2026 Greater Charlotte 7A/8A Conference Football Preview: Storylines, Predictions, Players to Watch

Welcome to HighSchoolOT's 2026 football season preview for the Greater Charlotte 7A/8A Conference. The league features Garinger, Hopewell, Hough, Myers Park, South Mecklenburg, and West Mecklenburg.

Hough projects to be one of the top teams in the nation, so it’s safe to say that the defending N.C. High School Athletic Association 8A state champions are not only the favorite to win the conference but also the state title once again.

Behind them should be Myers Park, who underwent a coaching change and South Mecklenburg, which looks to maintain its improvement from 2025. Meanwhile, West Mecklenburg looks to bounce back from a 1-10 season as a new head coach takes over. Finally, Garinger hopes to take the next step forward after making positive progress a year ago.

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Just like winning a big game, preventing underage drinking takes teamwork. Parents and teens can visit https://www.TalkItOutNC.org for resources to start the conversation about the risks of underage drinking.

Garinger

• Garinger did not respond to the preseason questionnaire.

Players who will be missed: Cornell Parker (LB), Tavaughn Floyd (senior (WR/SS), Wilson Ramirez-Lopez (K)

Returning players to know: Tristan Murphy (senior QB), Zykerion Pharr (senior RB), Raquan Kirkland (sophomore ATH), Laro Thompson (junior WR), Jarron Lorick (senior ATH), Mashon Daniels (junior LB)

Head coach Jupiter Wilson seems to have Garinger headed in the right direction entering Year 2 at the helm, but bringing the Wildcats back to contention will be a multi-year process.

Wilson helped deliver the program’s first win since Oct. 11, 2019 when it defeated Winston-Salem Prep, 36-6, last season. That broke a streak of five consecutive winless seasons.

The road back will likely not be brief, but it is in the works. Something that will help the 2026 Wildcats on that journey is roster retention. Garinger returns senior quarterback Tristan Murphy, who threw for 503 yards with a 48.2% completion rate last season.

The Wildcats also return their top two receivers from 2025 — Laro Thompson and Jarron Lorick — as well as the team’s top rusher: Zykerion Pharr (843 yards as a junior). Wilson’s group also has a number of returning linemen and defenders that should help further that veteran presence.

Team outlook: The Wildcats are older and more experienced, but the journey back to playoff contention will likely take a while longer.

Hopewell

Players who will be missed: Randrez Lyons (DL), Derrion Bonner (DL), Mike McCullum(OL), Zach Jones (RB), Malachi Goudelock (QB)

Returning players to know: Bradley Kule (junior OL/DL), Miles Vanderspuy (senior ATH), Shiloh Graham (sophomore DB), Chase Phifer (junior DE), Naiel Brooks (sophomore LB), J.T. Williams (senior WR), Jacob Beeson (senior OL), Devon Misher (senior OL), Tyler Velardi (senior DL), Ladianian Bristol (senior DL/LB), C.J. Johnson (senior DB), Xavier Mosley (senior DB), Isaiah Agee (senior DB)

New faces to look out for: Damo'n Broussard (junior RB), Antonio Jenkins (junior QB/ATH), Aaron Brown (junior OL), Ellis Royster (junior LB), Chandler Leach (junior DB), Matt Turse (junior DB), Jordan Moore (senior WR)

In his first year as head coach, Brandon Sneed helped Hopewell football earn the most wins in a single season for the program since 2019. At 4-6 in the regular season, the Titans made a state playoff appearance for the first time since that same 2019 season.

That’s why Sneed offered this as the program’s biggest storyline for 2026: “The continued development and progress of our program. We have made strides but we have to jump forward this season.”

The Titans lost a few key contributors from last year’s team. Among them was starting quarterback Malachi Goudelock, who threw for 1,176 yards, 12 touchdowns, and eight interceptions on 49.3% completion. Hopewell also lost leading rusher Zach Jones, who treaded 1,004 yards on the ground as a senior.

Despite what it lost, Hopewell made roster gains to help to try to fill the gaps.

Junior quarterback Antonio Jenkins comes over from North Mecklenburg where he threw for 382 yards in nine games of action as a sophomore. The Titans also bring in former Carson running back Damo’n Broussard, who rushed for 684 yards as a sophomore. Senior wide receiver and West Charlotte transfer Jordan Moore should add skill to the Titan offense as well

With six returning starters on offense and defense respectively, Hopewell should have a nice mix of returning experience and added depth with transfers. In fact, Sneed said added depth is the biggest difference for this year’s team.

Team outlook: Trajectory continues to point upward for the Titans, but the Greater Charlotte Conference has some heavy-hitters. Even if the win total doesn't move much, another trip to the postseason seems quite possible.

Hough

• Hough did not respond to the preseason questionnaire.

Players who will be missed: Marvin Reed Jr. (RB), Jayden White (WR), Tyran Evans (WR), Christian Carter (WR), L.J. Porter (LB), Micah Bright (DB), Samurai Matthews (DB), Chris Hilliard (DL), Jarvis Potts (OL), Jason Wilkerson (CB), Sincere Brewster (DL)

Returning players to know: Ethan Royal (senior QB), Jamarion Morrison (junior RB), Jahmere Anderson (senior WR), Ryan Peterson (junior LB), Jackson Heath (senior SS)

New faces to look out for: Joshua Dobson (senior CB), Cory Cunningham (junior DL), Moreno Fisher (senior OL), Michael Griffin Jr. (senior LB), Davion Jones (senior DB), Treveon Pegues (senior OL), Zaire Strickland (sophomore WR), Nori White (senior OL), Kaiden Womack (junior EDGE), Sincere Daye (senior DB)

The talented got even more talented.

As of June 5, Rivals composite preseason national high school football rankings tabbed the defending NCHSAA 8A state champions as the No. 36 team in the country. And since then, the Huskies have only gotten better, adding highly regarded junior defender Cory Cunningham.

Cunningham was the latest in a string of offseason additions for Hough head coach DeShawn Baker and staff. The junior departed Providence following a late coaching change this summer. He is the No. 64 ranked prospect in the class of 2028 according to Rivals, and is the No. 6 DL and No. 5 player in the state.

He joins a defense that will feature 5-star cornerback Joshua Dobson, who recently committed to South Carolina. The No. 6 player in the class of 2027 per Rivals joins Hough after playing at Catawba Ridge in South Carolina. The highly-heralded recruit helps move Hough to the next level.

Dobson is one of seven Division I commits for the Huskies. He joins 4-star safety Davion Jones (committed to South Carolina), reigning GCAC Offensive Player of the Year Ethan Royal (committed to Marshall), 3-star linemen Nori White (headed to James Madison), senior safety Jackson Heath (committed to Army), 3-star offensive tackle Moreno Fisher (committed to Virginia), and defensive back Sincere Daye (committed to Campbell).

That doesn’t even include all the other Huskies receiving Division I interest that are uncommitted, like Cunningham. And of those seven commits, five are transferring into Hough this season. Only two are returners: Heath and Royal.

That means a team that went 14-0 and won the 8A championship in a 21-0 shutout of Millbrook has done nothing but improve this offseason. That’s a scary thought for the rest of the GCAC and the rest of the state.

The Huskies did graduate an array of Division I talent after last year’s title run, though. Graduated champions that will be missed include: L.J. Porter (LB - East Carolina), Micah Bright (DB - Wake Forest), Tyran Evans (WR - Miami), Samari Matthews (DB - Texas), Chris Hilliard (DL - Old Dominion), and Jarvis Potts (DL - Appalachian State). Still, championship pedigree returns to Hough, namely with the retention of Royal, the team’s quarterback.

As a junior, Royal threw for 2,272 yards, 29 touchdowns, and eight interceptions on 58.2% completion. He also led the team in rushing yards with 721 and 14 touchdowns.

The team’s second-leading rusher Jamarion Morrison is back for his junior campaign as well. Jahmere Anderson returns to anchor the receiving core as a senior and Heath and Ryan Peterson will help bring continuity to the defense.

Team outlook: There won’t be a team in North Carolina more difficult to defeat than Hough. The Huskies will be overwhelming favorites to repeat as 8A state champions.

Myers Park

Players who will be missed: Rodney Dunham (EDGE), Camdin Portis (DB), Josh Hines (SS), Damaad Lewis (DL), Penn Craver (OL), Cooper Helman (OL), Brody Keefe (WR), Chaz Portis (WR), Josh Falzarrano (RB), Hank Thrasher (LB), Ryan Rizutti (QB), Sammy McDonald (LB)

Returning players to know: Kam Guy (senior SS), Josh Meyer (senior OL), George Tsigaridas (senior OL), Connor Mullally (senior OL), Ramir Watson (senior QB), Bockarie Sesay (senior DL), Deigo Lewis (senior DL)

New faces to look out for: Shaq Drayton (sophomore DE/RB), Ethan Johnson (sophomore DE), Aiden Burke (senior WR), Jacob Miller (senior LB/WR), Will Morton (senior SS)

The father of NFL player and former UNC-Chapel Hill quarterback Sam Howell is set to lead Myers Park this season.

Duke Howell makes his way to Myers Park after a stint at Cuthbertson. The experienced head man takes over after the departure of former Myers Park head coach Chris James this past spring. In three seasons with Myers Park, James led the Mustangs to a 20-13 record, including a strong 9-3 finish in 2025.

Howell will attempt to pick up where James left off.

Not long after the graduation of current New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye in 2019, the Mustang football program started to fall off breifly. A 2-10 season in 2021 was followed by 3-7 in 2022. Since then, an attempt at a steady rise has taken place with last season as the crowning achievement thus far.

The Mustangs reached the third round of the 8A state playoffs where they dropped to West Charlotte. They also placed second in the Greater Charlotte — a finish they hope to replicate this season. But before Myers Park can look to improve in this new era under Howell, they will have to fill in some of the gaps left by graduated contributors.

Myers Park loses 5-star and top 10 nationally rated edge Rodney Dunham, who is headed to Notre Dame. It also lost 4-star safety Camden Portis to Miami, 3-star lineman Damaad Lewis to NC State, 3-star wide receiver Brody Keefe to Duke, 3-star safety Josh Hines to Charlotte, lineman Penn Craver to Davidson, among others.

For that reason, returning talent will be imperative for the Mustangs. Senior quarterback Ramir Watson is back after slinging the ball for 1,422 yards, 19 touchdowns, and seven interceptions on 52.9% completion as a junior. Watson was also the team’s second leading rusher behind graduated senior Josh Falzarano Jr., who netted 1,390 yards on the ground in 2025.

Myers Park also returns Elon commit Kam Guy at safety as well as a number of other future college players.

There are some important returners, however, a good deal of Myers Park’s ceiling in 2026 will be dependent on how well the new faces can perform and fill the big shoes left by a strong 2026 class.

Team outlook: A new face at head coach and a lot of talent turnover will be interesting to monitor. The Mustangs project to be talented, but it will always be difficult to make up for the type of top-level talent it graduated. Nevertheless, this is a playoff team. The biggest question will be how high of a seed the Mustangs can command.

South Mecklenburg

• South Mecklenburg did not respond to the preseason questionnaire.

Players who will be missed: Carter Gillis (QB), Ames Oliver (OL), Quinn Rucker (RB), Callaway Williams (WR), Raivon Pauling (RB), Calvin Alexander (WR), Mekhi Benson (ATH)

Returning players to know: Knox Moon (junior WR), Andre Allen (senior RB), Xavier Lopez-Cruz (junior ATH), Brendan Hall (junior OL)

South Mecklenburg had a strong regular season showing in 2025, yet it was still a few steps behind conference leaders Hough and Myers Park, which it lost to 42-10 and 40-14, respectively.

The Sabres season culminated in a narrow first round 8A state playoff home loss to Palisades, 35-32. It wasn’t the finish they envisioned, but it was a big jump forward from two consecutive 3-7 seasons in 2023 and 2024. Now, South Meck has to balance the loss of some key players as it looks to hold onto top three status in the GCAC.

Graduated quarterback Carter Gillis threw for an impressive 2,301 yards last season. Replicating his production or shifting to a new style and new quarterback is the question of the offseason for the Sabres.

The Sabres also lost their top two rushers: Quinn Rucker (graduation) and Raivon Pauling (transfer to Olympic). A similar departure was seen amongst the receiving core with Callaway Williams and Calvin Alexander graduating after pulling down 614 and 412 yards respectively. However, junior Knox Moon should be a big retention for South Meck in 2026. He had 547 receiving yards as a sophomore.

Team outlook: Head coach Joe Evans has demonstrated an ability to improve from year to year, so the Sabres will remain competitive. However, breaking into the top two of the conference will not be easy.

West Mecklenburg

• West Mecklenburg did not respond to the preseason questionnaire.

Players who will be missed: Tyson Stancil (LB), Antonio Flowers (DL), Terrance Malachi (RB), Marcus Myers (DB/LB), Martiques Taylor (Def.), Lavarus Hines (DE/TE)

Returning players to know: Drake Lineberger (sophomore QB), Shawn Blackshear (senior RB), Kamren Moore (senior ATH), Tahj Bodison (junior RB), Mason Cooper (junior WR), Dreshaun Whitaker (sophomore WR), Juelz Burley (junior defender)

Randall Ingram Jr. is taking over as head coach for a program that struggled mightily in 2025. Ingram Jr. was a long-time assistant coach from the area at Hopewell and Chambers before going to Irmo High School in South Carolina for a stint. He takes over for former Hawk head coach Beady Waddell IV.

Waddell IV was the coach from 2022-25. And while the Hawks never had a winning record during his tenure, they never dipped as low as 1-10 until last season. Despite a 1-9 regular season record, Waddell’s final season at West Meck did result in a 7A state playoff appearance due to strength of schedule.

The Hawks lost a handful of key players from last year’s team, including 3-star defensive lineman Antonio Flowers, who transferred to Chambers. West Meck also lost leading tackler Tyson Stancil. However, there are many important returnees for next season.

Sophomore quarterback Drake Lineberger returns with a year of starting experience under his belt. He threw for 1,291 yards, six touchdowns, and 17 interceptions on 57.9% completion as a freshman. He will be joined by returning familiar receiving targets Kamren Moore and Mason Cooper.

Team outlook: Ingram Jr. could be a savvy hire by West Meck, but the journey to a winning season may take more than a year. Nonetheless, playoffs appear possible once again for the Hawks.

Conference Superlatives

• Toughest schedule: Hough — Fittingly, perhaps the state’s top team has one of the most difficult schedules. It starts at Northwestern (S.C.) against a team that went 13-1 a season ago. Then, Hough hosts Cardinal Gibbons and Providence Day before hitting the road at Mooresville. Its non-conference slate ends by hosting a tough Green Run (Va.) team.
• Most favorable schedule: West Mecklenburg — Games against Berry (who was winless in 2025), Lake Wylie (S.C.), and East Mecklenburg present winning opportunities, even if the Hawks host a tough West Charlotte program in September.
• Breakout team: West Mecklenburg — A new coach and a handful of returning talent could be a recipe for a turnaround for the Hawks.
• Team with most questions: Myers Park — Duke Howell takes over a program trending in the right direction. However, a loss of high-level talent will be difficult to replace or improve.
• Player of the Year favorite: Ethan Royal, Hough (senior QB)
• Player who could have biggest breakout: Damo'n Broussard, Hopewell (junior RB)

Standing Prediction

1. Hough
2. Myers Park
3. South Mecklenburg
4. Hopewell
5. West Mecklenburg
6. Garinger

Playoff Forecast

• Likely to earn a home game: Hough, Myers Park
• Likely to make it: South Mecklenburg, Hopewell
• On the bubble: West Mecklenburg, Garinger