A new high school football season in North Carolina kicks off 50 days from today , with teams in Cleveland, Gaston and Lincoln counties beginning their respective pursuit of NCHSAA state titles on Aug. 23.
With that comes 50 questions, 50 days before kickoff, the bulk of which will be answered by season’s end. Questions are not listed in any particular order.
1. With the exception of the spring 2021 season, a team from Cleveland, Gaston or Lincoln counties has advanced to the NCHSAA regional final round every year since 2001. Will this string of success continue?
2. How does Crest fare in coach Greg Lloyd’s first year back at his alma mater?
3. Can Hunter Huss end a four-game losing skid to rival Ashbrook?
4. How will Forestview fare with alum and longtime assistant Chris Rayfield in charge?
5. North Gaston hired Darrell Wilson earlier this spring following the departure of former coach Dan Rothwell. Can the Wildcats continue to gain momentum after earning their first playoff bid since 2013?
MARK YOUR CALENDARS: Here are 2024 high school football schedule for Gastonia, Shelby area schools
WHO WERE LAST SEASON'S BEST?: Meet the 2023 Gaston Gazette and Shelby Star all-area high school football teams
6. Who starts at quarterback for Kings Mountain on Week 1 at Shelby?
7. By kickoff Week 1, Stuart Cramer will have gone 672 days between wins, its last a 42-0 victory over North Gaston on Oct. 21, 2022. How much longer will the Storm have to wait before its next win?
8. After three seasons with Ben Mauney under center, Cleveland County’s all-time passing leader has moved on to Gardner-Webb. How will the Burns offense fare with new leadership in the huddle?
9. Can Shelby advance to the NCHSAA 2A state final after making it to a regional final last fall?
10. With new coach Bret Story in charge, can East Gaston extend a school record by qualifying for the postseason a fourth consecutive year?
11. Cherryville hired Patrick Bowman as its new head man in March. How will the Ironmen fare in his first season?
12. Can Bessemer City advance to the third round of the NCHSAA state playoffs for the first time since 1994?
13. Highland Tech won its last game on March 19, 2021, a 27-8 victory over Bessemer City. Can the Rams end their 34-game losing streak this fall?
14. After winning the NCHSAA 3A state championship in 2022, East Lincoln watched as Western Foothills 3A rival Hickory claimed the throne last fall. Can the Mustangs find their way back to the top?
15. Nick Bazzle has led North Lincoln to a winning record in five of his six seasons in Pumpkin Center. Will such success continue in 2024?
16. Who will be the latest star to emerge from West Lincoln’s diesel-powered rushing attack?
17. Who will fill the shoes for Lincolnton of dynamic quarterback Andre Bost?
18. Can Mountain Island Charter quarterback Grayson Harvey improve upon a season in which he completed 57% of passes for 3,440 yards and 22 touchdowns?
19. Ashbrook has one winning season since 2014. Is this the year the Green Wave breaks through?
20. How does Hunter Huss defensive back Gene Neely follow up a season in which he had 132 tackles and three interceptions?
21. How does North Gaston replace its “Mr. Do-It-All” Jurnee Lattimore?
22. Can Forestview’s Christian Holland build on a junior season in which he rushed for a career-high 1,030 yards?
23. Will South Point’s Chyance Ford again be asked to pull double duty this fall as a fullback and linebacker?
24. How does Stuart Cramer linebacker Chris Wurster improve upon a season in which he led the Storm with 96 tackles?
25. Who’s next in the pipeline of great defensive players to come through Kings Mountain?
26. How different will the Crest offense be with a new play caller, quarterback and receiving corps?
27. For the first time in four seasons, Trent Sherrill isn’t under center for East Gaston? What growing pains will there be early on for the Warriors at quarterback?
28. How many yards does Lan Farmer throw in his second year as Shelby quarterback after a 3,399-yard, 44-touchdown campaign in 2023?
29. Can Bessemer City quarterback Gavin Chastain improve upon a sophomore campaign in which he completed 70% of passes and had 19 touchdowns?
30. How does the Burns defense bounce back following a 2023 campaign in which it allowed better than 21 points per game?
31. Can Cherryville win the rubber match of the “Little Iron Bowl,” the Ironmen’s battle with Blacksburg (South Carolina), its town aptly nicknamed the “Iron City?”
32. The focal point of East Lincoln’s attack last season, running back Christopher Daley II rushed for 710 yards and eight touchdowns. Can he regain the form of a sophomore season in which he rushed for 1,767 yards and 21 TDs?
33. North Lincoln’s Ryan Bassani has been credited with 302 tackles in the past two seasons. Can he reach 200 tackles in his senior campaign?
34. Jaylin Winnex emerged last season for West Lincoln, rushing for 1,472 yards and 22 touchdowns. What can he do in his senior year?
35. How does the Lincolnton defense replace four of last season’s top five tacklers?
36. How many catches and yards will Mountain Island Charter’s Justice Washington earn in 2024?
37. Who will take the three-game series between Gastonia city rivals Ashbrook, Forestview and Hunter Huss?
38. Can the Kings Mountain passing attack improve upon a season in which it averaged 130.3 yards per game?
39. The Big South 3A has been won by Crest or Kings Mountain each of the past five seasons. Is this the year a Gaston County team interrupts the monotony?
40. Can North Gaston end a four-game losing skid to East Gaston?
41. With Izay Bridges now graduated, who is next to emerge in Shelby High’s lineage of wide receivers?
42. Who will emerge this season as the area’s next top prospect?
43. Is a third straight 1,000-yard rushing season in the works for South Point quarterback Patrick Blee?
44. Can Hunter Huss quarterback Javarion Brown accomplish a rare feat by rushing and throwing for 1,000 yards in a season?
45. Who winds up as Cleveland County’s top team at season’s end?
46. Can Grant Lawless take the next step for East Lincoln after throwing for 1,599 yards and 20 touchdowns last fall?
47. How strong can North Lincoln’s rushing attack be with the return of quarterback Eli Sipe as well as backfield mates Landen Agee and Shannon Wingate?
48. With College Football Playoff first-round games being contested on campus starting this December, is there a possibility the NCHSAA’s hand may be forced in moving its football state championships from Chapel Hill and Raleigh?
49. Is this the year in which Stuart Cramer gets on the board in its River Rumble series with South Point?
50. Gaston County teams haven’t enjoyed much success against Cleveland County squads of late, combining to win three games the past three seasons, including them being shut out last fall. Can Gaston teams buck the trend in 2024?
This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: 50 questions, 50 days before kickoff of Gastonia, Shelby high school football 2024 season
Most Popular
Comments / 0