GRR on X  GRR on Facebook GRR in Instagram GRR Vimeo Library GRR on YouTube RuggaMatrix America Podcasts Support GRR on Patreon

Capitals, Panthers Lead North Carolina Single School Charge

irish rugby tours

Capitals, Panthers Lead North Carolina Single School Charge

Providence vs Myers Park. Photo courtesy CJRA.

North Carolina’s single-school leagues looks like it might go down to the Providence Panthers vs the Capitals from Broughton HS, but those coaches aren’t so sure.

There are still a couple of very tough games to get through.

The Capitals (who played as Not Broughton last year and still struggle to get their Raleigh-based school to be supportive of their existence) were undefeated going into last week’s clash with Clayton, who were also undefeated.

In the toughest game of the year so far, the Capitals won out 40-24.

“We’re undefeated but, as you know, a couple of injuries or one bad showing can negate all that we have accomplished,” said Head Coach Toby Dickens.

Even so, after a championship performance last year, the Capitals have had to work to raise their game as North Carolina’s single-school league has gotten deeper and stronger.

“The team as a whole is playing at a higher level than last year,” said Dickens, who credits the upperclassmen who helped lead that team with driving the culture.

Broughton will take on Charlotte Catholic this weekend. While the Capitals lead the NC Single-School Eastern Conference, Catholic is #2 in the Western, having lost just one game. Then the week after it will be the Capitals against Clayton again.

Panthers Still Untouched

And that one team that beat Charlotte Catholic? That would be Providence, which is undefeated and set for a rematch in a week.

While all indications point to a Providence vs Broughton final, Providence Head Coach Michael Cook isn’t thinking about that.

“We have to play Charlotte Catholic first, and while we beat them 36-0 earlier in the year, they didn’t have a lot of their players, and they are getting better every week,” said Cook. “We on the other hand play well one week and not well another week.”

Led by HS All Americans Jack Brown and Eddie Van Heerden, who control the forward pack play, the Panthers have also benefited from solid seasons fromHarrison Hellner (a football convert who is playing prop), and Daniel Vaneste, a former soccer player who is very quick at fullback.

“When we clear out rucks really well and have cleaner ball, we play well,” said Cook, and so the Panthers as a group need to be more consistent there. Cook also said that on defense they have to stop giving up high-tackle penalties. “We worked on that all this week.”

But perhaps the biggest issue was at halfback, where regular flyhalf Reed Samson has been out most of the season as he recovered from a concussion. With Samson out, four-year scrumhalf Jack Whitney moved to flyhalf, and that brought Jack Webber in at scrumhalf.

The key to Providence still winning has been how those two took on their roles.

Last week, Providence defeated Myers Park 33-5 to get to 6-0.

This Week the Eastern and Western teams cross over and play non-league games between East and West.

Hough (4-2) vs North Mecklenburg (1-4)

Providence (6-0) vs Ricky River (0-6)

Broughton (6-0) vs Charlotte Catholic (5-1)

Pinecrest (2-4) vs Ardrey Kell (0-5)

Langtree (1-5) vs Olympic HS (2-4)

Myers Park (2-4) vs Clayton (5-1)

South Mecklenburg (4-2) vs Corinth-Holders (3-3)