West Charlotte’s KD Cotton walked into Bank of America Stadium wearing a different jersey number Wednesday afternoon than the one he’s worn while becoming one of the region’s top high school football players.
Cotton was at the home of the Carolina Panthers to participate in a media day for a doubleheader in August, when West Charlotte will play Greensboro’s Grimsley High School and Hough will play Rock Hill’s South Pointe High in the annual Keep Pounding High School Classic.
West Charlotte’s KD Cotton answers questions from the media during Wednesday’s Carolina Panthers Keep Pounding Classic media day at Bank of America Stadium on May 7 2025 Kelly Hood/Special to The Observer
A large contingent of local media were there, along with representatives from Belk, which is a presenting sponsor for the event, and Panthers coach Dave Canales, who handled a ceremonial coin flip to determine the home team.
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And Cotton wanted to use this big stage to honor his teammate Sincere Daye, who is returning this fall after a series of surgeries and a big health scare. So instead of wearing his usual No. 9 to the event, Cotton wore Daye’s No. 7.
“He’s been going through a lot, man,” Cotton said. “He had to get a whole surgery, actually a bunch of surgeries, and was just in and out of the hospital. I just wanted to honor him today. What he went through was inspiring. I know last season, we would always say, ‘Let’s do it for Sin.’”
Daye was a budding star at West Charlotte as a freshman two years ago and was set to start last season. But Lions coach Sam Greiner said his appendix ruptured before the 2024 season began and there were complications with his bowel after that. Daye shrunk from 160 to about 100 pounds, Greiner said.
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“We didn’t know what was wrong with him,” Greiner said. “He lost his whole sophomore year.”
Daye sat on the sidelines and watched as many games as he could, including when West Charlotte beat Fayetteville’s Seventy First High School last December to win its first state championship since 1995.
Greiner said, “When he came back from the surgery, he never got healthy. They did three more surgeries. He finally came out of it. Now he’s 6-foot, 175 pounds.”
West Charlotte coach Sam Greiner speaks with the media during Wednesday’s Carolina Panthers’ Keep Pounding media day at Bank of America Stadium on May 7, 2025 Kelly Hood/Correspondent
Daye will start at cornerback for the Lions when West Charlotte opens the season against Grimsley at Bank of America Stadium in the Keep Pounding Classic. He’s also been so impressive in spring workouts that colleges are starting to recruit Daye, who will be a junior in the fall.
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He got his first college offer this week, from Howard, and surprised his mom with the news.
Ohio State and North Carolina began to recruit him after watching him in practice Wednesday.
“He’s a special player,” Greiner said, “and it’s remarkable what God can do for somebody.”
Playing on the big stage
Hough’s Samari Matthews (left) and South Pointe’s J’Zavien Currence at Wednesday’s Carolina Panthers’ Keep Pounding media day at Bank of America Stadium on May 7, 2025 Kelly Hood/Special to The Observer
There was one theme that emerged from the four coaches and four players present at the media event Wednesday: Everyone was really excited to have a chance to play on a real NFL field.
“It’s amazing, just amazing,” said Hough cornerback Samari Matthews, a major college recruit. “Growing up, watching the Panthers, and like, Cam Newton was here, Ted Ginn, and all of them. It’s a childhood dream and I’m here with some of my close friends. Everybody knows each other and I go against one of my best friends (South Pointe’s) J’Zavien Currence. We played 7 on 7 together, youth ball. That’s my guy.”
Greensboro Grimsley QB Faizon Brandon at Wednesday’s Carolina Panthers’ Keep Pounding media day at Bank of America Stadium on May 7, 2025 Kelly Hood/Special to The Observer
Grimsley’s Faizon Brandon, the reigning N.C. Mr. Football and the No. 1 recruit in the state, said he couldn’t wait for Game Day in August.
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“I think it’s really cool. It’s something I haven’t done before,” said Brandon, who has committed to Tennessee. “I think it’ll be very awesome to be here and play. I never thought I’d be able to do this in high school.”
Coin-toss shenanigans
During the press conference, the Panthers hosted a ceremonial coin toss to determine which school, in each game, would be designated as the home team.
That team could pick its uniform color.
Greensboro Grimsley coach Darryl Brown watches on as Carolina Panthers’ coach Dave Canales performs a ceremonial coin toss during media day for the Keep Pounding High School Classic Wednesday, May 7, 2025 Kelly Hood/Special to The Observer
Canales handled the coin toss, but South Pointe coach Bobby Collins playfully didn’t like the result and asked for a do-over, pretending to not understand the rules.
Hough was the winner and the Huskies will wear gray uniforms, coach DeShawn Baker said.
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▪ West Charlotte won the coin toss for the second game of the doubleheader with Grimsley, a game that will match two reigning N.C. state champions. Greiner said the Lions will wear a new black uniform that’s been ordered. That was fine with Grimsley coach Darryl Brown, who said he would’ve chosen to wear white, if he won the coin toss, anyway.
Facing his old team
South Pointe coach Bobby Collins was the first coach at Hough. Collins coached there from 2010-2013. His last two Huskies teams were 19-5 and Hough has not had a losing season since.
Collins played in college with current Hough coach Baker. Collins was a senior offensive lineman at S.C. State, when Baker came in as a freshman running back. Baker would go onto become the school’s No. 2 all-time leading rusher and the 2006 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference player of the year.
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Now the old teammates will face off on a very big stage.
“The bond is very special,” Collins said. “It’s going to be an exciting (game), but when you’re in Rock Hill, it’s just a different place when it comes to football. It’s Football City USA. We’ve had some NFL guys come out of (Rock Hill) and fortunately for us, some of those guys have also been able to play with the Panthers at one point of their careers. So we’re excited for the city. We’re excited about playing at 4 o’clock and selling the stadium out before the 8 o’clock game. It’ll be a great, great experience for everybody to come watch us play.”
Want to go?
The 2025 Keep Pounding High School football classic will be held at Bank of America Stadium on Friday, Aug. 22.
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Regional powers Hough and South Pointe will play at 4 p.m., followed by a matchup of reigning N.C. state champions when West Charlotte plays Grimsley at 8 p.m.
Tickets are $8 and are good for both games. They are on sale now at Ticketmaster.
▪ Hough was 12-2 last season and is expected to be a title contender again. South Pointe was 11-3 last season and reached the state semifinals.
▪ West Charlotte (13-2) and Grimsley (16-0) return the bulk of their starters from last season. Grimsley is ranked No. 16 nationally in Sports Illustrated’s “Way Too Early” preseason poll. Hough and West Charlotte are both top 3 in The Observer’s “Way Too Early” Sweet 16 regional poll.