Southern Carolina 6A/7A Conference Preview

My colleague Will Helms has started breaking down conferences and previewing teams ‘ MVPs – I am taking a play off of that series and choosing a team's most important player, providing a brief synopsis on where they stand, and then finishing up with a conference finish prediction.   High School football in the Charlotte, NC region has not only become some of the best in the state, but the best in the southeast and beyond, producing multiple players who go on to play major college football for Power 4 schools and on into the NFL. This new conference in the Southern Carolina 6A/7A Conference is a very similar league we've had in the past, where Charlotte Catholic joins a number of teams out of Union County, and it made for some great games and competition. Let's get started!   Charlotte Catholic Cougars   Head Coach: Keith Emery   Team MIP: DL [player_tooltip player_id='1368127' first='Dominic' last='Basrawala']   The Army commit will be a huge part of the Cougars' defense this upcoming season for two big reasons. His presence on the defensive line as either an EDGE player or defensive tackle will make teams think twice about running the ball, something the Cougars do a great job at slowing down typically. Most teams believe they can throw the ball on the Cougars, and Dominic's pass rushing ability gets showcased in those situations, which makes life difficult for opposing offenses. If Dominic does his job in both those areas, the Cougars will be able to dominate time of possession churning out yards in their run-first attack.   Analysis   Head Coach Keith Emery is now well established, coming off a season where they won their conference and advanced to the 3rd round of the state playoffs, losing to eventual state champion Grimsley on the road. The Cougars will have to replace some talented skill players on offense they lost to graduation, but the good thing is their offense is pretty much plug and play, and the next man up will be ready to get the job done. I think by conference play, they will have things figured out. Defensively, they have some key guys returning at all three levels, so I think that side of the ball will carry them in the non-conference schedule, especially. They are a threat to compete for the conference title here for sure.   Piedmont Panthers   Head Coach: Daniel Dillard   Team MIP: QB Jack Blakeslee   Jack has been hard at work this summer at various camps and showcases across North Carolina, and his performance this season is essential to how much success the Panthers can ultimately have. I think Piedmont has a number of talented kids, but Jack is the player who can bring that talent together by making good decisions throwing the football and providing the balance they will need to compete in a very strong conference overall.   Analysis   It would be hard for anyone to look at this conference and believe that Piedmont should have been placed with some very strong other programs from a football perspective. However, they are here, and Coach Dillard will have these guys ready to compete week in and week out in conference play. If the Panthers are going to compete for the top half of the conference, the defense will have to be the key and lead them in staying close and competitive for four quarters. The battle will be in the numbers against the better teams. If they are able to build a good two-deep roster, then they will have the ability to pull an upset or two against some teams not taking them seriously on any given Friday night.   Sun Valley Spartans   Head Coach: Ryan Smith   Team MIP: ATH [player_tooltip player_id='1169882' first='Zach' last='Cullen']   Most people know Zach as a running back, and he's competed at that position during the offseason, looking strong at several offseason camps and showcases. However, Zach has been a very good linebacker and is now an important contributor on both sides of the ball. Losing Zach in any form would be a major blow for the Spartans, and while they have some very good returning players on both sides of the ball, that reasoning is why I've deemed Zach as Sun Valley's most important player this season.   Analysis   Sun Valley had a pretty good season last year, making the second round of the playoffs, bowing out to in-county rival Weddington in a tough loss. The Spartans do have a good bit of talent returning on both sides of the ball, though, so it's reasonable to expect at least a similar level of success from them this season. I think the key for them will be both lines of scrimmage - if the offensive line can block well enough to run the ball to provide balance for their strong passing game, it will be a big plus. Defensively, they will have to get a consistent pass rush to help the secondary that will be a little younger; however, I think the Spartans will be all right against the run. This is a sneaky team with senior leadership that could make a playoff run with the right matchups.   Cuthbertson Cavaliers   Head Coach: Duke Howell   Team MIP: RB [player_tooltip player_id='1671873' first='Mason' last='Iovino']   Mason was an easy pick for the Cavaliers MIP, mainly because what he does complements both sides of the ball very easily. Rushing for over 1000 yards last season, Mason has had a strong offseason at various camps and showcases, while also earning college interest and offers in the process. The Cavaliers exhibited a run-first, defensive-oriented mentality last season - and as long as Mason is present in Waxhaw, I don't see that process changing in the foreseeable future. His talents play to the strengths of this team's roster well.   Analysis   The first thing that comes to mind when I think about Cuthbertson Football is toughness. This team played a lot of close, low-scoring football games last season, and to be in that many types of games, you have to be both a physically and mentally tough football team. They will lose some pretty good defensive players to graduation, but their defensive coaching staff is one of the best in the area, so I feel confident they will be able to find some guys to continue to make them pretty good on that side of the ball. However, if they're going to contend at the top of the conference, they will have to find some consistent connectivity in the passing game to complement what Iovino gives them on the ground. That's a big question mark right now heading into the season.   Marvin Ridge Mavericks   Head Coach: Aubrey Carter   Team MIP: WR [player_tooltip player_id='1455237' first='Alex' last='Voss']   Marvin Ridge lost a ton of seniors to graduation who played some important roles for their team over the years. Alex is one of the few returning players on the offensive side of the ball who will bring some familiarity and production to the offensive attack. Committing to Boston College in the spring, Alex gives the Mavericks someone that they can lean on in getting the ball to when they really need a big play, to move the chains, or try to jumpstart the offense if they are struggling in a game. He has an impressive catch radius, good speed for a taller receiver, and very strong hands to consistently make plays on the outside.   Analysis   The Mavericks have been a well-coached team under Head Coach Aubrey Carter's leadership over the past few years. Last year, some close regular-season losses forced them on the road in the playoffs, where they nearly upset Northern Guilford on the road to make the 3rd round. The Mavericks are really rebuilding on offense, and the non-conference will be very important to them to get in sync to attack the conference schedule the right way. They are some pieces back on all three levels defensively; however, they have had some defensive coaching changes, so for this team in particular, the preseason and non-conference is essential to make sure everyone is on the same page. They can be a dangerous team, though, because the returning players are talented and they do have some valuable experience, so they aren't a group you can sleep on for any given Friday Night.   Porter Ridge Pirates   Head Coach: Michael Hertz   Team MIP: QB [player_tooltip player_id='1420953' first='Keenan' last='Sullivan']   Keenan came on strong last season and appears to have earned the full-time job this upcoming season, and it's well deserved. His fundamentals are strong and he places the ball with good accuracy on a consistent basis. Throughout the years, Porter Ridge has been known as a triple option team first and foremost. While they will still run that, Keenan gives them some drop back options throwing the ball that they don't always have the chance to execute.   Analysis   Head Coach Michael Hertz has taken the Pirates as far as the state championship game during his tenure, and when that happened, their defense was the key to their success. Getting back to that will be the key to their success in this conference and overall this season. They have a couple of good players returning there, but developing the players to supplement their top talent can make the difference between some close losses they had last season and turning those into victories. Offensively I think they will be able to put some points on the board with consistency.   Weddington Warriors   Head Coach: Andy Capone   Team MIP: LB Thomas Davis Jr   Weddington has a lot of strong defensive talent returning, but I think the Norte Dame commit is the piece that ties it all together between the front end and back end. Davis Jr is impressively athletic, showing the ability to run plays down sideline to sideline. In the event someone does get past the Warriors talented defensive line, Davis Jr will ensure they don't get much further. He is also showing good pass coverage discipline along with the ability to contribute a bit offensively, a plus value for the Warriors attack.   Analysis   Head Coach Andy Capone has done a great job elevating the Warriors to one of the most consistent top programs in the state of North Carolina. This year's team has top level defensive talent and some good pieces on offense. The big key, once again, will be the quarterback spot where a new starter will be behind center. That, along with the pass defense, will be the big keys to see if Weddington can get back to the state championship game.   Predicted Order Of Finish   First - Weddington Warriors Second - Charlotte Catholic Cougars Third - Sun Valley Spartans Fourth - Porter Ridge Pirates Fifth - Marvin Ridge Mavericks Sixth - Cuthbertson Cavaliers Seventh - Piedmont Panthers   Final Word   This is one of the best conferences top to bottom in the state of North Carolina. Weddington and Charlotte Catholic are championship contenders. Sun Valley will be a team no one wants to see in the playoffs. Porter Ridge I think will be a playoff team, and both Marvin Ridge and Cuthbertson have legitimate chances to be there as well. Piedmont continues to build the foundation of their program for the future.

My colleague Will Helms has started breaking down conferences and previewing teams ‘ MVPs – I am taking a play off of that series and choosing a team's most important player, providing a brief synopsis on where they stand, and then finishing up with a conference finish prediction.