Here’s why one Triangle high school football team’s playoff win borders on historic

Alex Bass
·2 min read

Panther Creek’s 21-14 win over visiting Olympic last Friday was an historical rarity for the Catamounts — and for teams in the Greater Triangle region.

“Hopefully, we can live up to that,” Panther Creek Coach Sean Crocker said. “We know it’s big-time football in Charlotte.”

Finding the most recent largest-classification meeting of Triangle and Charlotte area schools in the Round of 16 required plenty of research.

Panther Creek’s Khilen Holliman (11) celebrates the tying touchdown ahead of Olympic’s Damian Payton (23) in the fourth quarter. The Olympic Trojans and the Panther Creek Catamounts met in a NCHSAA playoff game in Cary, N.C. on April 16, 2021.
Panther Creek’s Khilen Holliman (11) celebrates the tying touchdown ahead of Olympic’s Damian Payton (23) in the fourth quarter. The Olympic Trojans and the Panther Creek Catamounts met in a NCHSAA playoff game in Cary, N.C. on April 16, 2021.

Turns out, we had to go all the way back to 1995, when Northern Durham fell 8-0 to eventual 4A (then the largest classification) state champion West Charlotte. PAC Six 4A Conference schools (then including Northern Durham) were among the predetermined brackets’ Western Region.

Panther Creek will carry the Triangle banner westward this Friday. The unbeaten Catamounts (8-0) will visit Myers Park (8-0) — another Queen City school — in Friday’s NC 4AA state quarterfinals. Myers Park’s 2019 campaign ended in the quarterfinals.

A Wake County gridiron program earning a state playoff win in Charlotte against a Charlotte school, though, has familiar — though distant — precedent. In 1987, Garner defeated Harding 40-21 for the 4A state championship in Charlotte’s Memorial Stadium.

Schools meet — seven months later

Richmond and Cardinal Gibbons were scheduled to play a nonconference game last Sept. 11 in Rockingham. A delayed fall 2020 season could not derail a second Raleigh meeting of these unbeaten 4A state championship contenders this Friday.

Richmond has played just four games due to COVID-19 protocols. The Raiders (2019 4AA state semifinalists) are competing in the 4A bracket for the first time since all classifications began subdividing in 2002. Richmond handed the host Crusaders a 45-28 loss during the 2019 regular season. Cardinal Gibbons went on to its first 4A state final.

What will give?

Rolesville has scored 29 or more points in each game this season. Visiting Hoggard (Wilmington) is coming off a bye week following Leesville Road’s forfeit due to COVID-19 protocols. The Vikings have yielded 14 or fewer points in each game.

Friday’s outcome will mark a first, a season-ending loss — among eight games apiece — for someone.

Rolesville High QB Byrum Brown
Rolesville High QB Byrum Brown

Youth under center

Four teams — all undefeated — among the top five in last week’s News & Observer Sweet 16 are headed into this week’s state quarterfinals by quarterbacks who are not seniors.

Juniors Byrum Brown (Rolesville) and Skyler Locklear (Cleveland) are returning starters. Tenth-graders Connor Clark and Amari Odom lead Cardinal Gibbons and Panther Creek, respectively.