AHS season ends, but not optimism for future of the program

GREENSBORO — As the final horn blared loudly in the chilly Friday night air, the Asheboro High School football team and players lined up at midfield to shake hands and congratulate the Dudley Panthers on an impressive playoff performance.

The AHS players then gathered with the coaching staff and some fans on its side of the field, most everyone taking a knee and listening intently on what was being said. 

Long after the Dudley players had celebrated and retreated to the locker room, the Blue Comets remained in the huddle. 

“Letting guys know that last night was not a reflection about what they accomplished this season and let the seniors know what goes on from this point forward is because of them,” AHS head coach Calvin Brown said he told his players after the 55-0 first-round playoff loss to the Panthers. “It’s now the underclassmen who are responsible to keep pushing. They owe that to the seniors.”

The program has come a long way in the two years since Brown and his coaching staff have taken over. Coming off a six-year stretch when AHS won just seven games, Brown entered the picture, accepting the position after seven years at Providence Grove High School. 

At PG, he was 42-34 overall and 28-14 in his last four years there, showing the dedication and work ethic it takes to build a program. While at PG, Brown and the Patriots defeated AHS in 2021 and 2022. Brown had a number of his coaches at PG join him when he made the switch to AHS.

In 2023, Brown’s first at AHS, there was marked improvement on the field. It didn’t result in wins, but those who watched closely saw many positive signs from the year before. In 2022, AHS lost to Eastern Randolph 69-7. In 2023, it was 27-16. In 2022, AHS lost to Providence Grove 49-0. In 2023, it was 24-14. In 2022, Central Davidson defeated AHS 56-6. In 2023, it was 42-35. In 2022, Ledford defeated AHS 56-7. In 2023, it was 48-27. In 2022, Montgomery Central beat AHS 45-22. In 2023, it was 14-8.

Blowout losses in 2022 became closer, competitive games in 2023. AHS, which scored 75 points and gave up 453 in 2022, scored 186 and gave up 361 in 2023, solid improvements in each category.

“We are trying to follow the same path and structure there to get it going here,” Brown said. “It’s a little more difficult because I was already on the staff at Providence Grove when I became head coach. I was the defensive coordinator when I got the head job. Knowing the program from the inside, it wasn't going to be as hard as the Asheboro job.”

However, the results may have come quicker.

“It took us to Year 3 to make the playoffs at Providence Grove,” Brown said. “Here we are in Year 2 making the playoffs.”

Building a program takes time and the Blue Comets took a big step this season. The four wins earned eclipsed the total from the last four years combined. The two conference wins (North Davidson and Ledford) were the first two in conference play in the entire four-year realignment.  

It truly was “the next step.”

“Last night hurt,” Brown said of the playoff loss. “They were upset and hurt. Especially the senior group. I was trying to let them know they will reflect back on this and see how great of a year it was and all they accomplished.” 

The Blue Comets, who trailed Dudley 49-0 at halftime, allowed just one score in the second half. AHS moved the ball to the Dudley 13 on its final drive of the game before turning the ball over on downs. 

Quarterback Logan Laughlin played despite a small fracture in his leg, suffered against Montgomery Central.  

“We knew we were limited with injuries,” Brown said. “With Dudley’s speed, no one has been able to run outside on them, we wanted to run right at them and control the clock and we struggled with that.”

Dudley, which won the 2021 state championship and advanced to the regional finals last year, falling to Hickory 42-21, has now outscored opponents this year 546-15. 

“The team we played is the ultimate goal,” Brown said of the Panthers. “They expect to win and expect to go deep in the playoffs every year.”

The Blue Comets have already started the off season with its weight class. The team will continue weight training and then begin planning for the new season in January.

With huge steps taken in 2023 and now 2024, the AHS football program is certainly headed in the right direction.