How Friday’s Game of the Decade (or whatever) came to be
Friday night’s Providence Day-Hough high school football game is either the Game of the Year, or the Game of the Decade, or whatever title you want to give it.
Providence Day has dominated the N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association in recent seasons and has had it way with any public schools it’s faced too.
Hough went unbeaten last season in capturing the N.C. High School Athletic Association’s biggest size classification championship (Class 8A) and is top-ranked again this year.
Sometimes, coaches and athletic officials schedule a spotlight game and it doesn’t pan out. One of the teams loses key players, and by the time you get to kickoff, perhaps the contest isn’t quite as attractive.
Friday night’s game at Hough (7:30 p.m., and it’s a sellout) is no disappointment.
By some estimates, there will be 30 to 35 future FBS players on the field at Hough on Friday evening. That includes two five-star college recruits – Hough defensive back Joshua Dobson and Providence Day receiver Braylon Clark.
Providence Day enters with a 2-0 record and lopsided victories over Myers Park and Raleigh-area power Rolesville.
Hough, also 2-0, has edged defending South Carolina 5A/Division 2 state champ Northwestern and trounced another Raleigh powerhouse, Cardinal Gibbons.
Friday night’s game is even getting national attention. MaxPreps ranks the Providence Day-Hough contest among the top 10 in the country this Labor Day weekend.
So how did such a dream match come to be?
All it took was a phone call, as it turns out.
Providence Day coach Chad Grier has a track record of taking on tough competition. If a tough opponent is willing to face the Chargers – which is not always the case – Grier will schedule the game.
So last spring, Grier called Hough coach Deshawn Baker and asked if the two teams could find a compatible open date this season.
“Coach Grier is a guy who I call all the time,” said Baker, a former Waddell and S.C. State running back who was an assistant at Hough and then a head coach at Cox Mill before returning to Hough two years ago.
“Coach Grier and I talk about players, we talk about life,” Baker said. “When he talked about a game, I was for it. It’s always a positive to go up against a guy like him.”
The game could center around quarterback play.
Providence Day’s Cole Cater has been a starter for only two games. But he has completed 30-of-43 passes for 597 yards and seven touchdowns. And he’s run for one more score.
Ethan Royal and the Hough offense generated only 15 points against Northwestern two weeks ago, and Baker said after the game that the Huskies’ attack would need to be better. But last week, Royal completed 15-of-19 throws for 285 yards and four touchdowns. He ran for another touchdown.
Both teams have powerful defenses and solid special teams play.
“A game like this is good for the sport,” Baker said. “We’re looking forward to it.”
Friday preview
Here is a quick look at some of Friday’s top high school games across the Charlotte region (including Queen City Sports Report’s rankings):
Buford-GA (1-0) at No. 4 Mallard Creek (2-0), 7:30 p.m. – Well, if Providence Day-Hough doesn’t excite you, this game should. Let’s start with Buford. The Wolves, from about 30 miles northeast of Atlanta, are ranked No. 1 in Georgia and No. 2 in the United States by MaxPreps.
Buford opened at home last week – in a game nationally televised by ESPN2 – by beating Gainesville 39-19. The Wolves scored two touchdowns off their defense and another on a punt return, helping offset an off-and-on offensive attack.
Mallard Creek is off to a strong start, with a 45-25 victory two weeks ago at Rolesville and then last week’s 31-30 thriller over three-time defending state champion Norfolk (VA) Maury.
The teams have met twice previously, with Buford winning 56-7 in 2022 and 10-7 a year later.
A.C. Reynolds (1-1) at No. 5 Jay M. Robinson (2-0), 7 p.m. – The visiting Rockets are a playoff power every year, which is why Robinson coach Jason Seidel scheduled this game. In their first two games, the Rockets have rushed for a total of only 29 yards. Look for the Bulldogs’ tough defense to force A.C. Reynolds to be one-dimensional again.
Charlotte Christian (1-1) at Charlotte Catholic (1-1), 7:30 p.m. – The visiting Knights looked flat two weeks ago in their opener but rebounded last week against Buford-SC. Sophomore QB Gavin McDermott (son of Buffalo Bills coach Sean McDermott) threw for more than 200 yards against Buford. Charlotte Catholic was strong two weeks ago against South Mecklenburg but was stunned last Friday at Charlotte Country Day. The Cougars were hurt by two red-zone turnovers last week.
Marvin Ridge (2-0) at Ardrey Kell (2-0), 7:30 p.m. – Marvin Ridge’s offense has been nearly unstoppable, as the Mavericks have outscored foes 120-13 in two games. RB Jake Robbins is averaging 115 rushing yards a contest, and QB Levi Kerr has thrown for 513 yards and seven touchdowns. But Ardrey Kell is off to a solid start, outscoring foes 70-14. Highly-touted freshman quarterback Noah Dailey is averaging nearly 200 passing yards a game and has thrown for nine touchdowns.
Monroe (1-1) at No. 3 Weddington (2-0), 7 p.m. – Monroe has been a state powerhouse in recent seasons, but despite that, the 5A Red Hawks have been coming up quite a bit short against the 7A Warriors. Weddington is 5-0 against Monroe over the last nine years, including a 49-7 rout a year ago. The Warriors will try to use their size advantage and the running of Anthony Barrino to wear down Monroe.
West Charlotte (1-1) at Summerville-SC (2-0), 7:30 p.m. – After a lopsided opening loss at Greensboro Grimsley, coach D.J. McFadden’s Lions rallied last week with a 22-20 victory over Monroe. The keys for the Lions are the ground game and the defense. RB Emory McClain Jr. rushed for 109 yards last week and will need another strong outing this week. West Charlotte’s defense, in turn, must stop Green Wave RB Jayven Williams, who has rushed for 269 yards in two games.
Weekend schedule
Thursday
Mecklenburg nonconference
Corvian Community (2-0) at Chambers (2-0), 7:30 p.m.
Friday
Western Piedmont 4A/5A
East Lincoln (2-0, 0-0) at Newton-Conover (1-1, 0-0), 7:30 pm
Fred T. Foard (1-1, 0-0) at West Iredell (2-0, 0-0)
Hickory (1-1, 0-0) at Bunker Hill (2-0, 0-0), 7:30 pm
Maiden (1-1, 0-0) at North Lincoln (1-1, 0-0), 7:30 pm
Catawba Shores 2A/3A/4A
Community School of Davidson (1-1, 0-0) at Bradford Prep (1-1, 0-0)
Southern Piedmont 2A/3A/4A
Bessemer City (0-2, 0-0) at West Lincoln (1-1, 0-0), 7:30 pm
Burns (0-2, 0-0) at East Gaston (2-0, 0-0), 7:30 pm
Cherryville (2-0, 0-0) at Lincolnton (2-0, 0-0), 7:30 pm
Highland Tech (0-2, 0-0) at Shelby (1-1, 0-0), 7:30 pm
Mecklenburg nonconference
Ambassador Christian (2-0) vs. Independence-WV (1-0), at Johnson C. Smith Univ.
Ballantyne Ridge (0-2) at South Mecklenburg (0-2), 7:30 pm
Berry Academy (1-1) at Rocky River (0-2), 7:30 pm
Buford-GA (1-0) at Mallard Creek (2-0), 7:30 pm
Butler (2-0) at Indian Land-SC (1-1), 7:30 pm
Charlotte Christian (1-1) at Charlotte Catholic (1-1)
Charlotte Country Day (1-1) at Greensboro Ben Smith (1-1)
East Mecklenburg (1-1) at Garinger (1-1), 7:30 pm
Greenville Hurricanes-SC (1-1) at Hickory Grove Christian (2-0)
Harding (1-1) at Independence (0-2), 7:30 pm
Jesse Carson (1-1) at SouthLake Christian (1-1)
Langtree Charter (1-1) at Bonnie Cone Academy (0-2)
Marvin Ridge (2-0) at Ardrey Kell (2-0), 7:30 pm
Myers Park (0-2) at Providence (1-1), 7:30 pm
North Mecklenburg (1-1) at Hunter Huss (1-1)
North Rowan (1-1) at Lake Norman Charter (1-0)
Northwood Academy-SC (1-1) at Charlotte Latin (1-1)
Olympic (0-2) at West Mecklenburg (0-2), 7:30 pm
Palisades (2-0) at Clover-SC (1-1), 7:30 pm
Providence Day (2-0) at Hough (2-0), 7:30 pm
Statesville (1-1) at Hopewell (1-1), 7:30 pm
West Charlotte (1-1) at Summerville-SC (2-0), 7:30 pm
Area nonconference
A.C. Reynolds (1-1) at Jay M. Robinson (2-0)
Albemarle (1-1) at West Stanly (1-1)
Central Cabarrus (1-1) at Mount Pleasant (2-0)
Cox Mill (1-1) at Cuthbertson (0-2)
Crest (2-0) at Asheville (2-0)
Davie County (1-1) at Pinecrest (2-0)
East Wilkes (0-2) at North Iredell (0-2)
Forestview (0-2) at Sylva Smoky Mountain (2-0)
Kings Mountain (1-1) at Bandys (1-0), 7:30 pm
Lake Norman (2-0) at West Cabarrus (0-2)
Monroe (1-1) at Weddington (2-0)
Montgomery Central (1-1) at North Stanly (2-0)
Mooresville (0-2) at A.L. Brown (2-0)
North Gaston (0-2) at Concord (0-2)
Northwest Cabarrus (2-0) at Ashbrook (1-1)
Piedmont (1-1) at East Rowan (2-0)
Porter Ridge (0-2) at West Forsyth (1-1)
Raleigh Ravenscroft (1-1) at Cannon School (2-0)
Salisbury (0-2) at Oak Grove (1-1)
South Iredell (1-1) at Hickory Ridge (0-1)
South Rowan (2-0) at Trinity (0-2)
South Stanly at Anson County (1-1)
Sun Valley (1-1) at Parkwood (2-0)
T.C. Roberson (2-0) at South Point (2-0)
Trinity Christian (2-0) at Metrolina Christian (0-2)
Union Academy (0-1) at Lincoln Charter (0-2)
West Rowan (1-1) at Walkertown (2-0)
OFF: Christ the King, Covenant Day, Forest Hills, Highland Tech, Mountain Island Charter, Pine Lake Prep, Stuart Cramer
