"2001 Wonder Football Scrapbook"
North Piedmont Conference Champions
2001 A.L. Brown Wonders
"Over Achievers"
When you think about the 2001 A.L. Brown Wonders, there is not much to differentiate this team from a whole slew of other Wonder football teams within the pages of this site. They were winners of their conference and made a deep run into the playoffs. Par for the course in K-Town, but there are a few things to consider when you think about the run this team made back in 2001 that secured the Wonders their first ever North Piedmont Conference Championship and district championship of the new millenium. Wind back to 2000. Because of a rare and untimely loss to West Rowan at the halfway point in the season, the Wonders were denied their final South Piedmont Conference Championship and another undefeated regular season before realignment put the Wonders in the North Piedmont Conference from 2001-2004. Graduation had taken a good many stars out of the equation for the Wonders and there would be many new faces that made up the landscape of Wonder football that season.
Newly acquired head coach Ron Massey from Kings Mountain was now in his second season with the Wonders and was looking to escape the large shadow hanging over his head in the form of one former Wonder football coach Bruce Hardin who left in 2000 for the Citadel. Out with the old and in with the new took on a whole different meaning in 2001 for the Green and White. Most noteably were the additions of two new ball clubs added to the Wonders non conference schedule. They were the South Point Red Raiders and a relatively unheard of Wildcat team from Randolph County in Eastern Randolph. The Wonders were well familiar with the Red Raiders having faced them in the Bruce Hardin Era back in 1992 and just recently in a heartbreaking two overtime loss in 2000 in Belmont. If coach Massey was looking for toughness in his ball club they would have to prove that toughness straight out of the gate beginning in 2001. What very well could have been referred to as "Murderers Row" the Wonders were looking down the barrel of three state championship caliber opponents in North Rowan, Eastern Randolph and South Point to begin the season. Quite honestly something that had not been done in years past. By the second game of the season the Wonders were looking at their first 0-2 start since 1976 having fallen to both North Rowan and Eastern Randolph. The outlook wasn't looking anymore promising as the Wonders would face the South Point Red Raiders in their third non conference game of the season. The 2001 Wonders would prove their ilk in grand fashion in this game as they would rally from a 23-7 deficit in the third quarter to take an improbable 33-30 victory over the Red Raiders at Kannapolis Memorial Stadium.
The tone for the rest of the regular season had now been set in this one game. Barring a 21-7 loss to Concord in the Battle for the Bell game which in turn Concord would have to forfeit due to an ineligible player, the Wonders ran the table the rest of the way securing themselves as the North Piedmont Conference Champions of 2001. The Wonders would go into the playoffs as the #5 seed out of the Western bracket and would have to face two very tough opponents in the first and second rounds in the Asheville Cougars and Panthers of Franklin. All of this would transpire after a one week delay in the announcement of the 3A playoff seedings due to several sanctions handed down by the NCHSAA to schools having been in violation of rules during the year. The Wonders would ultimately run into the proverbial Mack Truck in the Sectional Final as they would drop a 49-6 decision at the hand of the Tigers from Jamestown Ragsdale who would lose in the Western regional to Boiling Springs Crest. In short what could have been a very disappointing year for the Wonders turned into anything but. The changes experienced by this team under head coach Ron Massey proved that the Wonder resolve for victory was just as strong as any of the other numerous teams that preceeded them. Looking back, the 2001 Wonders could most definitely fit the label of "Over Achievers" in every sense of the word.
Newly acquired head coach Ron Massey from Kings Mountain was now in his second season with the Wonders and was looking to escape the large shadow hanging over his head in the form of one former Wonder football coach Bruce Hardin who left in 2000 for the Citadel. Out with the old and in with the new took on a whole different meaning in 2001 for the Green and White. Most noteably were the additions of two new ball clubs added to the Wonders non conference schedule. They were the South Point Red Raiders and a relatively unheard of Wildcat team from Randolph County in Eastern Randolph. The Wonders were well familiar with the Red Raiders having faced them in the Bruce Hardin Era back in 1992 and just recently in a heartbreaking two overtime loss in 2000 in Belmont. If coach Massey was looking for toughness in his ball club they would have to prove that toughness straight out of the gate beginning in 2001. What very well could have been referred to as "Murderers Row" the Wonders were looking down the barrel of three state championship caliber opponents in North Rowan, Eastern Randolph and South Point to begin the season. Quite honestly something that had not been done in years past. By the second game of the season the Wonders were looking at their first 0-2 start since 1976 having fallen to both North Rowan and Eastern Randolph. The outlook wasn't looking anymore promising as the Wonders would face the South Point Red Raiders in their third non conference game of the season. The 2001 Wonders would prove their ilk in grand fashion in this game as they would rally from a 23-7 deficit in the third quarter to take an improbable 33-30 victory over the Red Raiders at Kannapolis Memorial Stadium.
The tone for the rest of the regular season had now been set in this one game. Barring a 21-7 loss to Concord in the Battle for the Bell game which in turn Concord would have to forfeit due to an ineligible player, the Wonders ran the table the rest of the way securing themselves as the North Piedmont Conference Champions of 2001. The Wonders would go into the playoffs as the #5 seed out of the Western bracket and would have to face two very tough opponents in the first and second rounds in the Asheville Cougars and Panthers of Franklin. All of this would transpire after a one week delay in the announcement of the 3A playoff seedings due to several sanctions handed down by the NCHSAA to schools having been in violation of rules during the year. The Wonders would ultimately run into the proverbial Mack Truck in the Sectional Final as they would drop a 49-6 decision at the hand of the Tigers from Jamestown Ragsdale who would lose in the Western regional to Boiling Springs Crest. In short what could have been a very disappointing year for the Wonders turned into anything but. The changes experienced by this team under head coach Ron Massey proved that the Wonder resolve for victory was just as strong as any of the other numerous teams that preceeded them. Looking back, the 2001 Wonders could most definitely fit the label of "Over Achievers" in every sense of the word.
2001 Season Results
Kannapolis 19 N. Rowan 20
Kannapolis 14 E. Randolph 35 Kannapolis 33 S. Point 30 Kannapolis 1 Concord 0 Kannapolis 27 S. Rowan 14 Kannapolis 47 W. Rowan 27 Kannapolis 35 Statesville 14 Kannapolis 35 N.W Cabarrus 7 Kannapolis 43 Mooresville 23 Kannapolis 69 E. Rowan 28 Kannapolis 61 N. Iredell 3 1st Rnd Kannapolis 21 Asheville 14 2nd Rnd Kannapolis 47 Franklin 20 3rd Rnd Kannapolis 6 Ragsdale 49 11-3 |
2001 Athletic Program
"The Experts Take on the 2001 Wonders"
Kannapolis-19 North Rowan-20
Kannapolis-14 Eastern Randolph-35
Kannapolis-33 South Point-30
Kannapolis-1 Concord-0
(Forfiet)
Kannapolis-27 South Rowan-14
Kannapolis-47 West Rowan-27
Kannapolis-35 Statesville-14
Kannapolis-35 Northwest Cabarrus-7
Kannapolis-43 Mooresville-23
Kannapolis-69 East Rowan-28
Kannapolis-61 North Iredell-3
"The 2001 Playoff Shuffle"
"Playoffs"
1st Round
Kannapolis-21 Asheville-14
2nd Round
Kannapolis-47 Franklin-20
3rd Round
Kannapolis-6 Ragsdale-49
"The Post Season"
"A Most Impressive Showing"
**All Original Newspaper Clippings and Materials on this Page Courtesy of Former Wonder Linebacker from 2000-2001 Mr. Kendall Turner**