehard aficionado like me, this year was one for the ages.
At one point in the early weeks of the season, it looked as if we wouldn’t even make it this far due to the widespread cancellations and postponements due to COVID-19, but we’ve got to tip our caps to the school administrators and athletics directors across the state for being agile in the face of adversity and helping to ensure that most all the games were played.
Every prep football season brings us new stars and storylines, and this year was no different, but as the style of the game has changed in recent years, we’ve began to see an explosion in offensive output. Due to those changes in style, several offensive players in the state have put up video game like numbers.
To get you ready for the upcoming playoff runs, here is a snapshot of the players who have led the state in their respective statistical categories from the regular season.
Mountain Island Charter senior quarterback Dylan Bisson was on fire all season and his numbers reflect it. With pinpoint accuracy and a cannon for an arm, he dazzled the fans in Gaston County by passing for 3,436 yards and connecting with his receivers for 30 touchdowns.
He ended the season as the state leader in passing and threw for more than 800 yards than his closest competitor.
Bisson wasn’t the only quarterback who put up big passing numbers this year. 18 other quarterbacks across the state surpassed the 2,000-yard mark making this one of the best years on record for passing performances.
From Hendersonville’s Gavin Gosnell in the western reaches of the state, to Midway’s Johnnie Holland in the Coastal Plains, passing was the way to go for many teams this season, changing course from the run-heavy offenses we saw less than a decade ago.
If however you are still hanging on the traditional smashmouth style of play, several schools across the state still come at teams with a run-heavy offensive system.
Chase High School junior running back Marqies McCombs ended the season with an astonishing 2,408 yards and 33 touchdowns. He leads all rushers in the state in yardage and is tied with Wallace-Rose Hill running back Kanye Roberts in touchdowns with 33.
Roberts, by the way, is second in the state with 2,114 yards on the ground, and he’s putting up big numbers with an eye-opening 13.8 yards-per-carry and is averaging a touchdown on every 7.4 touches.
If touchdowns are your thing, and let’s face it, teams can’t win without them, fans of Central Davidson had a lot to cheer for every time Cory Casilac touched the ball. The senior running back ended the season with 1,931 rushing yards while playing two less games than the other leading backs, and averaged a touchdown every four carries.
Casilac’s high-octane scoring output helped lead the Spartans to a 7-2 season record and their first appearance in the weekly N.C. Top-10 poll for the first time since 1979, and he was a major factor in the team averaging 48 points-per-game.
I’ve mentioned that offensive styles have changed a lot over the years and more and more teams are passing first. With all of those balls flying though the air, you almost need an air traffic controller to keep track of the passes from sensational sophomore quarterback Mason Fortune to high-flying senior receiver Wesley Grimes at Millbrook.
The Raleigh-duo have combined for 1,270 yards on 63 connections. Grimes leads all public-school receivers in yards, touchdowns, and is third in receptions.
Also making their mark this regular season in the receiving category is Khavarie Hightower from Graham, who snagged 49 catches for 1,155 yards, Reginald Taylor who was on the receiving end of Dylan Bisson’s passes at Mountain Island Charter, and Wilmington Laney senior Connor Powe, who reeled in 51 catches for 1,067 yards.
In the mile-high thin air of Avery County, senior linebacker Levi Andrews left his mark on opposing ball carriers as he recorded 192 tackles this regular season. He enters the playoffs as the leading tackler in the state and probably caused a few headaches for offensive coordinators trying to scheme around him, and runners trying to avoid his teeth shattering hits.
Speaking of hard hits, quarterbacks across the state are still having nightmares thinking about their encounters with this law firm sounding foursome of Harvey, Mebane, Pittman, and Freshwater.
Southern Durham junior Jaybron Harvey is leading the state in quarterback sacks with 26.5. Whether he’s discarding with opposing offensive linemen with a Bull City bullrush, swim move, or lightning quick first-step, he’s lived in opposing backfields all season long.
His teammate Anthony “A.J.” Mebane is right behind him with 23.5 sacks and together they have helped the Spartans win the Northern Lakes 2A-3A conference title.
Jhyheem Pittman of Greensboro Dudley has terrorized quarterbacks all season long to the tune of 21.5 sacks, and Elizabeth City Northeastern defensive tackle Kaevon Freshwater isn’t far back with 18.0 sacks.
Rounding out the state defensive leaders this regular season is Surry Central cornerback Memphis Bolatto who snagged nine interceptions on the season for the Golden Eagles. He averaged one interception per game and added in 70 yards in returns.
You can’t win a game without a kicker and finishing up my list of regular season superlatives is sophomore kicker Nolan Hauser from Hough High School. He connected on 15 of 18 field goals and was 45 of 50 in extra points.
-Looking into Round 1-
Now that I’ve given you a look at the top performers of the regular season, let’s look ahead to the top games of the opening round of the playoffs.
4A
The most compelling matchup for the first round in the Eastern Bracket will be a week-one rematch between last year’s 4AA runner-up Rolesville who will travel to Southern Pines to take on Pinecrest. The Patriots surprised the Rams 40-34 on the opening Saturday of the season and used that momentum to carry on to an 8-2 regular season record.
Rematches are always tough, and despite the 5-5 record, Rolesville has weathered an aggressive schedule and could pose a lot of issues for Pinecrest.
In the Western Bracket, West Forsyth will travel to South Mecklenburg and try to find a way to stop senior running back Jacob Newman. The Sabres may have a slight advantage heading into this game, but they can’t sleep on the 6-4 Titans who come from one of the most competitive conferences in the state.
3A
Scotland County finds themselves in a rare situation this year. Not only are they now competing in 3A competition, but they come in as a 23rd place seed and go on the road to face Southern Durham.
While on paper, it looks like the Fighting Scots are a solid underdog, history tells us that if they can get past the first round, they could be a darkhorse candidate to advance all the way to the state finals next month.
One month ago, Central Davidson outlasted Ledford 46-34 in one of the most entertaining and competitive games of the regular season. This week Ledford will get an opportunity to avenge that loss as the two Mid-Piedmont foes square off in the opening round.
2A
Clinton is among the all-time leaders in the 2A football ranks and the Dark Horses are always in the mix for a state title. This year has been another big year for the team, but to get past the first round, they’ll have to get past Hertford County. This could be the biggest game of the entire week in the state.
1A
Many of the top teams have an opening week bye, but the game to look out for is between Smoky Mountain conference rivals Swain County and Hayesville. The Maroon Devils knocked off Hayesville a few weeks ago but have since been on a three-game slide.
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As I always say, go out and support these teams as they climb the ladder towards a state championship appearance next month. Be sure to bundle up and get some hot chocolate, because the weather is going to turn cold quickly, and some of these high-flying offensive juggernauts will have to start playing some smashmouth defense to compete.
