What Gastonia, Shelby-area high school football teams have biggest home-field advantage?
Jim Sosebee has yet to experience his first night under the lights at Sid Bryson Stadium as Crest football coach. But that hasn’t kept him from getting his fill of the venue. The Chargers’ first-year coach has been a frequent presence this summer.
“Welcome to my house, baby take control now, we can’t even slow down, we don’t like to go out. Welcome to my house,” Sosebee posted to his Twitter page on Aug. 4, utilizing FloRida’s hit single “My House” to laud his team following its first few days of football practice. “I love, love, love how our guys are buying into the process! Can’t wait to see how much better we’re going to get!”
If a recent trend holds true, Sosebee can expect to leave “The Stable” in a similarly jolly mood.
Over the past decade, opponents have found Crest’s Sid Bryson Stadium the toughest place to win in Cleveland, Gaston and Lincoln counties. The Chargers hold a 66-9 record at their home stadium since 2012, including a 29-game winning streak ranging from 2013-16.
Crest isn’t the only program to excel in front of its home crowd. Here’s how teams in Cleveland, Gaston and Lincoln counties have fared over the past decade, ranked by win percentage.
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Crest
Stadium: Sid Bryson Stadium
Home record: 66-9 (88%)
Current home win streak: 0 games
Most anticipated 2022 home game: Sept. 2 vs. Shelby
East Lincoln
Stadium: David Clark Stadium
Home record: 54-10 (84.4%)
Current home win streak: 3 games
Most anticipated 2022 home game: Sept. 16 vs. Hickory
Shelby
Stadium: George Blanton Memorial Stadium
Home record: 64-12 (84.2%)
Current home win streak: 9 games
Most anticipated 2022 home game: Aug. 19 vs. Kings Mountain
South Point
Stadium: Lineberger Stadium
Home record: 50-14 (76.9%)
Current home win streak: 4 games
Most anticipated 2022 home game: Sept. 30 vs. Crest
Mountain Island Charter
Stadium: Raptor Stadium
Home record: 35-13 (72.9%)
Current home win streak: 6 games
Most anticipated 2022 home game: Sept. 23 vs. Community School of Davidson
Kings Mountain
Stadium: John Gamble Stadium
Home record: 44-20 (68.8%)*
Current home win streak: 1 game
Most anticipated 2022 home game: Oct. 7 vs. South Point
Burns
Stadium: Ron Greene Stadium
Home record: 38-22 (63.3%)**
Current home win streak: 4 games
Most anticipated 2022 home game: Oct. 28 vs. Shelby
Lincolnton
Stadium: Von Ray Harris Field at Memorial Stadium
Home record: 36-23 (61%)
Current home win streak: 0 games
Most anticipated 2022 home game: Sept. 2 vs. East Lincoln
West Lincoln
Stadium: Douglas C. Leonhardt Stadium
Home record: 31-21 (59.6%)
Current home win streak: 3 games
Most anticipated 2022 home game: Aug. 19 vs. North Lincoln
Bessemer City
Stadium: Jack Dixon Stadium
Home record: 35-25 (58.3%)
Current home win streak: 0 games
Most anticipated 2022 home game: Sept. 16 vs. Thomas Jefferson
Forestview
Stadium: Joe Alala Stadium
Home record: 31-23 (57.4%)***
Current home win streak: 0 games
Most anticipated 2022 home game: Aug. 19 vs. Kings Mountain
(tie) Hunter Huss
Stadium: Huskie Stadium
Home record: 30-28 (51.7%)****
Current home win streak: 0 games
Most anticipated 2022 home game: Oct. 7 vs. Forestview
(tie) North Lincoln
Stadium: North Lincoln High School Stadium
Home record: 31-29 (51.7%)
Current home win streak: 0 games
Most anticipated 2022 home game: Aug. 19 vs. Kings Mountain
Ashbrook
Stadium: William N. Eccles Field at Ashbrook Stadium
Home record: 22-28 (44%)
Current home win streak: 0 games
Most anticipated 2022 home game: Oct. 28 vs. Hunter Huss
Stuart Cramer
Stadium: Stuart Cramer High School Stadium
Home record: 19-26 (42.2%)
Current home win streak: 0 games
Most anticipated 2022 home game: Sept. 16 vs. South Point
East Gaston
Stadium: Arrowhead Stadium
Home record: 20-33 (37.7%)
Current home win streak: 1 game
Most anticipated 2022 home game: Sept. 2 vs. Stuart Cramer
Cherryville
Stadium: Rudisill Stadium
Home record: 20-36 (35.7%)
Current home win streak: 0 games
Most anticipated 2022 home game: Oct. 28 vs. Bessemer City
North Gaston
Stadium: Trudnak Stadium
Home record: 12-37 (24.5%)
Current home win streak: 0 games
Most anticipated 2022 home game: Oct. 14 vs. Hunter Huss
Highland Tech
Stadium: Highland Stadium
Home record: 6-44 (12%)
Current home record: 0 games
Most anticipated 2022 home game: Sept. 23 vs. Bessemer City
* — Played one home game at Gardner-Webb’s Ernest W. Spangler Stadium.
** — Played one game at Crest High School and three playoff games at Kings Mountain’s John Gamble Stadium in 2012 due to E. coli concerns after goats were released onto the field as part of a prank.
*** — Forestview played five games at Stuart Cramer High School Stadium in 2021.
**** — Hunter Huss played three games at Stuart Cramer High School Stadium in 2021.
***** — Ashbrook played one game at Stuart Cramer High School Stadium in 2021.
You can reach Joe Hughes at 704-914-8138, email jhughes@gastongazette.com and follow on Twitter @JoeLHughesII.
This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Crest, East Lincoln, Shelby toughest home environments in past decade
