Knapp
The history of football in Northeast North Carolina dates back over a century. The sport’s rise coincided with the creation and proliferation of independent, consolidated high schools, mostly in the state’s towns. In our region, this pattern meant football first began in places like Elizabeth City and Edenton. In fact, football in Elizabeth City has been around since at least 1911. That year, a team of only 12 players was assembled at the high school. Traveling by train, they took on opponents such as Little Washington and New Bern, while also squaring off against archrival Edenton. In the latter game, the boys from Elizabeth City were floored when Edenton attempted a forward pass. The shock registered as Edenton had a sizable gain of yards, while the EC players tried to figure out what had occurred. Despite the early formation, football was still a second tier sport behind baseball. However, this all changed in 1929. That year, George Hunsucker was named the new head coach of the Elizabeth City Yellow Jackets. Hunsucker immediately brought a winning attitude to the old Memorial Field, a multi-purpose facility in town. Four years after his arrival, the Yellow Jackets won the 1933 Class B State Title, and football was institutionalized as major sport in the area. Soon thereafter, other schools began offering the sport including Lewiston High in Bertie County, Columbia, and Hertford (as in the town, not the county). In 1934, Edenton captured its first title, also in the Class B ranks. Meanwhile, by this point Elizabeth City had become a member of the Eastern North Carolina Conference with Greenville, Kinston, Goldsboro, Roanoke Rapids, Little Washington, and New Bern as members. That didn’t, however prevent the Edenton-Elizabeth City rivalry from being paramount as the two battled it out for the Daily Advance Trophy. However, it also didn’t stop Edenton from competing with the other large schools-in 1939, the school tied New Bern 0-0 for example.
By the late 1940s, with World War II over, and high schools becoming the norm across the South (in Currituck, for example the two tiered education system was in full effect. The school had two white schools, Moyock in the North, and Poplar Branch initially, then Griggs in the South. This had come through consolidation of the many one and two room schoolhouses in the early ‘20s. By roughly 1950, Currituck Union was also constructed-today’s Central Elementary. Currituck Union was the consolidation of the black schools in the county. The 30 year gap is very typical of educational developments throughout North Carolina), more and more schools added football. In 1949, in addition to Elizabeth City, Pasquotank Central (the white county school) and PW Moore (the black school) had football. So did Plymouth, Weeksville, Manteo and Perquimans, while Camden began its team in roughly the same period. Meanwhile, in the ‘50s, schools like Williamston, Ahoskie, and Windsor became powerhouses. Of course, many of these schools had mascots unrecognizable to today’s reader. While Elizabeth City was the Yellow Jackets, and Edenton still the Aces, Pasquotank Central was the Green Wave, as was Williamston. Weeksville was the Bulldogs, and Camden was the Rebels! Manteo, as always, was the Redskins, whereas Plymouth was the Panthers, Tarboro the Tigers, and Ahoskie and Perquimans both the Indians. Desegregation would, obvious change some of the mascots, and others were lost when their schools folded.
In the 1950s, football as we know it was in full form. Elizabeth City and Roanoke Rapids formed a rivalry contest called the Regatta Cup, and Yellow Jackets returned a state crown to our region with a 1957 AA win at home over All America QB Ray Ferris and Charlotte Myers Park. PW Moore, the Lions, took on all comers including Raleigh Ligon, Durham Hillside, Rocky Mount Washington, Little Washington Jones, and the blacks schools from New Bern, Wilson, and Goldsboro. In the ‘60s, Moore would even challenge squads like Suffolk Booker T. Washington, and would win the Black Schools' 1965 championship. In Edenton, the Aces continued to run the table, with no conference losses from 1954-1961, a period in which the school captured titles in ’56, ’57 and the magical 1960 season in Class A (For a good info on Edenton '60 see Ritchie E. Starnes' article in the Chowan Herald/Daily Advance at http://www.dailyadvance.com/node/130049. Hopefully the link remains active.). In the 1960s, regions were adopted by the NCHSAA in lieu of overall state titles, Edenton and Ahoskie won several times in Class AA, region 1, while Windsor and Murfreesboro did the same in Class A (In 1964, Windsor and Colerain Highs were merge to form the modern Bertie Falcons). Overall, the conferences in 1960 Northeast North Carolina looked like this:
Class AAA Northeastern Conference:
Elizabeth City
Little Washington
Kinston
Greenville
Jacksonville
Tarboro
Roanoke Rapids
New Bern
Class AA Albemarle
Perquimans
Ahoskie
Williamston
Edenton
Scotland Neck
Plymouth
Class A Tidewater
Camden
Pasquotank Central
Weeksville
Manteo
Columbia
Knapp
Chowan (no football)
Swan Quarter (no football)
Creswell (no football)
Engelhard (no football)
This, of course, brings our story to Currituck. As mentioned before, Currituck was home to three schools, by not football in 1958. By this time, plans were in the works to consolidate Moyock and Griggs into the new Knapp High. As a result, in 1959, football entered Currituck County, for the first time, when the Griggs Mallards decided to form a JV team to prepare for the upcoming Knapp years. The Moyock Tigers, however, remained football-less. In 1960, Knapp opened, and the Knights football history began. That season, under Coach Bill Wilkinson, was not easy. Led by QB George McLean, WR Lucian Griffin and HBs Murray Lane and David Gregory, Knapp struggled. The team lost 25-0 to Windsor on September 16th, in their first game. A week later, Great Bridge came to Camden (all of Knapp’s home ’60 games were played at Camden, for there was no field in Currituck). GB stopped the Knights 37-19 despite McLean’s 12-16, 200 yard 2 TD (1 pass, 1 rush) efforts. Knapp would not pull off its first victory until October 15th, a 13-7 edging of the JV squad from Ahoskie. However, after a 44-8 stopping by Camden, Knapp got its first varsity win, a 32-12 upset of Weeksville on November 4th.
The 1960 Knapp Knights:
Coach Bill Wilkerson
*John Cahoon*Fred Hampton*George McLean*Horace Jordan*Bennie Gibbs*Wade Sanderlin*James Lane*Murray Lane*David Gregory*Jimmy Ferebee*LeCurtis Forbes*Arthur Harris*Wayne Merrell*Sandy Sanderson*Richard Dowdy*Aubrey Banks*Martie Booth*Larry Smith*Lucian Griffin*Charles Dozier*Butch Hampton*Jibbie Doughtie*
Throughout the start of 1960s, Knapp struggled. However, the program burst through in 1965, when the Knights took home their first Tidewater Conference Crown. With regard to opponents, the school in the '60s mostly completed against its Tidewater foes, but occasionally took on others like Smithfield, Virginia in 1967. Currituck Union, meanwhile still operated, and was without football, though the Indians had a basketball program. Meanwhile, desegregation and integration took its toll on the South. In Currituck, the Board of Education adopted a Freedom of Choice plan in 1966, which began the process, however Currituck Union continued through the end of the ’68 school year. In 1969-1970, Knapp became the fully integration, only Currituck High School for the first time ever. Other schools were not so fortunate. Edenton battled through the courts for several years’ plans to integrate. After much litigation, by 1969-1970, Edenton too was fully integrated and DF Walker became an elementary school. Elizabeth City saw a less painful process. Rather than go through the struggles of school choice, the county closed its existing schools, and opened up a brand new 4A Northeastern for the ’69 school year (The new Eagles proceeded to capture the 1969 Eastern Championship). Across Northeast North Carolina, what were segregated schools in 1968 became fully integrated the next year.
Nevertheless, in the aftermath of these changes, football continued. In 1967, Sam Casey took over as Knapp's head coach and he would remain in that role until Knapp closed. Casey's first team was heavily dependent on freshman, yet they posted a winning record. The 1968 team was not so fortunate-it was one of the worst in Knights history, Currituck days included, while in ’69 the Knights rebounded for a 4 and 6 finish.
The 1969 realignment had left Knapp in small 1A East Tidewater Conference. Joining Knapp in the four team conference were Manteo and Camden and Columbia. Knapp would fair well over the four year period that this conference existed, except for in 1969. That year, Manteo was not only conference champ, but the Redskins went all the way to the Class A Championship game where they lost to Robbinsville 14-8. Although the Redskins tied Knapp for Tidewater crown again in 1970, Knapp obtained the conference's playoff berth. (This was thanks to a Tidewater Conference Rule that if a tie existed, the team that had not been to the playoffs last went). Knapp fell to Ayden in round one of the playoffs. In 1971, the Knapp Knights took home the Conference Crown, yet were unable to go to the playoffs-Manteo went instead. In 1972, Camden and Knapp tied atop the Tidewater (with Knapp sweeping Manteo and Columbia and splitting with Camden), however the Bruins secured the playoff berth for that season (they would advance to round two). However, Knapp got the trophy from the '72 season.
How does a four team conference work? Here is Knapp's 1972 schedule:
Week One: Knapp 30 Perquimans 6 (Non-Conference, 2A opponent)
Week Two: Knapp 32 Mattamuskeet 6 (Non-Conference, 1A opponent)
Week Three: Camden 8 Knapp 0 (Conference, 1st Match Up)
Week Four: Knapp 44 Columbia 0 (Conference, 1st Match Up)
Week Five: Knapp 22 Manteo 0 (Conference, 1st Match Up)
Week Six: Knapp 18 Frederick Military Academy (Portsmouth, VA) 0 (Non-Conference; Homecoming)
Week Seven: Knapp 16 Columbia 0 (Conference, 2nd Match Up)
Week Eight: Knapp 12 Camden 8 (Conference, 2nd Match Up)
Week Nine: Knapp 8 Manteo 6 (Conference, 2nd Match Up)
Record: 8-1; 5-1
Nine games, Six conference games, home & homes with all conference opponents.
Even in the Knapp days, Camden was a strong rivalry
Growth caused both Knapp and Camden to move up in the 1973 realignment to 2A schools. The result was a placement in the Albemarle Conference, an affiliation that the Knights would hang onto for two decades, and Camden for even longer. The Albemarle Conference was an eight team conference and joining Knapp and Camden were Gates County, Gumberry, Murfreesboro, Northampton County, Perquimans County, and Scotland Neck. Only Gates, Northampton, Perquimans and Scotland Neck had been in the Albemarle Conference before realignment. In 1975, Knapp won the conference in their final season. Gates County was the conference champs in both 1973 and 1974, with Knapp a close second in '73.
Here is Knapp's schedules from '73-'75 (* indicates conference opponent):
1973
Week One: Knapp 22 Manteo 0
Week Two: Knapp 23 Mattamuskeet 6
Week Three: Camden 20 Knapp 14
Week Four: Knapp 65 Northampton 0*
Week Five: Knapp 14 Perquimans 7*
Week Six: Knapp 10 Scotland Neck 0*
Week Seven: Gates 20 Knapp 6*
Week Eight: Knapp 22 Camden 7*
Week Nine: Knapp 27 Murfreesboro 20*
Week Ten: Knapp 56 Gumberry 0*
Record: 8-2; 6-1
1974
Week One: Knapp 0 Manteo 0 Tie
Week Two: Knapp 18 Mattamuskeet 7
Week Three: Knapp 12 Camden 8
Week Four: Northampton 24 Knapp 0*
Week Five: Knapp 18 Perquimans 0*
Week Six: Knapp 16 Scotland Neck 6*
Week Seven: Gates 7 Knapp 6*
Week Eight: Camden 12 Knapp 0*
Week Nine: Murfreesboro 38 Knapp 0*
Week Ten: Knapp 46 Gumberry 0*
Record: 5-4-1; 3-4
1975
Week One: Knapp 12 Columbia 0
Week Two: Gates 6 Knapp 0
Week Three: Knapp 20 Manteo 6
Week Four: Knapp 14 Camden 6
Week Five: Knapp 33 Northampton 0*
Week Six: Knapp 20 Perquimans 0*
Week Seven: Knapp 34 Gates 20*
Week Eight: Knapp 7 Camden 0*
Week Nine: Murfreesboro 7 Knapp 0*
Week Ten: Knapp 37 Gumberry 6*
Playoffs: Gaston 26 Knapp 6
Record: 8-3; 5-1
Knights Players Hold the 1975 Albemarle Conference Championship Trophy