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We are currently in the aftermath of the 2023 high school football season in North Carolina. Recently, multiple all-star games were held throughout the state, providing several hundred seniors in N.C. with a final opportunity to participate in a high school football match.

All four matches took place on Saturday, and we experienced a variety of outcomes. The N.C. team was outplayed in the Shrine Bowl, while the East-West All-Star Game was one-sided. On the other hand, the 252 vs. 919 Showcase Bowl and the Queen City Senior Bowls were highly competitive.

I am grateful for each of these occurrences, however, they should be spaced out more evenly. We will address this further in the second section below.

This week marks the beginning of the National Early Signing Period, which starts on Wednesday. In my article “3rd Down,” I discussed the upcoming day and highlighted two notable players who could potentially alter their college decisions.

1st Down: Recapping the Four All-Star Games

The South Carolina Sandlappers dominated the North Carolina Tarheels in the 87th annual Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas, winning by a score of 24-0. The game was not competitive for those of us from North Carolina, as South Carolina gained 363 yards compared to North Carolina’s 49 yards. The North Carolina quarterbacks had a rough game, completing only five of 23 passing attempts for a total of -7 yards. Despite the disappointing performance, I have a potential solution to improve in the future.

The John Paul II Catholic in Greenville hosted the 252 vs. 919 Showcase Bowl, with Mark Perez of Holmes High School scoring the only field goal in the first half. The 252 team held a 3-0 lead at halftime. In the second half, Marty Holland of Princeton High intercepted a pass and returned it for a touchdown, giving the 919 team a 7-3 lead. Isaiah Jones from Tarboro recovered a fumble from the 919 team on special teams. Keveon Rodgers, the standout quarterback from Hertford County, rushed for a 6-yard touchdown, putting the 252 team ahead 9-7. An interception by Damaree Tucker of New Bern set up another touchdown to secure the game. Justin Biggs of J.H. Rose scored a 13-yard reverse for a touchdown, and the 252 team won with a final score of 16-10. Gary Payne from Washington High School was named the 252 Defensive MVP, and Rodgers received the Offensive MVP title.

The Queen City Senior Bowl is a highly anticipated all-star game in the Charlotte area. The participating seniors were divided into two teams: the West team and the East team. In the end, the West team emerged victorious with a score of 21-14. Forest Hills High School’s Christyan Washington was named Offensive MVP for his impressive performance of over 100 receiving yards and a touchdown. Harding University High School’s A.J. Jenkings was awarded Defensive MVP. Notable contributions from West Charlotte’s Julian Carmichael and Berry Academy’s Chris Heartley helped secure the win for the West team.

The East team had a strong victory over the West team with a final score of 35-7 in the N.C. Coaches Association’s East-West All-Star Game. This was a historic event as it was the first time the game was held in December in its 76-year history. The change in date was made in hopes of encouraging more senior players to participate. Previously held in July, many top seniors were already at college and others found it challenging to get back into the football mindset after several months away from the sport.

To get a detailed summary of the East-West All-Star Game, read my game report below:

Second down: It is not appropriate to have four All-Star Games happening simultaneously.

Following the adverse weather conditions on Sunday, the NCCA rescheduled the East-West All-Star game to Saturday. As a result, all four all-star games were played simultaneously. Unfortunately, this did not benefit anyone.

In my opinion, organizing these games is a wonderful idea that allows seniors from all over the state to participate in one last high school game. It is my hope that some of the players are able to advance to the next level as a result of these events.

The updated Queen City and 252 versus 919 bowls hold an important place in this scenario. I was surprised that no players from Mecklenburg County were chosen to represent the West team in the East-West All-State Game. Fortunately, the community in Charlotte has taken initiative to create their own all-star game in response. Charlotte is home to many talented athletes. Additionally, I believe there were players in the 252 versus 919 game who could have been selected for either the Shrine Bowl or East-West All-Star Game. Therefore, both of these events provide valuable opportunities for deserving seniors.

In my opinion, the most important change that should be made is to adjust the date of the East-West All-Star Game. However, I must clarify that the NCCA made the correct decision to move the game to the winter.

The game lacked the expected level of quality during its July play due to the absence of several talented players who were unable to participate due to the date. One notable player, D.H. Conley’s Isaiah Crumpler, stood out on both offense and defense for the East team this weekend. However, as a Rutgers commit, he will be leaving for New Jersey after the winter semester. This is a player who would not have been able to participate in the game if it was played in the summer. Additionally, Saturday’s game showed a higher quality of play compared to previous years, as the players are still in the midst of football season and do not require a ramping up period. In contrast, when the game was held in the summer, some players who had not been in a football practice setting for months were picked up from the couch to participate.

However, the coaches association chose the same weekend as the Shrine Bowl, which has held this date for more than 80 years. The East-West All-Star game should consider selecting a slightly later weekend for its new tradition.

In theory, if the East-West All-Star game was scheduled near or after New Year’s Day, some players chosen for the Shrine Bowl could potentially participate in the North Carolina-only game as well. The same applies to the 252 vs. 919 and Queen City games. Perhaps these regional games could attract some East-West players if they were held later. However, if the main objective is to showcase players to college coaches, it may be difficult for them to attend four separate events.

It is uncertain if the East-West All-Star Game will be rescheduled from its current date this weekend. The challenge lies in the fact that this particular weekend is typically the only one between the NCHSAA state championship games and Christmas. Some may argue that it will be more difficult to secure player commitments if the event is held after Christmas. However, it is important not to postpone it too far back as it may conflict with the schedules of top players who are graduating early and starting college early. It is worth noting that with the NCHSAA’s plans to expand to eight classifications after next year, the playoff schedule may be shortened by one week, leaving a two-week gap between the state championships and Christmas in the future.

Previewing Signing Day: What to Expect on 3rd Down

The National Early Signing Period, also referred to as National Early Signing Day, begins on Wednesday. While much of what happens on this day is expected, there are still some things to keep an eye on.

There has been a lot of talk about two important members of North Carolina’s senior class potentially changing their commitment and joining a different school: Amaris Williams, a defensive lineman from Clinton, and Terrell Anderson, a wide receiver from Grimsley.

During the summer, Williams made a commitment to Florida while Anderson committed to NC State. Williams’ commitment was unexpected, as Amaris announced her pledge on social media in June, after initially planning to hold an announcement event at Clinton High in August.

Several sources at NC State have stated that highly-rated recruit Anderson may be considering changing his commitment to the Georgia Bulldogs. Georgia has been actively pursuing Anderson and even hosted him for a visit on their campus. According to On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine, Anderson was predicted to switch to Georgia with a 94.5% chance in November. However, a new prediction from Ethan McDowell of The Wolfpacker (On3’s NC State site) on December 6 suggests that Anderson will ultimately sign with NC State. McDowell’s prediction decreased Georgia’s chances to 64.2% on the RPM.

The situation with Williams appears to be more complex. Based on the On3 RPM, the Florida team he verbally agreed to join in June has a very low probability of actually signing him. Two other schools, Ohio State and Auburn, are competing to recruit the 6-foot-3, 265-pound athlete. The RPM predicts that Auburn has a 76.3% chance of flipping Williams after he visited the campus officially. Meanwhile, Ohio State has an 18.3% chance according to On3. Williams’s signing event at Clinton on Wednesday is shaping up to be more of an announcement and signing ceremony.

Besides Williams and Anderson, signing day is looking to be pretty chalk for the rest of the top football prospects in the state. In my opinion, UNC has done a tremendous job getting in-state talent in this 2024 class. If NC State can keep Anderson locked in, the Wolfpack’s class has enough at the top to even out that conversation with UNC.

Source: highschoolot.com