"In the Beginning"
Kannapolis Varsity Football Teams
"1924-2024"
The true picture of the past flits by. The past can be seized only as an image which flashes up at the
instant when it can be recognized and is never seen again. -Simone Weil
The Kannapolis football program has evolved over the last 96 seasons beginning in 1924 with the first organized football team from Central High School, through J.W. Cannon High and finally to A.L. Brown High as we know it today. The program has been a tradition to fans and residents of Kannapolis since the program took root, and has grown throughout generation to generation. From Kannapolis Ball Park to Kannapolis Memorial Stadium and all points in between, Kannapolis Football has entertained and been a source of community pride for a town that has undergone many transitions since that first game in 1924. The story is a proud and lengthy one, and continues to write it's own individual chapter every year, and it's a story that never gets old!! Go Wonders!! -The editor
instant when it can be recognized and is never seen again. -Simone Weil
The Kannapolis football program has evolved over the last 96 seasons beginning in 1924 with the first organized football team from Central High School, through J.W. Cannon High and finally to A.L. Brown High as we know it today. The program has been a tradition to fans and residents of Kannapolis since the program took root, and has grown throughout generation to generation. From Kannapolis Ball Park to Kannapolis Memorial Stadium and all points in between, Kannapolis Football has entertained and been a source of community pride for a town that has undergone many transitions since that first game in 1924. The story is a proud and lengthy one, and continues to write it's own individual chapter every year, and it's a story that never gets old!! Go Wonders!! -The editor
"The Central High School Years"
1924-1929
Central High School in Kannapolis first opened it's doors for operation on December 22nd 1924. It operated as Central High School until 1930, and was renamed after the founder of the Cannon Mills Company Mr James W Cannon.
The 1924 Central High School football team was the very first organized high school football team in the town of Kannapolis. It consisted of twelve actual members and guided under the tutelage of Head Coach Mr E.B. Gill. The School's primary colors were Maroon and Black, and the team was often referred to as "The Towelers" in local news publications. There would be no official reference to the moniker "Little Wonders" until November 15th of 1926 when it was first applied to the Basketball Team. There is much debate as to how the team got this name, as stories of it's origin has differed from person to person over the years. In any event, the Varsity Football Team of 1930 would be the first official Kannapolis Football Team to carry the moniker of "Little Wonders" The first Kannapolis Football Team was not very good, having just been exposed to the game in an organized setting that year. The team lost all of it's contests, except for one tie, making it the first and only Kannapolis Football team to go winless in a season. Trouble however was on the horizon for the 1925 edition of Kannapolis Football. Midway through the 1925 varsity season, Football was suspended at Central High School for academic ineligibility amongst the vast majority of it's players. The Principal of Central High School suspended football because of a "noticeable decline" in student academic success, which he blamed directly on players leaving class early for games. Players entered into an agreement at the beginning of the school year to maintain their academics to remain eligible for school sponsored athletics. In an October 30th edition of the Concord Tribune, the principal was quoted as saying that "Athletics would in no way interfere with the classroom work of any pupil" Student athletes had violated their agreement with school authorities when they were absent from class to travel to a football contest in the previous year. The principal stated that two thirds of players on the 1925 team failed in school work during the final months of the year, and that only one third were considered academically eligible to play in 1926. Football was suspended indefinitely at that time. |
Central High School would not field a football team from 1926-1928. After the three year suspension of football at Central High, football was reinstated in 1929 with the first game being played against Landis High School in Landis. The Towelers were mugged that afternoon 52-0. After a two week layoff, play resumed on November 25th with the Towelers playing a contest against Cramerton High in Cramerton NC. Central took that contest 14-7. That would officially be the final contest of the 1929 season in Kannapolis.
The 1929 season would officially go on record as being the shortest season in the history of Kannapolis Football. The Towelers would finish at 1-1. Subsequently, 1929 would be the final year of Central High School and the Marron and Black. Kannapolis Football would play it's following twenty one seasons as The J.W. Cannon Little Wonders from 1930-1952. Those first three seasons of Kannapolis Football at Central High School from 1924-1929, would be a difficult time for the new fledgling program in the Towel City. With an unofficial 0-0-0 record for the school's history (with three contests from the 1924 season unaccounted for to date) there was nowhere for the program to go but up in the years to come, and up they would, as Football on Friday nights would become a mainstay in the Towel City. The seasons though difficult, laid the foundation for the success that was on the horizon for the program. Today Kannapolis Football thrives for residents of Kannapolis who love the Wonders, and who brought their kids up to to love them as well. This story in a continual work in progress and one that will write a new and exciting page year after year. -The editor |
"1924"
(0-6-1)
"1925"
(1-1-1)
1926, 1927 and 1928
(Football Suspended)
"1929"
(1-1)
"The J.W. Cannon Years"
1930-1951
In 1930, Central High School was renamed J.W. Cannon High School after the founder and president of the Cannon Mills Company James William Cannon. The school stood as the primary high school in Kannapolis from 1930-1951. In 1933, the school was destroyed by fire and reopened in the academic school year of 1934. Though the school continued football and a confirmed record was obtained, no picture of the 1933 team has been located and remains the only team for which there is no photo on this site.
As with Central High School, J.W. Cannon teams played their home grid contests at Kannapolis Ball Park located in Midway Kannapolis. The school rested just South of what would later become the home to Kannapolis Memorial Stadium. J.W. Cannon transitioned between five head coaches from 1930-1951 including Ray Dixon, Buck McCarn, John Dupree, P.V. Parks, and Harland "Tuck" Gudger.
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1930
8-1
"1931"
7-1-1
"1932"
7-3-1
"1933"
5-3-1
Picture Unavailable
"1934"
3-6-1
"1935"
3-6-1
"1936"
4-4-2
"1937"
6-1-1
"1938"
8-2
"1939"
3-6
"1940"
4-5
"1941"
8-2
"1942"
7-2-1
"1943"
7-2
"1944"
3-6
"1945"
2-8
"1946"
3-5-1
"1947"
"1948"
3-7
"1949"
5-5
1950
1-8-1
1951
5-5
"The A.L. Brown Years"
(1952-Present)
A.L. Brown High School, named after Cannon Mills executive Alfred Luther Brown, came into existence in 1952. The school rested just Southeast of the J.W. Cannon Jr High School shadow on East 1st Street in Kannapolis. In the school's inaugural year, the Little Wonders under head coach Harland "Tuck" Gudger turned in their first ever perfect regular season at 10-0, and became the undisputed South Piedmont Conference Champions for the first time ever in the program's history. It is widely accepted that the bulk of the program's success emerged from A.L. Brown's hallways.
1952
10-0
South Piedmont Conference Champions
1953
9-1
1954
6-3
1955
8-1
1956
7-3-1
1957
6-2-2
1958
5-3-1
1959
4-4-2
1960
10-0-2
South Piedmont Conference Champions
WNCHSAA Co Champions
1961
1-5-3
1962
3-5-2
1963
5-5
1964
5-5
1965
4-6
1966
8-2
1967
7-3
1968
5-3-2
1969
6-4
1970
4-6
1971
7-3-1
1972
5-5
1973
7-2-1
1974
7-2-1
1975
4-6
1976
2-8
1977
3-7
1978
7-3
1979
11-1
CPC 4A Conference Champions
1980
9-1-1
CPC 4A Conference Champions
1981
7-3
1982
9-1
South Piedmont 3A Conference Champions
1983
8-2
1984
13-1
South Piedmont 3A Conference Champions
1985
7-4
1986
8-3
1987
10-1
CPC 4A Conference Champions
1988
8-2
1989
14-1
South Piedmont 3A Conference Champions
NCHSAA State 3A Champions
1990
12-2
South Piedmont 3A Conference Champions
1991
13-2
NCHSAA 3A State Runner Up
1992
12-1
South Piedmont 3A Conference Champions
1993
9-2
South Piedmont 3A Conference Champions
1994
7-5
1995
9-3
South Piedmont 3A Conference Champions
1996
6-5
1997
15-1
South Piedmont 3A Conference Champions
NCHSAA State 3A Champions
1998
13-1
South Piedmont 3A Conference Champions
1999
12-1
South Piedmont 3A Conference Champions
2000
11-2
2001
11-3
North Piedmont 3A Conference Champions
3A West District Champions
2002
9-4
North Piedmont 3A Conference Champions
2003
10-4
North Piedmont 3A Conference Champions
2004
9-4
North Piedmont 3A Conference Champions
2005
13-2
South Piedmont 3A Conference Champions
3A West Sectional Champions
2006
10-3
3A West District Champions
2007
11-2
South Piedmont 3A Conference Champions
2008
13-3
South Piedmont 3A Conference Champions
NCHSAA State 3A Runner Up
2009
11-3
South Piedmont 3A Conference Champions
3A West District Champions
2010
12-2
South Piedmont 3A Conference Champions
3A West District Champions
2011
12-2
South Piedmont 3A Conference Champions
3A West District Champions
2012
10-4
3A West District Champions
2013
7-5
2014
6-6
2015
10-3
2016
9-4
2017
2018
(6-6)
2019
(8-4)
2020
(6-2)
(South Piedmont Conference Champions)
(Covid Year, Abbreviated Season Played in 2021)
(No Photo Available)
2021
(5-5)
2022
(6-5)
2023
(5-6)
2024
(?-?)
Time is the measurer of all things, but is itself immeasurable, and the grand discloser of all things, but is itself undisclosed -Charles Caleb Colton