West Rowan’s James Francis will be reporting to North Carolina A&T July 1 for football practice. Wednesday morning, he was getting in shape on the West Rowan practice field.

Playing against elementary school kids.

Francis was helping coach Scott Young with his football camp and he had the youngsters running everywhere as he played quarterback. Or maybe he was finally getting the chance to play the role of Nick Maddox, star running back.

Actually, he was simply in a giving mood.

“I just wanted to donate something back to the school,” he said.

What Francis has donated over the past two seasons is about 200 tackles and a helping hand in beating Kannapolis, winning the South Piedmont Conference, turning himself into a Shrine Bowl player and turning West’s football program into a state title contender.

Now, at 6-1, 200 pounds, he is going to Bill Hayes’ A&T program in Greensboro as an outside linebacker. He said he will not be redshirted.

“Every school I talked with told me I could play and not to worry about redshirting,” he said. “College is going to put me to the test. I’m running and lifting weights trying to get in shape. I’m going somewhere to prove myself.”

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Kendall High was also at Young’s camp. The rising senior is taking the same path as Francis. He too was a transfer from the eastern part of the state.

“He was a big ol’ kid,” Young remembers, “but he was raw. “Now, we’re expecting real good things this year from High.”

So is North Carolina, Wake Forest, Maryland and East Carolina. High, a 6-5, 250-pounder, said they are his top four right now.

“UNC has been the favorite since I was a little kid,” said High, who grew up in Roanoke Rapids. But Maryland is pretty hot on me. I might consider going there.”

High will probably wait until the spring to sign.

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But the biggest story at West may be who wants Ben Hampton. Young’s projected starting quarterback next season is being eyed heavily by Duke.

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Good news for North Rowan fans of Dre Byrd. The ultra-quick point guard whose senior year was cut short at Christmas due to academics, is planning on attending prep school next season.

Byrd has already visited Hargrave Military Academy and is awaiting word.

He will visit Fork Union next week.

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South football coach Rick Vanhoy is certain his Raiders will have their most heavily recruited player since Jeff Kerr was Rowan County Defensive Player of the Year in 1994.

The guy creating the buzz is rising senior cornerback Ricky Childers, who has size, speed, a 4.0 GPA and exceptional college board scores.

Childers, younger brother of Davidson College linebacker, Darryl, runs a 4.5 40-yard dash and weighs 180 pounds. He projects as a strong safety at a big-time Division I program.

Childers was a spring game guest of Tennessee, Clemson, N.C. State and UNC. Vanhoy said he’s had phone calls from as far away as Stanford inquiring about Childers.

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One of the standouts from last season’s South defensive line may still end up in the South Atlantic Conference.

Jimmy Propst has drawn some serious interest from Wingate recently.

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Salisbury three-sport athlete Boo Blount, North Rowan baseball standout Tad Ogg, South linebacker Joel Reyes and South defensive linemen Reggie McConneaughey have opted to join the military.

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Former Raider all-county lineman Brian Billings walked on at Appalachian State and has fought his way on to the Mountaineer depth chart by dropping his weight to 305 pounds.

Another former Raider turned Mountaineer, linebacker Andre Neely, had an outstanding spring game.

Ex-Raider Patrick Gaddy is another walk-on battling to get some time on the App squad.

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A.L. Brown quarterback candidate Drew Maher, who was diagnosed with a stress fracture in his back in May, has been released by doctors to begin workouts.

Maher is part of a Wonder contingent taking part in a 10-team passing league get-together in Richmond County Wednesday and today. Among others, the Wonders will be tangling with 4A champ Independence High.

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There has been some movement in what we like to call the summer free agent market in Rowan County.

Salisbury football, basketball and baseball coaches Mike Peavy, Drew Mathews and Scott Maddox should be happy today. Matt Butler transferred to Salisbury High from East Rowan.

Butler, a 6-4, 230-pound lineman, who actually lives near Catawba College, is also a first baseman in baseball and a center in basketball.

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Another Matt — Russ — has transferred to Salisbury from West. He is expected to challenge for the kicking duties for first-year coach Peavy.

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