TALKING PREPS: The Week 7 preview show On tap ➡️Shrine Bowl rosters are out. Does it have the same luster it used to? ➡️After another high-profile midseason transfer, is it time for an NCHSAA rule? ➡️Reaction, video, from West Charlotte's statement win at Mallard Creek ➡️Reaction, video, from Charlotte Catholic's statement win at Porter Ridge ➡️Reaction, video, from Olympic's come-from-behind win at Central Cabarrus THE NC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK We feature the top performers from Week 6 ➡️Chance Cato, Olympic ➡️Henry Bull, Brougton ➡️Damacio Cueto, Leesville Road ➡️Haze Dodson, Lake Norman Charter ➡️Aiden Donnelly, East Mecklenburg ➡️Jason Eaton, Mountain Island Charter ➡️Rakim Finch, West Charlotte CAM ON THE STREETS Cam sits down with Butler High two-way star Gabe Wilson GAMES OF THE WEEK We break down the state's biggest matchups NC: Green Hope at Jordan; Clayton at Southeast Raleigh; Watauga at Freedom CLT REGIONAL: Robinson at Concord; South Point at Crest; Lake Norman at Statesville MECKLENBURG: Palisades at Ardrey Kell; Providence at East Meck; AL Brown at Olympic; Weddington at Marvin Ridge; Independence at West Charlotte COACH VS COACH The guys debate over a JV player who pancaked an opponent and broke his spine; what should NCHSAA do about uptick in ejections/unsportsmanslike behavior; what's best day to play after a postponement; and does the Shrine Bowl still matter @ChrisHughesCP @DaleRoss @coachSamGreiner @JustCoachHales @garyrichmond3 @camwillsports @ChanceCato17 @OlympicFB @CAPSfootball @pride_leesville @LNCFootball @damaciocueto3 @AidenDonnelly_4 @eastmeck_ftball @mics_football @CoachDubb80 @RakimFinch @butlerbulldogs @GHHS_Football @JordanFalconsFB @RedRaiders @CrestFBRecruits @TheLake_FB @statesvillefoo1 @PalisadesFB @AKHS_Football @Prov_Football @ALBrownFootball @BigDubFootball @MarvinRidgeFB @BigIFootball

Charlotte Observer columnist @scott_fowler writes what you all were thinking, watching the Panthers get run over by the Patriots Sunday. 'The Carolina Panthers are a very bad football team.' And he's got quite a lot more to say at link below charlotteobserver.com/sports…

Talking Preps OT: Live with Dale and Jim xitter.cf/i/broadcasts/1gqxvrWkY…

Talking Preps: The Week 6 preview show xitter.cf/i/broadcasts/1RDGlAbgo…

TALKING PREPS WEEK 5 PREVIEW SHOW ON TAP ➡️Violence and ejections still an issue at games. We discuss the death of the wife of Wake Forest coach Reggie Lucas and an uptick in NCHSAA ejections ➡️The biggest news of last week was when Duke recruit KD Cotton transferred from West Charlotte to Weddington. We discuss and West Charlotte coach Sam Greiner weighs in ➡️The No. 1 voice of NC high school football, Chris Hughes, gives us his 3 biggest surprises of the season and a shout to South Rowan, which chases an historic win this week. ➡️We hear from players and coaches from last week's huge Palisades at Chambers game, and Gary Richmond breaks down Palisades' rise. PLAYERS OF THE WEEK 🏈Evan Hodges, Richmond Senior 🏈Skylar Alston, Cardinal Gibbons 🏈Ryder Polston, Ballantyne Ridge 🏈Grant Lawless, East Lincoln 🏈James Bailey, East Mecklenburg (IN STUDIO) NC GAMES OF THE WEEK Chris breaks down the NC games of the week Brevard at Franklin SE Raleigh at Garner Jack Britt at Seventy-First CHARLOTTE REGIONAL GAMES OF THE WEEK Cam got the week off, but Chris breaks down his top regional games Mooresville at East Forsyth South Point at Ashbrook Cuthbertson at Porter Ridge MECKLENBURG COUNTY KEY GAMES Rabun Gap at Providence Day Weddington at Charlotte Catholic East Meck vs. South Meck at Ardrey Kell Independence at Palisades Myers Park at Charlotte Christian North Meck at Hopewell CAM ON THE STREET Observer correspondent Richard Walker fills in for Cam and chats with Mallard Creek RB Xzavier Edmond who had a monster game in Friday's win over previously unbeaten Myers Park. MALLARD CREEK'S KENNEDY TINSLEY STOPS BY Tinsley talks about a big turnaround win last week, his injured starting QB and the biggest secret to Mallard Creek's success COACH VS COACH Tinsley hangs around and debates with the guys ➡️Is there a danger of Power 6 conference teams, Chambers, Butler, Independence, Mallard Creek, North Meck, West Charlotte burning themselves out before the playoffs? ➡️Should NC allow one time transfers for high school sports? Or eliminate transfer rules altogether? ➡️Do you like the new 35-point running clock rule or should the state have left it alone at 42? Some of these games are ending fast. @ToCreek @EdmondXzavier @NorthMeckFB @JCCougarsFB @captain_41 @DubCFootball @butlerbulldogs @BigIFootball @JustCoachHales @JRWalk22 @coachSamGreiner @ChrisHughesCP @camwillsports @HopewellTitans @HopewellAD @myersparkfball @MyersParkHS @charchristfb @PDS_ChargersFB @ChadGrier_ @RabunGapEagles @BigDubFootball @Catholic_FB @eastmeck_ftball @SouthMeckSabres @BigIFootball @Dj_Mcfadden11 @WeArePalisades @PalisadesFB @CHS_CavsFB @PorterRidgeFB @RedRaiders @superraider88 @DariusJamesHFC @AHSGreenwave @AshbrookHS @Mooresville_FB @EFHS_Football @BHSBlueDevil_FB @SRMHSBulldogsFB @TheGMHSFootball @BrittFootball @thereal71sports @James_b3_ @eastlincolnfb @GrantLawless17 @brhswolves_fb @football_cghsnc @agent_alston1 @FbRichmond

Talking Preps: The week 5 preview show xitter.cf/i/broadcasts/1mnxeNDrW…

South Meck QB Carter Gillis makes sure to watch North Carolina’s No. 1 high school football show Talking Preps returns Tuesday at 8 pm on charlotteobserver.com @CarterGillis5 @SouthMeckSabres

Greensboro Grimsley football coach Darryl Brown stopped by Talking Preps this week to talk about QB Faizon Brandon, the nation's top recruit, coaches pay and many other topics @grimsleyfb

Halftime in Jacksonville, after a long storm delay Jags 20, Panthers 3 Bryce Young 7-15 47 yards INT. Rushing 14-74 Lawrence 14-19 128 TD. Rushing 13-132 Total yards: Jags 262, Panthers 121 Turnovers: Panthers 2, Jags 0 📸(the great) @jsiner

Ballantyne Ridge tennis player Juliana Andrea Castellanos Trujillo is The Observer’s girls’ high school athlete of the week. The Wolves’ freshman won 6-0, 6-1 at No. 1 singles and 8-5 at No. 1 doubles with teammate, Eva Tiwari in a 5-4 loss to Charlotte Country Day on Aug. 25. The next day, Castellanos Trujillo won 6-0, 6-0 at No. 1 singles and 8-3 at No. 1 doubles with Tiwari to lead Ballantyne Ridge to an 8-1 victory over Covenant Day. Castellanos Trujillo finished off the week with another 6-0, 6-0 win at No. 1 singles, and an 8-0 win at No. 1 doubles with Tiwari, leading the Wolves to a 7-2 win at East Mecklenburg and Aug. 28. Castellanos Trujillo is 4-1 in singles play and 5-0 in doubles overall this season.

Processing Blue: Your Week 1 Carolina Panthers preview show xitter.cf/i/broadcasts/1OwxWeBqM…

Providence Day junior WR Steele Fletcher talked to @theobserver about the season, and about football, with his father, London Fletcher, a Washington Commanders' Ring of Fame member Story: shorturl.at/bLDOF

Talking Preps: The Week 3 preview show xitter.cf/i/broadcasts/1PlJQOwMm…

Ambassador Christian soccer player Jason Thankachan is the first Charlotte Observer boys’ high school athlete of the week for the 2025-26 school year. The Lions’ senior forward scored six goals and had five assists as Ambassador Christian went 4-0-1 in the Ivey Cup Jamboree in Kernersville, including wins over Cary Academy and Charlotte Christian in the event. Thankachan also scored one goal and had one assist in a 3-1 victory over Gaston Christian on Aug. 12. Thankachan scored the lone goal in a 2-1 loss to Atkins on Aug. 15. Thankachan has eight goals and six assists for Ambassador Christian (5-1-1) that has outscored its opponents 18-5 overall this season.

Mooresville High School volleyball player Gia Lowe is the first Charlotte Observer girls’ high school athlete of the week for the 2025-26 school year. The Blue Devils’ outside hitter had 33 kills, 17 digs, three blocks and two aces in two games combined as Mooresville won 3-0 at North Mecklenburg on Aug. 13 and lost 3-0 at Pine Lake Prep the next day. Lowe had 23 kills, 18 digs, five aces and three blocks in three matches as Mooresville (4-1) went 3-0 at the Queen City Showcase at Bradford Prep, beating the College Prep and Leadership Academy (2-0), host Bradford Prep (2-0) and Durham’s North Carolina School of Science and Math (2-0) on Aug. 16. Lowe has more than 1,000 kills in her career.

TALKING PREPS: The 2025 Season Debut show The Talking Prep crew is back and we break down the upcoming season: new conferences, new coaches, state championship favorites in all eight classes, plus a deep debate on how NC coaches pay lags neighboring states, Coach vs. Coach and previews of the week's key games. @ChrisHughesCP @DaleRoss @coachSamGreiner @JustCoachHales @garyrichmond3 @DubCFootball @HoughFB @BigIFootball @grimsleyfb @RamsFootballNC @TarboroFootball

Make sure to join Randy Macho Man Savage, er, West Charlotte @coachSamGreiner Sunday night at 8 when the No. 1 high school football show in North Carolina returns. Season 9 of Talking Preps is on deck at charlotteobserver.com

West Charlotte coach Sam Greiner said that coming off winning a state title last December, the Lions have had the best summer of any team he has ever coached @coachSamGreiner @DubCFootball

Want to hear from two state championship coaches, a former CMS coach who built a powerhouse, a real life NC high school football historian — and the guy who is the No. 1 most respected voice of the sport statewide? Talking Preps returns Sunday at 8 on charlotteobserver.com Tap in with @JustCoachHales @coachSamGreiner @ChrisHughesCP @DaleRoss @garyrichmond3 and the host @langstonwertzjr