By CHRIS HOBBS
HobbsDailyReport.com
LAKE NORMAN CHARTER SCHEDULE
(all games at 7:30 p.m. unless noted)
August
18—Southlake Christian, 7 p.m.
25—at Pine Lake Prep
September
1—Community School of Davidson
8—at Highland Tech
22—at E. LINCOLN
29—N. LINCOLN
October
6—at MAIDEN
13—NEWTON-CONOVER
20—at LINCOLNTON
27—BANDYS
November
3—at W. LINCOLN
Conference: South Fork 2A.
Head coach: Mark Steele (12-23, 3 years).
Last season’s records: 5-6 overall, 1-6 Big South 2A-3A, seventh place.
Last season’s results: at Hickory Grove, W 27-3; Union Academy, W 23-14; Community School of Davidson, W 35-16; at Highland Tech, W 38-7; FORESTVIEW, L 7-35; at E. GASTON, L 22-35; at STUART CRAMER, L 0-55; HUNTER HUSS, L, 0-46; SOUTH POINT, L 0-48; at ASHBROOK, L 6-60, N. GASTON, W 36-32.
SCHOOL FOOTBALL HISTORY
Last season in state playoffs: 2014, 2A.
Last state playoff victory: 2012, 1AA, d. Avery County 48-0, first round.
All-time state playoff bids: 4.
Conference titles since 1980, last: None.
BY THE NUMBERS
OVERALL
Returning starters: 12.
Returning lettermen: 26.
OFFENSE
Returning starters: 7.
Leading returning rusher: Tyler Stankiewicz (57-138, no TDs).
Leading returning passer: None.
Leading returning receiver: Davis Wilder (25-344, 6 TDs).
Other players to watch: Owen Thomas (Jr., RB); Jackson Newton (Sr., WR); Will Watts (Jr., WR).
DEFENSE
Returning starters: 5.
Players to watch: Jacob Moody (Sr., DB); Owen Thomas (Jr., LB); Zach Rollins (Sr., DL); Austin McCarter (Sr., LB).
OUTLOOK
Conference coaches picked the Knights to finish in last place in the South Fork 2A, perhaps in part because they’re just not exactly sure what to expect.
With 12 returning starters, head coach Mark Steele has a nucleus with which to work. Seven of those returning starters are on offense – three linemen, a wide receiver, a fullback who last year was a halfback and a wide receiver who has moved to QB.
The Knights had anticipated Cade O’Connell under center but he was in an auto accident and is not playing this season.
Defensively, the Knights have back three linemen and two linebackers.
Lake Norman Charter won its final game last season in a tough Big South 2A-3A, beating East Gaston, but was outscored 209-6 in the four before that against some tough competition (Cramer, Hunter Huss, South Point and Ashbrook).