Consider the throne manned: West Charlotte wins NCHSAA 3A title

CAMERON WILLIAMS | THE CHARLOTTE POST

West Charlotte High players and coach Sam Greiner show off their championship trophy after beating Fayetteville Seventy-First 14-7 for the North Carolina 3A football title Dec. 21 in Raleigh. The title is West Charlotte's first since 1995 when the Lions competed in 4A.

The West Charlotte Lions “manned the throne.”

For the first time since 1995, the Lions (13-2) are state champions after beating Fayetteville Seventy-First (15-1) 14-7 to claim the NCHSAA 3A state title.

“It’s just a beautiful thing,” Lions’ coach Sam Greiner said. “We knew coming into this game we were not going to leave without a win. We knew the end result. We didn’t think it was going to be a 14-7 game. It just shows [Seventy-First’s] tenacity. That is a great football team that we played against. Just the passion they play with, they refused to lose. They were a little banged up, but they kept fighting.”

Greiner talked in July during the Queen City 3A/4A conference media day about how the theme was to “Man the throne,” or do everything to the best of their ability and with authority.

His postgame message to the Lions: “You manned the dadgum throne.”

“Man the throne is more,” Greiner said. “We were made more than a conqueror. If you are making dinner for your wife or taking trash out for your grandma or if you are playing in this game, you do it a certain way. I am just proud of the growth [of the team]. It doesn’t matter where you start, it matters how you finish. Look at us now. We are sitting in front of you all as champions. At the end of the day, [we] are on top of that throne.”

Lions co-captain K.D. Cotton echoed his coach.

“Since the beginning of the season, we knew we had the group [to win a championship],” he said. “We just had to grow discipline-wise and come together as a family and get to where we could play as a team. Now that we got the ring, it’s just proof of all the hard work we put in, day by day, each and every day. Coming to practice every day at 7 in the morning this summer and just locking in.”

West Charlotte sophomore quarterback Jamouri Nichols, who earned MVP of the title game, completed 12-of-13 passes for two touchdowns was overcome with emotion.

“I prayed for [this moment],” he said. “I believed that we would get here eventually. I had talks with coach over the summer and he started trusting me. K.D. played quarterback last year and he gave me some tips and everything.”

Greiner has now won two state championships, with the other at Harding High. Both were struggling programs when he took over, and he found a way to turn them into winners. Greiner doesn’t believe in chance.

“This is a calling,” he said. “It is one thing that I am blessed with is that I have the gift of discernment. God gives me one gift that I try to use to the best of my ability. I think he chooses me. I did not apply to go to Harding. I did not apply to go to West Charlotte. Josh Harris [former West Charlotte coach] called me. He said, ‘Sam, would you be interested in the West Charlotte job?’ Me and my wife talked way before that and I said, ‘Baby, maybe coaching isn’t for me. Maybe I just need to be there for my family. If God wants me to, He will make it known. Josh Harris … the former coach, he became the [athletics director] and he said, ‘I want you to apply.’”

Since taking over in 2021, Greiner has had three winning seasons at West Charlotte.

This year’s Lions have just 10 seniors and 37 underclassmen. The state will split into eight classifications next year double 2024’s total, but Greiner is confident his team will be ready to contend for another title in 8A.

“We didn’t want to look ahead,” he said. “Now we can. It was about the now and the present because you might not be guaranteed this next time.”

Greiner told his players previously that he would not cut his hair until they won a state title. Now, there are some decisions to be made. The players, however, were loud and clear about what they wanted.

“Technically, I said I can’t cut my hair,” Greiner said. “I’ve had some long dreads for a long time now. I’ve got to [ask] my team if they want me to keep it or not…”

In unison, players present at the press conference said, “Keep it.”

Said Greiner: “I coach for my players. “Many years ago, there were some people that wanted me gone, and my players said, ‘no.’ I think the players will tell you the truth. They play for me because they know I love them. I am just the most blessed coach there is. I get to be a part of some great players. I don’t play in the game. I'm going to coach with passion, They're going to play with passion, and it has to be a relationship…

“We can't leave each other. We don't have players that leave. Anybody that left, they're regretting it now.”

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