What are the best HS football rivalries in the Charlotte area and NC? Check our list

During an appearance on Cam Newton’s “Funky Friday” podcast, the former Carolina Panthers QB and NFL MVP asked Chambers High graduate and superstar rapper DaBaby what was the best high school football rivalry in Charlotte.

“It depends, when it comes to eras,” DaBaby said in his signature drawl, “but it’s definitely got to do with West Charlotte...It’s probably West Charlotte and Independence.”

At one time, in the 1990s and even for most the 2000s, DaBaby — a Charlotte native who graduated from Chambers High School — was certainly right. Back then, West Charlotte-Independence may have been the best rivalry in North Carolina. The teams played for conference titles multiple times. The teams met in several memorable playoff games, including a 2007 N.C. 4AA regional championship game, and often brought 15-20,000 fans to Memorial Stadium in uptown Charlotte.

But that was then.

“I’d like to say the Butler rivalry is a little more up there than the West Charlotte rivalry,” Independence coach DJ McFadden said.

McFadden is heading into his fourth season as head coach of the Patriots. In 2005 and ‘06, he started at quarterback for Independence, leading the school to back-to-back state championship games.

McFadden said, even when he was playing, the Butler game was a bigger rivalry than the West Charlotte game — at least to the Patriots’ players. And, right now, we agree: Butler-Independence is the top high school football rivalry in the Charlotte-area.

Since 2000, Butler and Independence have won 10 NCHSAA football state championships.

“When I was playing, to us, the West Charlotte week didn’t have the same feel as the Butler week,” McFadden said. “So to me, I think Butler-Independence is a North Carolina-Duke type rivalry game.”

A year ago, the teams played for the Southwestern 4A conference title (Butler won) and in the N.C. 4A state quarterfinals (Independence won).

The rivalry also crosses all sports. In boys basketball, for instance, Butler beat Independence for the Southwestern 4A conference tournament championship in February.

Butler quarterback Zach Lawrence said the fact that schools are so close together — just 5.8 miles or 10 minutes apart — makes the rivalry more intense.

“I grew up with a lot of the (Independence) guys,” he said. “We played against each other in everything. I don’t want them to have anything on me, and to play in that (Butler-Independence) game was always like coming home. It was familiarity, which made the game a lot more intense.”

Lawrence’s all-conference teammate, De’Quadre Currence, said it’s hard to walk around Matthews or Mint Hill and not see players from both teams — sometimes together.

“We know these guys and off the field or court, we’re pretty cool,” he said. “But when we step on the court or on the field, it’s a rivalry. And it’s pretty intense. We all want the same thing. We’re all trying to win and give each other our best...Some guys even hang out (away from school). Like, it’s cool off the field and off the court, but at the same time, once it’s time to play, it’s time to play.”

The other top area rivalries

Lake Norman vs. Mooresville: No matter the sport, this rivalry shuts down the town of Mooresville, which has more than 50,000 residents and is a 30-minute drive from uptown Charlotte. Known as “The Battle of Mo-town,” it’s a game that draws sellout crowds and is one neither team wants to lose.

“They are just down the street and we’re close together and there’s just a lot of talking,” Mooresville linebacker Jamari Farmer said. “We don’t do the talking. They do the talking and people do the talking for them. We just show up and show out.”

Charlotte Christian vs. Providence Day: These two schools are 1.7 miles apart and are on the same street in southeast Charlotte. In fact, most Providence Day players won’t call Christian by name. It’s “the school down the street.” The teams, who are conference rivals, have won the past seven NCISAA Division I state championships and 11 of the past 13.

Forest Hills vs. Monroe: This rivalry series matches a pair of small school powerhouses that have each won state championship games. Continuing a trend, these two schools are close to each other: just 11 minutes by car or 7 miles.

Chambers vs. Hough vs. Mallard Creek: Any combination of these three teams makes for a huge rivalry game. Since 2013, Mallard Creek and Chambers have won five state championships. Hough has played deep into the 4A playoffs. In recent years, all three have been nationally ranked and have produced multiple Power 5 college players. Oh, they also all play in the same conference, the Queen City 3A/4A.

A.L. Brown vs. Concord: For many, many years, this was the top rivalry in North Carolina and one of the best in the country. The winner gets the Victory Bell, which it paints in its school colors. The teams have played since 1931 and have the state’s longest-running football rivalry.

Northwestern vs. Rock Hill: With a population of about 75,000, the town of Rock Hill has long been known as “Football City USA,” and these two schools have produced multiple NFL players. The rivalry began in 1971 and has garnered articles in several national publications over the years, including ESPN. Lately, Northwestern has had the upper hand in the series, but this is still a game that both teams — and fans in the area — always look forward to.

Harding vs. West Charlotte: These two west-side schools have played for years and each has won a state championship in its history. Each school has a rich tradition for football and for its band. The halftime competition is often as good as the football. Current West Charlotte coach Sam Greiner won the 2017 4A state title at Harding.

Ardrey Kell vs. Providence: When Ardrey Kell opened in 2006, it took a lot of students from Providence, just 8.4 miles away. The teams quickly built a rivalry across sports, and currently have one of the biggest baseball rivalries in the southeast. Ardrey Kell has gotten the better of the football series lately, but the teams will open the season at Memorial Stadium Aug. 23, perhaps the biggest football meeting between the schools ever.

“We know a lot of those guys at Ardrey Kell,” Providence defensive end Palmer Stevenson said, “and what happens there’s conflict between those teams.”

Ashbrook vs. Hunter Huss: In basketball, this rivalry has produced NBA players like Sleepy Floyd and James Worthy. In football, this was long the Gaston County game of the year with the winner getting the Victory Bell. And it still draws a big crowd to this day.

Charlotte Catholic vs. South Mecklenburg: What do you get when you take two huge fan bases, who are familiar with each other, and line them up every year? You get a pretty good rivalry matchup. Every year. No two schools on our list are as close as this pair. You literally just cross Park Road in south Charlotte to go from one campus to the other.

Chris Hughes’ top NC rivalries

Charlotte Observer Talking Preps co-host and longtime N.C. football analyst Chris Hughes lists his top 10 high school football rivalries in North Carolina:

1. Waynesville Tuscola vs. Canton Pisgah

2. AL Brown vs. Concord

3. Boiling Springs Crest vs. Shelby

4. Richmond vs. Scotland County

5. Independence vs. Butler

6. Shelby vs. Kings Mountain

7. Burnsville Mountain Heritage vs. Mitchell

8. East Forsyth vs. West Forsyth

9. Warsaw James Kenan vs. Wallace Rose-Hill

10. Greensboro Page vs. Greensboro Grimsley