Finley Polk has ‘always been throwing a ball,’ and the standout QB leads Northwestern

For as long as he can remember, Finley Polk has always been around a ball.

Be it a pigskin or a baseball, the senior quarterback at Northwestern High School has found himself throwing a ball at every point in his life. He initially took up football in first grade, while simultaneously playing baseball until his sophomore year.

Polk, who is committed to play at Gardner-Webb, is ranked No. 19 in The Charlotte Observer’s Top 50 football players in the region. The 6-foot-2, 185-pound signal caller has impressed this season for the undefeated Trojans, who return home to host Nation Ford on Friday night.

“I’ve played football since first grade, so I’ve grown up with it a lot, but I was also a baseball player for a long, long time,” Polk said. “I’ve always been throwing a ball.”

Born in Tennessee, but Rock Hill is home

Polk moved to Rock Hill when he was 4.

He was born in Tennessee, and now feels he grew up in the York County town known as “Football City, USA.” Winning the Rock Hill football city championship in fourth grade is one of his early core memories, and he remains close with those teammates, most of whom graduated last year.

Playing baseball was another big part of Polk’s childhood in Rock Hill. He pitched and played third base throughout his career, eventually moved to shortstop and then first base.

“(Rock Hill) means a lot to me,” Polk said. “This feels like home. I have people all around here who cheer for me, whether they’re from the north, or the south, or any part of the city, they talk to me. They mean a lot, and this city really means a lot.”

High hopes for a stellar Northwestern squad

Polk has thrown for 18 touchdown passes through the season’s opening four games.

Northwestern (4-0), ranked No. 2 in The Charlotte Observer’s Sweet 16 poll and fourth in its latest Top 25 rankings across the Carolinas, is one of the area’s best teams. It has outscored its past two opponents, South Florence and South Pointe , by a margin of 76-21.

“There’s no quit in them,” coach Page Wofford said. “They don’t get down. They just know that the next play could be the next touchdown. They just keep coming, keep coming, keep coming. Our offense is pretty relentless, and I’m happy for it.”

While the Trojans claimed the city championship with their recent win over the Stallions, they’ll face Rock Hill High on Oct. 18 at District Three Stadium. Polk noted his hopes of taking down the Bearcats to secure their status as the team to beat in the city.

And then, could a championship be in sight for this Northwestern group?

Polk thinks so.

“If we do what we can do — do our job every Friday, every day at practice, do the little things right,” the quarterback said, “we can go all the way.”