Yesterday, the NCHSAA 3A semifinals concluded with Central Cabarrus and Seventy-First advancing to do battle in the championship contest. Similar to the previous preview, both of these teams are undeniably deserving of their place in the title game. However, these are two completely different groups. In looking at Seventy-First, they’ve arguably been the most impressive squad to make the championship thus far. Why? Because Coach Ingram has more than maintained their model of consistency in his two seasons at the helm—going 53-5 over that span. They’ve quietly been one of the best teams in the state, regardless of classification, which is only further evidenced by their title appearance. They defeated three of the top five seeds in the East (Swansboro, Westover, and South Central) thus far. Although Mylon Campbell stands out as their focal point, he is the only senior in their rotation. That being said, Deandre Nance brings obvious value as a two-way piece and Jacquez Foster does a little bit of everything while guys like Noah Staples, Malachi Isaac, and Julian Wilkerson comfortably produce within their respective roles.
On the other side, Central Cabarrus continues to be historically great. Their semifinal contest against Hickory (87-78) was the first double-digit result they’ve had all season. Their overall season can be defined by a few numbers. The Vikings have scored a total of 2759 points while their opponent has only scored 1409, which irons out to an insane +42.18 average scoring margin. Like last season, they are undefeated and basically high-stepped their way to the championship game. It’s truly impossible to single out any one individual, as the trio of Carson Daniel, Chase Daniel, and Desmond Kent has been purely dominant over the last few years. However, the addition of Joshua Dalton and emergence of Emari Russell have brought so much value to their overall structure. Guys like Noah Edmisten and Cayden Smith also play critical roles for this squad.
In looking at the matchup specifically, it’s incredibly difficult to bet against Central Cabarrus. The Vikings have gone 94-1 since November of 2021 (including an improbable run at the Throne and undefeated summer season). Seventy-First has enjoyed a phenomenal season, so it’ll be interesting to see if they can outlast the buzzsaw commonly referred to as Central Cabarrus.
