Looking around the state, only about a dozen football programs in the N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association have committed to anything resembling a full schedule this fall. And all public-school games are on hold until February.
So when the lights come on Friday at Fayssoux Field, Christ School really will be in some rarefied air for one of the most talked-about season openers in its history.
Even without fans, head coach Nick Luhm and the Greenies are eager to have a homefield advantage for their 7:30 p.m. kickoff against Rabun Gap (Ga.). The game will be televised live by WMYA (40) and streamed in its entirety at https://wlos.com/watch.
“Not a lot of people get this chance. What it means to us is that all the hard work, the preparation, and all the safety regulations and differences we’ve had to adjust to, it’s all been worth it,” Coach Luhm said.
“No one knew what to expect (when the COVID-19 pandemic began in March). Lots of things started happening and we told the guys that this is life. A lot of times in life, you have to adapt. You still want to overcome and put yourself on top. I can’t say enough about this group and the leadership especially of our seniors. They stayed on mission and helped us to keep moving forward. They kept the communication and camaraderie going. We had guys coming from all over the place and when we could finally be together again, it’s a credit to them that they were already familiar with one another because they had done such a great job staying in touch.”
Christ School returns 11 starters (seven on offense, four on defense) from a 6-4 team that squeaked into last fall’s NCISAA Division I state playoffs but reached the championship game as a No. 4 seed. Since a 38-21 loss at Charlotte Christian on Nov. 8, 2019, there have been four Greenies who have committed to play at the next level – linebacker/wide receiver Lex Long ’21 (University of Virginia), lineman Ian Adams '21 (Citadel), defensive lineman/tight end Charlie Browder ’21 (University of Central Florida), and defensive back/wide receiver Painter Richards-Baker ’21 (Dartmouth College).
A pair of 2,000-yard passers are new to the program – A.J. Simpkins ’22 (2,015 yards and 13 touchdowns with 11 interceptions in 2019) and Tray Mauney ’23 (2,116 yards and 17 touchdowns with eight interceptions). As is running back Bryce Sain ’22 (832 yards, nine touchdowns).
Cade Mintz ’21 contributed mightily a year ago for the Greenies with close to 900 combined yards in rushing and receiving.
Coach Luhm expects to start A.J. at quarterback on Friday, with complete confidence in his backups.
“A.J. makes great decisions and he has been in some battles down there in Charlotte (when the junior played for Hopewell High). He works hard to improve his game every day, he understands football, and he studies film as hard as any kid I’ve ever seen,” Coach Luhm said.
“Unlike a lot of years, we have guys who are second, third, and even fourth on the depth chart with a lot of capabilities. If we’re thrown into a different situation where we have to go with one of them, I have the utmost faith in them just like A.J.”
Defensively, Cayden Jones ’24 (45 tackles in 2019), Lex (41), and Charlie (19) are some of the top returning tacklers.
Friday will be the first meeting between the Greenies and Rabun Gap (Ga.) in two years – Christ School won a 66-38 road game in 2018. The Eagles hired Joe Sturdivant as their coach in March.
“We’ve got an incredibly-challenging matchup with a great institution,” Coach Luhm said. “We have an idea of their talent, but we really won’t know until Friday. From what we can tell, they are going to be a very good football team.”