Hopewell High School (North Carolina)

Hopewell High School is located in the fast growing area of northern Mecklenburg County, serving the areas of Huntersville, Cornelius, and Davidson. The school was founded in 2001 and has a state-of-the-art building housing the latest computer technology. The school is a comprehensive high school, which offers a full range of Advanced Placement and college preparatory courses along with high tech computer education courses. It also offers visual and performing arts, twenty-seven different varsity and junior varsity sports, and many extra curricular activities and clubs to serve the needs of its diverse student body. [ [http://pages.cms.k12.nc.us/hopewell/ Hopewell High School : ] ]

Hopewell High School is best known for having the number one ranked student section for sports starting in 2007, and has shown fast improvement in its athletic programs. The school's main rival is North Mecklenburg, which is a five minute drive from the school. The school's athletic teams are nicknamed the Titans.

Hopewell Hooligans

The Hopewell Hooligans were created in the year of 2006-2007 and was headed by the class of 2007. Students dressed up in bizarre outfits, such as long socks, armbands, spray painted shirts, and painted hair. They were known for their creative chants and demoralizing behavior towards its opponents. The school had to adjust new policies after opposing schools complained that the Hooligans were being too "spirited" and personally isolating players. They were noted by the "Charlotte Observer" as being the best student section in the Charlotte region (2007) and continue to show promise. Ranked second behind them was their cross-town rival North Mecklenburg. Throughout the 2007-08 basketball season, the Hopewell student section was recognized numerous times by the "Charlotte Observer" as being one of the loudest, and following a playoff game against East Meck, the "Observer" declared "Every school should have a student section like Hopewell's."

Basketball

After previous years of average play from the Hopewell Titans, in 2005-2006, the team made its first playoff. The next year, with Coach Eric Davis leading them, the Titans made it to Wake Forest in the elite eight of the state tournament (4-A). The team was defeated by one. At the end of the game, there was much speculation about whether the referees had favored the opposing team (McDowell). The team lost three seniors to college, all with scholarships and two getting D-1 scholarships.

The 2007-08 Hopewell boys basketball team finished 22-7 (10-2), capturing the first-ever conference championship in school history. Victories over notable powers such as West Meck, Vance, and Myers Park, not to mention a road win in North Carolina's top high school basketball rivalry in a packed gym at North Mecklenburg, highlighted the excellent season. Junior guard Brandyn Curry was named the MECA-7 Conference Player of the Year, as the catalyst for the greatest offensive team in the history of the school. Four of five starters return to what should be one of the top teams in the state, although sixth man O.J. Burch (who played well in the game against North Meck), who was expected to move into the spot vacated by Corey Whitehurst's graduation, transferred to Vance.

Football

After several seasons of marinating in the middle of the MECA-7 pack, the Hopewell Titans Football team, motivated by Coach Chris Rust, finished the 2007-2008 season dominating with a 11-1 overall record and won the conference championship due to forfeit. The Titans were upset by losing in the first round to the (Greensboro Whirlies) 35 to 41. The team set a school record for victories in a season and captured their first-ever wins over Providence and Vance. Quarterback Chris Gilbert received a scholarship to Kent State (Ohio) as a wide receiver/kick returner.

Former players who have gone on to play at the FBS (Division 1A) level include CB Kendric Williams (North Carolina), WR Kyle Johnson (East Carolina), LB Chaz Green (Undecided), and WR/KR Chris Gilbert (Kent State). Members of the 2009 class that are attracting Division 1 attention include OL Al McCreary, and DL Duece Johnson.

Media Appearances

Hopewell High School has been featured on TruTV's "The Principal's Office".

References