By Mike London
mike.london@salisburypost.com

Fifth in a series of reports on high school football teams …

CHINA GROVE — Carson missed the playoffs in 2023, a 4-6 season that could have been 6-4 with one more play or one more stop in the losses to West Stanly and Central Cabarrus.

So there was some disappointment, but the Cougars were a better team than a lot of people realized, especially a defensive unit that kept Carson in a lot of games. Carson averaged 21 points per game, while allowing 24. Some strong teams that stampeded most of their opponents were limited to reasonable numbers by the Cougars.

Head coach Jonathan Lowe enters his third year with a crew that is minus its best-known guys. South Piedmont Conference Lineman of the Year Tristen McBride, an East-West All-Star, graduated, as did running back Jay McGruder, the driving offensive force for the Cougars. Also gone are a group of  two-way athletes who could catch passes and switch to DB without missing a beat, guys like Foday Dyer, Trevor Vaughn and Carson Aman.

Still, Lowe is looking for the Cougars to be as good or better than they were a year ago, and there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic. Stout players return, while talented youngsters join the mix.

With Carson, it’s always the same word that defines the program — Believe. Lowe always believes the Cougars can be successful. Believe is their one-word mantra every season.

“Definitely a lot of new faces this year,” Lowe said. “Young faces. But we believe we’ve got some ball players.”

The Cougars are in good shape at quarterback. The injury to Michael Guiton in 2023 was unfortunate, but it provided an unexpected opportunity that Griffin Barber took advantage of. Barber had his ups and downs, but he got a ton of reps and Friday Night Lights experience. He played against some scary linemen in the South Piedmont Conference, but handled himself with poise. He threw for 473 yards and seven TDs.

Barber is expected to start again, following spirited off-season competition that included Colin Masingo and freshman Damo’n Broussard.

“The job was open and they had a good battle throughout the preseason,” Lowe said. “Griffin’s experience made the difference, but we’ve got a pretty good quarterback room right now. Masingo can play. Broussard is a talent. He may be a varsity running back this year, and I think he can fit about anywhere on the defensive side.”

Carson will try to replace McGruder, who piled up 1,075 yards and 13 rushing TDs, with a committee.

“You’ll see different looks and schemes from us this year,” Lowe said. “We don’t have anyone quite like McGruder, so we’ll do what fits our personnel.”

Nehemiah Baldwin, a terrific athlete who has caught passes and made jarring tackles, could be in the role of lead running back. Trip Marcum, a superhero on the jayvees, and versatile Rosean Perkins will get carries. Tristin Clawson, one of the leaders of Carson’s defensive unit, got 15 carries last season. Jackson Earnhardt is an effective short-yardage and goal-line back. He produced three rushing touchdowns in 2023. Travis Sharkey is a first-year player, but he has some talent.

Baldwin and Earnhardt made key catches last season, but the wide receiver group basically will be new.

Xavier Phillips, a jayvee basketball player, is making a football comeback and reminds Lowe of former Cougar wideout BJ Howard. Jacob Rockwell, a track and field and basketball athlete, will be a name to know. Jonah Kirks, Tanner Simpson (a starting safety), Konnor Karriker and Caiden Cruz are other potential targets for Barber.

Lowe is confident he has a special athlete on the offensive line in junior Simeon Parker. The plan is for Parker to play guard, although he moves like a tight end. While he’s not carrying a lot of weight yet, about 200 pounds, he’s 6-foot-3, strong and quick.

“He’s a guy who can be all-county, all-conference, even a player of the year kind of guy like Tristen McBride was for us,” Lowe said. “He’s got an unmatched motor and a very tough mindset to go with his physical tools. Parker is a name you’ll want to underline, put in bold type and put in capital letters.”

Griffin Yarbrough is a solid center. He’s smart. He can identify fronts and make the line calls, and he’s going to be a big help to Barber.

Will Welch is a tall and lean (6-4, 185) offensive lineman. Bryson Shoemaker is solid. Braxton DeLand, a senior newcomer to the program, has been learning fast. Julian Myers, Easton Feehan, Ra’jon Howell, Ridge Barger and Bailey Wilhelm are young linemen working their way up.

Rockwell will punt. Welch will be the long snapper. Julio Moctezuma will kick PATS and field goals. Marcum has a strong leg and could handle kickoffs.

Parker will be expected to spark the defensive line as a tireless, two-way player. Caleb Casper and Garrett Gregg, who had a Rowan County Jamboree sack, are familiar names. Ethan Webb is making a transition to the defensive line. Lowe also is counting on Christian Vanwitzenberg and Dawson Syhavong. Sedric Wallace is a talented youngster who will play some varsity snaps.

Earnhardt is expected to be an all-conference and all-county level defensive end. He’s had a jersey number change.

“Definitely a leader of our defense,” Lowe said. “No. 3 is a tyrant. He’s switched to the No. 3 jersey this year, No. 3 like the racing (Dale) Earnhardt — The Intimidator.”

Welch, who does a lot of things, will also be counted on at defensive end.

Tenacious linebackers are always a source of pride for the Cougars.

“As long as I’ve been associated with Carson we’ve had outstanding inside linebackers,” Lowe said. “But we lost one unexpectedly and another one (Elijah Morgan) hurt a knee and is out.”

Lowe has high hopes for sophomore Jamarion Brown, up from the jayvees,.

“He’s a wrestling kid and you like to get those,” Lowe said. “He will rock you.”

Clawson is a veteran linebacker and should be a standout.

“Lots of leadership, high motor, coming downhill at 100 mph on every play with everything he’s got,” Lowe said.

Jayden Goodman, new to the program, adds some depth.

Baldwin returns as a ferocious outside linebacker/strong safety.

Jase Overcash, Christian Clowney and Eli Covington give the Cougars a good group of athletes. The Cougars should be good and deep at the outside linebacker/strong safety positions.

Tanner Simpson has been battling an injury, but assuming he’s healthy, he’ll be the starting free safety.

The corners will be untested, but Tevin Keoboupha and Nolan White are swift, while Cruise Montieth has shown an ability to come up in hard-nosed fashion to stop the run. Ty Woods and Garrett Burns are young guys learning the craft of playing defensive back.

Carson plans to dress 45 for varsity games, with about 33 more slated for the jayvees. With quite a few players being counted on to play at least some of the time on both sides of the ball, staying out of the infirmary will be the biggest concern.

“We do have a lot of young guys in important roles,” Lowe said. “But if we can just stay healthy, we’ll do well.”

Carson’s coaching staff will include recent Carson linebacker Christian Bennett. Lowe would like to suit him up on Fridays, but he’ll settle for having Bennett coach the LBs.

Dyer, one of last year’s receiver/DBs, has joined the coaching staff. He’s coaching receivers along with Rob Hales, who has worn a lot of different hats at Carson.

Barry Mitchem, former West Davidson head coach, continues to invest in youth and will coach DBs.

Jon Brown is the quarterbacks coach, with former Cougar QB Hunter Burris assisting when he’s not busy at Appalachian State.

Zach Overcash and Nick Holman coach the offensive linemen.

Former Catawba Indian Shawn McBride and John Morgan coach the defensive linemen.

Brett Simpson works with the running backs.

Carson Furr’s duties include being the team’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes leader.

Counting Lowe, it’s a 13-man staff, but most are volunteers from the community who don’t work at the school.

“We’ve got some coaches who can’t be with us at every practice, but if someone can’t make it, we’ve got good backup,” Lowe said. “We’re blessed to have a large staff that gives everything it has to help build these young men.”

Lowe gets that part of his job, the most important part, as well as anyone.

There are about 1.4 million high school football players. For 93 percent of them, high school is going to be the end of the football journey. Next to their parents, football coaches are likely to be the adults whose impact is the greatest on athletes beyond graduation.

“That’s why the whole high school football experience is important to us,” Lowe said. “You want to win every single game, but it’s not just the games, it’s the practices. It’s the bus rides to and from the game, it’s the team meals, it’s wearing that jersey on game days. It’s every minute of it. We want our guys to soak it all up and go on to be better men and live better lives because of their Carson football experience.”