Hickory Ridge High School has found its next head football coach.

Brandon Gentry, who has been serving as the head coach at Hopewell High School, was announced as the new leader of the Ragin’ Bulls today. This is Gentry’s fourth job as a head coach.

Gentry became a head coach in 2016 when Northwest Cabarrus gave him the opportunity. After finishes of 2-9 overall and 6-6 overall over his first two seasons, Gentry’s Trojans took off for seasons of 13 and 12 wins in 2018 and 2019.

The new West Cabarrus High School brought Gentry over to start its football program in 2020. Gentry stayed there for just the first year, but he had them going in a positive direction. The Wolverines won three of their seven games in the shortened spring 2021 season, a very good outcomes for a first year varsity team. West Cabarrus won four total games in the next three seasons without him.

Gentry was not a head coach in the fall 2021 season. He re-emerged to take over the Hopewell program in 2022. With its proximity to Hough and Mallard Creek High Schools, Hopewell has struggled to build a consistent winner in football. The Titans have not had a winning season since 2010, the year that Hough opened. Hopewell’s next coach will be its eight since that 2010 season, according to CarolinaPreps.com.

In Gentry’s three years, Hopewell finished 1-9, 3-7, and 3-7 overall. The Titans won one of seven conference games in each of the previous two seasons.

Overall, Gentry’s head coaching record is 43-45.

In a message to HighSchoolOT, Gentry said that he appreciates all of the players and their families for their hard work and support.

With an average daily membership of 1,671 students this school year, Hickory Ridge is set to become a 7A school when the N.C. High School Athletic Association realigns into eight classifications this year.

In the first draft of the new conferences, Hickory Ridge was placed in a 6A/7A league with fellow 7As A.L. Brown, Cox Mill, and West Cabarrus, along with 6As Berry Academy, Central Cabarrus, Harding University, and Olympic. The conferences are subject to change through the upcoming revision process.

Hickory Ridge finished this past season with an 0-10 overall record.