At last, No. 1 Hough and No. 2 West Charlotte square off

MATT LACZKO | THE CHARLOTTE POST

Hough High quarterback Ethan Royal (1) has led the Huskies to a 12-0 record going into Friday’s 8A playoff game against West Charlotte. Hough is No. 1 in The Post's Magnificent Seven rankings.

At long last, Hough High’s Huskies and West Charlotte Lions will battle. 

Preseason drama unfolded when Hough, No. 1 in The Post’s Magnificent Seven rankings, wanted to play No. 2 West Charlotte when both teams had a schedule opening. Lions coach Sam Greiner wanted to avoid it for RPI reasoning but knew they would likely see the Huskies in a postseason scenario.

“We knew that in all likelihood this would happen,” he said. “We didn’t know at what point in the playoffs we would play [before the brackets came out] but we knew that we would more than likely end up playing Hough. It works out perfect for both parties where this is a state semifinal game. The winner is the regional champion that goes to states to represent the West. Everyone is prepped for this game, and it is what it is. … They are a great football team, and we are a really good team as well. A clash of the titans.”

West Charlotte is 10-2 with losses coming to Greensboro Grimsley, which is ranked 14th in the nation by MaxPreps. The other was to Rock Hill South Pointe, South Carolina’s top-ranked team and in the hunt for a state title.
Hough, the 8A West No. 1 seed is 12-0 with marquee wins over Rock Hill South Pointe, Independence, Mooresville, Myers Park and West Forsyth. Huskies coach DeShawn Baker said it is great for Mecklenburg County to have two teams this good to represent CMS. 

“This game means a lot,” he said. “For the Charlotte area and the whole city to have teams of this caliber. The whole city will try to come out for this one. I just think it’s a staple of North Carolina football. North Carolina has good players and good teams, too. Everyone talks about South Carolina, Florida, and Californias of the world, but we have top tier talent here too. This game will show that. We know it’s a big game. All the hype around it won’t matter when the ball is kicked off at 7 p.m. on Friday night.”

Greiner and Baker have a mutual respect and acknowledge both have sound teams that make worthy competitors. West Charlotte has scored 417 points this season to just 82 allowed. Hough has 473 points and just 93 points against them. The Huskies are ranked No. 1 in the 8A classification and the Lions are second. 

“West Charlotte is the most talented team in the state,” Baker said. “There's no denying that. I will never deny that. I give them credit. They have grown a lot. They had a lot of sophomores last year, some freshmen. So, they’ve played together for a year now, and they’re clicking and they're rolling. I expect their confidence level to be high. I expect them to come in here and do what they do. But again, we don't let it get too big. We are not going to get into all the rah-rah stuff unless they bring it to us.”

MATT LACZKO | THE CHARLOTTE POST

West Charlotte High, No. 2 in the Magnificent Seven, overcame a 1-2 start to fashion a nine-game win streak going into the Lions’ third round 8A playoff game against Hough.

Greiner said after winning last year’s 3A championship that West Charlotte went from the hunters to hunted. While Hough may not have a state title, Baker feels being undefeated in 2025 and unbeaten against Mecklenburg County rivals since he has been at Hough makes the Huskies the team to beat. 

“We are still the hunted,” Baker said. “Yes, we haven’t won a state championship and there is no denying that. So, when people say this or that about us, I don’t get upset about it because we haven’t won the big one. But everyone knows there isn’t a team in Charlotte that has beaten us in however long. I tell the kids all the time we are like Alabama. No matter who it is we play, they are going to give us their best each and every Friday night. So, the standard is the standard, and we just try to keep the main thing the main thing and that is to play our best ball each time we take the field.”

Greiner encourages fans to show up for two teams that on paper are as equal as they come. 

“Both of these teams are going to be well prepared for one another,” he said. “It doesn’t matter the records, whoever the best team is will prevail. I know the coaches on both sides are going to do the best we can do. There is no clear advantage to either team. I know it’s cliché, but you have to come see this one for yourself.”

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