On Monday, the NCHSAA 1A semifinals concluded with Wilson Prep and Corvian Community Christian advancing to do battle in the championship contest. While both teams are certainly deserving of this opportunity, these are two very different situations. On one side, Wilson Prep has been nothing short of incredible over the recent years—winning two of the last three 1A state titles. Coach Atkinson has gone 85-18 over the aforementioned span while consistently building strong rosters and advancing his players to the next level. The trio of Ben Ferguson, Brandon Anderson, and Leslie Minter account for over half of their total scoring. Guys like Josh Hicks and Keontae Barron are clear x-factors while David Ellis’ interior presence (both defensively and on the glass) makes him a key piece. Add in the likes of Elijah Newsome and Donovan Dickens, and their talent level is clear.
Meanwhile, Coach Ron Murphy has done the highly improbable by taking a program to the state championship in only his second season at the helm. Prior to his arrival, the Cardinals were still searching for their place in the bigger picture. Since then, they’ve gone 47-10 over his first two seasons (27-3 this year) while clearly assering themselves as a legitimate problem for opponents. They have a similar offensive structure as their opponent, as the trio of RJ Moore, Jack Hudson, and Doug Quarles III account for over half of their scoring. Malachi McCutchen fills in the gaps, AJ Jackson dictates the action as a floor general (and defender at the point of attack), and Adrian Scott provides meaningful production. Could this be the perfect storm for Coach Murphy and his crew?
It’s difficult to make any real predictions for this game, as both teams are so evenly matched. The interesting subplot is Wilson Prep being led by five seniors in their top six while Corvian Community only has one senior on the entire roster. While it doesn’t really matter, it kind of matters. Being led by a group of battle-tested veterans can be incredibly valuable when things get tense or go awry. Regardless, this should be an exciting battle from start to finish.
