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We are down to the last two weeks of North Carolina Private School Football for the 2021 season and in 11-man, that means some very good semifinals matchups. The biggest game will be the Division I semifinal between #3 Charlotte Latin and #1 Rabun Gap Nacoochee on the campus of Rabun Gap Nacoochee School in Zavala Family Stadium.
The Hawks from Charlotte Latin have climbed up the polls all year peaking at #2, but losses in two of their final three games to Providence Day and Rabun Gap Nacoochee brought them back to earth.
Rabun Gap Nacoochee has been the #1 private school team all season, their only blemishes are a 14 point loss to a very good Baylor (Tennessee) squad, and also an 11-point defeat to Providence Day. In the previous matchup between these two, Rabun Gap Nacoochee came away with a resounding 38-3 victory as they shut down the Hawks all everything duo of Jr QB Justin Wheeler and his favorite target, and also the a top defender Sr WR/LB Daniel Haughton.
The Eagles where led that day by Sr RB Coleman Bryson who rushed for 72 yards on only 3 carries with a TD, also Sr QB Aiden Semo went 6-9 for 135 yards and a TD. This should be closer than the first matchup for sure.
On the other side of the Division I bracket, it will be #4 Charlotte Christian headed up Sardis Rd to face the #2 Providence Day in a another rematch of the long time rivals in the playoffs. The Knights come in a unusual road team due to their 5-5 record, but they also played one of the toughest schedules in the state, with losses coming to Weddington High by 7, a 24-22 last second loss to Latin, a 23-10 slugfest loss to Rabun Gap Nacoochee, a 48-47 OT loss to Providence Day and then a week later another OT loss to Christ School 34-31, which they made up for in the first round by trouncing the Greenies 42-7.
The Chargers, who are 6-3, also played a very good schedule with their three losses coming to Weddington High School 28-7, a tough road loss at Carver High from Atlanta 36-24 and also another road loss at Christ School 25-21. The Chargers are now on a 5 game winning streak.
The first matchup was a great game, tied 28-28 at the half, OT started 41-41 and Charlotte Christian scored first but missed the P.A.T due to a bad snap, the Chargers scored when Sr QB Grantt Logan found Soph WR Channing Goodwin for the TD and Jr K Sydney McCorkle made the P.A.T and pulled out the win. This should be another classic in a very good rivalry in the Queen City.
In the Division 2 brackets, the matchups will be #9 Charlotte Country Day heading to #5 Harrell’s Christian at Murphy Johnson Field off Tomahawk Hwy outside Wallace NC. The Bucs are in the D2 semifinals with a 2-8 record and Harrells Christian come in with a 10-1 record.
This will be a huge win if Harrells Christian can pull it off for Eastern NC private school football since all of your state champs in the past 12 years in the D1 and D2 playoffs have been from Western NC, not since 2008 when Harrells Christian won the D2 title.
Harrells Christian should pull this one out.
The other matchup will be a rematch when #8 Cabarrus heads to #7 Metrolina Christian at the Whitson Athletic compound. The first game was a great one with Metrolina Christian winning 42-38. Jr QB Reid Eighmy lead the MCA squad throwing 21-29 for 418 yards with 5 TD’s. Soph QB Tyler Green also had a great game for the Cabarrus Warriors, going 31-43 for 295 yards and 4 TD’s. Expect another air attack on both sides this Firday.
In 8 Man, #5 Wayne Christian won their first state championship last Saturday over #7 Halifax Academy 28-8. The Eagles and Vikings will head to the larger division next season.
This season in the Division 1 playoffs, the finals are set, #2 Cary Christian will head to #1 John Paul II Catholic School at the beautiful Pope John Paul II stadium in Greenville. Cary Christian comes in on an absolute tear winning 5 in a row and blowing out the long time #1 ranked Parrott Academy 64-22. Sr QB Luke Harvey, who is the son of former NC State QB Terry Harvey diced up the Parrott Defense going 12-17 passing for 259 yards and 3 TD’s, he also rushed 9 times for 77 yards and 2 more TD’s.
Sr RB Chide Ogan was a man amongst boys in the semifinal, rushing for 152 yards and 3 TD’s on only 7 carries! He also caught 3 passes for 148 yards and 3 more TD’s, on the first play from scrimmage Harvey connected with Ogan for a 65 yards TD catch as Ogan ran away from all Parrott defenders, and the route was on.
John Paul II struggled in the first half of their semifinal game against a talented Rocky Mount Academy trailing at half 24-21, Head Coach Sean Murphy got his squad going in the right direction in the second half outscoring the Eagles 35-8 in route to a 56-32 victory for the Saints. Rion Roseborough rushed 40 times for 301 yards and 6 TD’s.
Sophomore Justin Biggs went for 180 yards on 21 carries and 1 TD while sophomore linebackerr Keiveon Moore did what he does leading the defense with 11 tackles and also delivered punishing blocks from his FB position all night.
In the first matchup this season the Saints came out with a 18-6 victory as John Paul II caused 2 turnovers and pressured Harvey into some quick throws. Cary Christian has made a couple of personnel changes since that matchup so this one could be a classic for the state title.
11 Man Division 1 Playoffs
#3 Charlotte Latin @ #1 Rabun Gap Nacoochee- Friday 7pm
#4 Charlotte Christian @ #2 Providence Day- Friday 7pm
11 Man Division 2 Playoffs
#9 Charlotte Country Day @ #5 Harrell’s Christian- Friday 7pm
#8 Cabbarus Warriors @ #7 Metrolina Christian
8 Man Division 1 Championsip
#2 Cary Christian @ #1 John Paul II- Friday 7pm
