Watch: Mountain Heritage takes down rival Mitchell under the lights
Highlights from Mountain Heritage’s 54-12 win over Mitchell, including a four-touchdown night from Brandon Quinn.
Welcome to the USA TODAY Network’s recruiting ladder, a statewide feature from reporter Joe Hughes highlighting prospects on the rise each week of the 2024 high school football season.
Anyone is eligible for consideration, whether it be an unranked player who had a career game, a recruit with mid-level offers, or four- and five-star standouts adding to their personal highlight reel.
Have a player to recommend? Feel free to submit their name, position and graduation class, in addition to other relevant information, statistics or scholarship offers via email to jhughes@gastongazette.com or X (formerly Twitter — @JoeLHughesII) by Tuesday morning each week.
Hoggard | So., QB
The 6-foot-2, 180-pound quarterback has completed just shy of 70% of his passes, throwing for 2,105 yards and 19 touchdowns this fall, helping the Vikings to a 9-1 record.
Boring has thrown for 200 yards or more in five games, including a 315-yard, two-TD effort Oct. 11 in a 35-27 win over Ashley.
Hunter Huss | Sr., QB
The dual-threat quarterback completed better than 55% of passes this fall for 1,670 yards and 19 touchdowns. He also led Big South 3A with 943 rushing yards and eight TDs.
In his four years as a starter, Brown has tallied 6,172 total yards and 56 TDs.
Walkertown | Sr., WR/DB
Curry set a school single-season record with 1,259 yards and 12 touchdowns on 72 receptions. He also has two rushing touchdowns this fall. He specialized as a running back during the 2023 season, rushing for 598 yards and nine touchdowns.
Smoky Mountain | Sr., RB
The Mustangs’ workhorse has rushed for 1,744 yards and 21 touchdowns. He is averaging 8.2 yards per carry.
Johnson set a career-high in rushing yards, his output through 10 games is almost 1,300 yards more than his tally in 2023.
Mountain Heritage | Jr., ATH
Jones achieved a rare trifecta last Friday, returning a punt, kickoff and an interception for touchdowns in a 49-6 win over Draughn. The Cougars’ Swiss Army knife has 1,182 all-purpose yards and 10 touchdowns this fall, including four TD receptions and two kickoff returns for TDs.
Jones holds an offer from Lenoir-Rhyne.
White Oak (Jacksonville) | Sr., RB
White Oak’s workhorse averaged just shy of 10 yards per carry on his way to 2,095 yards and 26 touchdowns this fall. The 5-foot-11, 180-pound back hasn’t rushed for fewer than 127 yards, with Jacksonville the only defense to keep him out of the end zone.
Terry Sanford | Jr., QB
Moore has emerged for the Bulldogs, completing 67% of passes for 1,336 yards, 16 touchdowns and four interceptions. He’s also a reliable ball carrier, averaging just shy of eight yards per carry for 762 yards and 13 TDs this fall.
Crest | Jr., DB
The 6-foot-1, 175-pound defensive back finished with five tackles and returned an interception for a touchdown in the Chargers’ 50-7 win over Stuart Cramer. Surratt has 34 total tackles this fall, along with four interceptions.
He holds offers from Appalachian State, Arkansas, Charlotte, Duke, Missouri, Norfolk State, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia Tech and West Virginia.
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