HICKORY SCHEDULE
(all games at 7:30 p.m.)
August
18—Statesville
September
1—Newton-Conover
8—at Hunter Huss
15—at Bandys
22—at McDOWELL
29—FREEDOM
October
6—at WATAUGA
13 –W. CALDWELL
20—at S. CALDWELL
27—ALEXANDER CENTRAL
November
3—at ST. STEPHENS
By CHRIS HOBBS
HobbsDailyReport.com
Conference: Northwestern 3A-4A.
Head coach: Russell Stone (262-142, 38 years; 0-0 at Hickory, first year).
Last season’s records: 2-9 overall; 2-5 Northwestern 3A-4A, tied for fifth place.
Last season’s results: at Statesville, L 20-40; S. Iredell, L 6-48; at Newton-Conover, L 13-57; Hunter Huss, L 28-47; PATTON, L 34-55; at FREEDOM, L 35-42; at S. CALDWELL, W 40-28; ST. STEPHENS, W 25-20; at FRED T. FOARD, L 14-32; WATAUGA, L 13-49; HIBRITEN, L 7-48.
SCHOOL FOOTBALL HISTORY
Last season in state playoffs: 2013, 3A.
Last state playoff victory: 2012, d. Hibriten 35-17, first round.
All-time state playoff bids: 24 (modern era).
Conference titles since 1980, last: 9 (5 outright, 4 shares); 2007 Catawba Valley Athletic 2A-3A.
BY THE NUMBERS
OVERALL
Returning starters: 11.
Returning lettermen: 16.
OFFENSE
Returning starters: 9.
Leading returning rusher: Darrien Phillips (141-548, 6 TDs).
Leading returning passer: Darrien Phillips (112-235-13, 1,676, 22 TDs).
Leading returning receiver: Jaekwon Staton (49-778, 6 TDs).
Other players to watch: Grant Amos (Sr., OT); A.J. Chisholm (Sr., WR); Quinnatavious Saddler (Jr., RB); Dre Rhinehart (Sr., WR); Kevin Shuford (Jr., WR); Izaak Millsaps (Sr., RB); C.J. Hargrove (Sr., OL).
DEFENSE
Returning starters: 2.
Players to watch: Grant Amos (Sr., DL); Dre Rhinehart (Sr., DB); Marquia Gibson (Sr., NG); Christian Myles (Sr., DB); Jacob Clifton (Sr., LB).
OUTLOOK
After going 4-29 over the last three seasons, expect a hungry bunch of Red Tornadoes.
They have a new head coach (Stone) who has had a good touch with several different programs and who should have an immediate impact. That might not mean a significant increase in the number of wins, but if I were betting, though, I’d bet on at least several more.
Phillips, who becomes a third-year starter, played well in some games last season and was a QB that had to be game-planned for. But what Hickory has to develop is more offensive threats around him and a situation where he doesn’t have to do it all.
There are nine returning starters on offense and, as there is year in and year out, there’s talent at HHS.
Stone will set high expectations and, as old coaches call it, “coach’em up” so look for the Red Tornadoes to be more competitive to say the least.
Could HHS come back to the top of the league quickly? Depends on if Stone has found the answer to “it”… as in what exactly has been missing the last three or four seasons?
He is the fifth head coach to call the shots for the Red Tornadoes since 2012 and is widely respected across the state as a coach who gets things going in the right direction pretty quickly.