Wildcats’ QB headlines veteran, talented Eastern Randolph team

RAMSEUR — When Cade McCallum was in second grade, Eastern Randolph High School began its Future Stars Camp, a youth football camp that taught fundamentals for area youth. It was the first year for the camp, meaning all those who attended were the very first class to  graduate” from the Future Stars. 

Now that second-grader is about to begin his senior season at quarterback for the Wildcats and McCallum has certainly lived up to the name of the camp.

A future star he has become as he is set to begin this third year as ER’s starting quarterback and his fourth year of seeing varsity action.

“My freshman year, playing jayvee and getting a little time starting on varsity was big for me,” McCallum said at SportsTone’s Preseason Huddle, an event that featured all seven head coaches and players from each of the seven high school football programs in Randolph County, which was held last Saturday at Sir Pizza in Randleman. “Looking back now, it’s crazy me being a senior. I know everyone says these four years go by quickly and it does. It goes by quick.”

McCallum did see time his freshman season, a season that saw the Wildcats go 12-2.

“He’s grown up with us and I know how much it means to him to play quarterback at Eastern Randolph,” said veteran coach Burton Cates. “He takes great pride in it and when you do that, you’re going to be successful.”

Successful may be an understatement. In his two years as a starter, the Wildcats are 22-4, including deep runs in the state playoffs. In the four years he has been at ER, the varsity program is 34-6.

Last year, McCallum threw for 2,493 yards and 27 touchdowns with just six interceptions. He had a 70 percent completion rate and was named the Four Rivers Conference offensive player of the year.

During his sophomore season, the Wildcats averaged 38 points a game and last year ER averaged 35 points per contest. Directing a high-powered offense has never been a problem for McCallum.

“When you add the number of playoff games he’s been through his freshman, sophomore and junior years, that’s almost another season,” Cates said. “He’s like a fifth-year senior coming in with the games he’s played and all the practices.”

The Wildcats, who have won 24 straight conference games dating back to April 2, 2021 when COVID pushed the 2020 season into the spring, are heavy favorites again this year in the FRC. ER returns a wealth of talent led by McCallum, Kobe Walker, James Combs (last year’s Randolph Hub player of the year), and a slew of big, quick and hard-hitting lineman.

“His goals have been set and he’s got his eyes set on the right place and his priorities are in the right place,” Cates said, crediting McCallum’s parents for raising an outstanding individual. “That’s the reason he’s been so successful.”

McCallum is battling a back injury that hampered him at times throughout his athletic career, most notably this past summer while playing American Legion baseball for Liberty Post 81. He did not participate in any scrimmage action prior to Friday’s opener against Southern Alamance, but Cates and McCallum said playing Friday night won’t be a problem.

“He’s fine,” Cates said. “He’s done everything they asked him to do and we extended that by two weeks.”

So, as McCallum prepares for his fourth and final season wearing the gold and green, he said he will always remember what it meant to wear that Wildcats jersey.

“Winning, the tradition, the people, the community, our fans,” he said. “Everything. It’s special.”