The start of the North Carolina high school football season is just over a month away.
The Asheville Citizen Times and Hendersonville Times-News are previewing teams in the western North Carolina area. Here’s a look at the Mountain 7 3A Conference.
Three bold predictions for 2024
Pisgah wins Mountain 7 in first season under coach Ricky Brindley
Ricky Brindley is considered one of the best coaches in WNC, but that’s not the only reason we’re ranked high on the Bears. They return several key playmakers on offense, such as quarterback Aaron Clark, wide receivers Sawyer Belue, Kenyon Moore and Jake Lowery and eight starters on defense. The Bears were one of the best teams in WNC, scoring 31 points per game on offense and allowing 15 points per game on defense.
West Henderson remains one of the best offensive teams in WNC
Coach Paul Whitaker’s team has averaged more than 40 points per game while winning Mountain 7 conference titles the past two seasons. West Henderson graduated several key playmakers, such as running back Carson Dimsdale and wide receivers Truitt Manuel and Diego Castro. However, they return quarterback Cade Young, who showed great potential as a sophomore. They also got a boost when former Chase running back Da’Zion Murray transferred to Mills River this offseason.
North Henderson struggles to replicate 2023 success
The Knights came within one game of winning eight games in a season for the first time in program history in 2023. North Henderson has had success thanks to a strong 27-player senior class. It’s difficult to replace so many elderly people. One of the good things for head coach Jim Beatty, however, is that he returns running back Mason Gasperson.
10 important players to watch
Sawyer Belue, Pisgah, DB-WR, Sr..
Belue recorded 40 total tackles and three interceptions on defense. He totaled 493 receiving yards with five touchdowns on offense.
Aaron Clark, Pisgah, QB, Sr.
Clark passed for 1,684 yards with seven touchdowns and added 510 rushing yards while guiding Pisgah to the second round of the NCHSAA 3A playoffs in 2023.
Gavin Langley, Tuscola, RB, Sr.
Langley rushed for 548 yards with five touchdowns on 102 carries in 2023. He rushed for 72 yards with one touchdown on 17 carries in a crucial win over Pisgah.
Matthew Mehaffey, Pisgah, SS, Jr.
Mehaffey intercepted two passes and had 95 total tackles, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries.
Tyler Nash, West Henderson, DL, Sr.
Nash was named first-team All-WNC last season after recording 57 total tackles, 14 sacks, nine quarterback hurries, two fumble recoveries and one forced fumble.
Neil Robinson, West Henderson, DB, Sr.
Robinson has had five interceptions and broken up 11 passes in 2023. He also has 22 total tackles.
![Junior Neil Robinson (9) gets an interception for West Henderson on Friday against Hickory High School. [PAT SHRADER/ SPECIAL TO THE TIMES-NEWS]](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/XuZg8kKQ_79bomTJgcMgXw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY0MA--/https://media.zenfs.com/en/asheville-citizen-times/f8777254d04dcc8ff6f13b7287ea6e8e)
Addix Sutton, Franklin, RB, Jr.
Sutton rushed for 588 yards with two touchdowns on 163 carries last season. He also played defense, finishing with 62 total tackles, including one for a loss and a fumble recovery.
Ty Walker, Tuscola, DB, So.
Walker has accumulated 78 total tackles with five for loss, one sack, one interception, three pass deflections, one fumble recovery and one forced fumble in 2023.
Weston Winchester, Smoky Mountain, OL, Sr.
Winchester earned second-team All-WNC honors in 2023 after recording 15 pancake blocks last season.
Cade Young, West Henderson, QB, Jr.
Young became West Henderson’s starter during the second half of the 2023 season after Jude Lyda injured his throwing arm. Young completed 69% of his passes for 1,836 yards, with 19 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
10 Sophomores to Watch: 10 WNC Sophomores to Watch During the 2024 NCHSAA Football Season
Five unmissable games
Tuscola at Asheville High, August 23
Tuscola and Asheville High played arguably the most entertaining game of 2023, as the Cougars defeated the Mountaineers 25-22. Both teams graduated several key players, but should still field strong teams this year.
Murphy in West Henderson, September 6
This will be a good test for West Henderson. Murphy is consistently one of the top teams in the NCHSAA 1A classification. It will be interesting to see if the Falcons’ defense slows down the Bulldogs’ fast-paced game.
Pisgah in Smoky Mountain, September 20
Pisgah should win easily, but this game makes the list because it will be Brindley’s first trip back to Sylva to face his old team.
West Henderson vs. Pisgah, October 11
An early conference game will go a long way toward determining who wins the conference.
Tuscola at Pisgah, October 18
A list detailing the top Mountain 7 games would be incomplete without the Haywood County rivalry. This year’s edition should be fun, as Pisgah and Tuscola are among the favorites to win the conference.
Zachary Huber is a high school sports reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times and the Hendersonville Times-News. Email him at zhuber@gannett.com or follow him on X @zacharyahuber. Please support this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times and Times-News.
This article originally appeared in the Hendersonville Times-News: WNC 2024 High School Football: Mountain 7 Preview, Bold Predictions
