Team Nominations Being Sought for 3rd Annual Keep Pounding Classic

Premier regional high school football double-header will take place in Charlotte on Aug. 22
Independence coach DJ McFadden (left) Myers Park coach Chris James (center) and Carolina Panthers tackle and former Providence Day standout Ikem Ekwonu represent their football programs during the Feb. 13, 2024, press conference announcing the matchups for last year’s 2004 Keep Pounding Classic. Nominations are now being sought for the 2025 event.
Independence coach DJ McFadden (left) Myers Park coach Chris James (center) and Carolina Panthers tackle and former Providence Day standout Ikem Ekwonu represent their football programs during the Feb. 13, 2024, press conference announcing the matchups for last year’s 2004 Keep Pounding Classic. Nominations are now being sought for the 2025 event. / Jeff Hawkins

The Carolina Panthers continue to accept nominations from regional high school football programs to participate in the 2025 Keep Pounding Classic.

Interested teams from North and South Carolina have until Feb. 3 to notify the NFL franchise of their interest in competing at Bank America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Aug. 22.

“The Keep Pounding High School Classic celebrates the important role that high school football plays in communities across our region and provides teams, their fans, and the high school football community with the ultimate experience at Bank of America Stadium,” said Kristi Coleman, CEO of Tepper Sports & Entertainment and president of the Panthers.

The Panthers’ third prep showcase will again feature a doubleheader, with scheduled kickoffs at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. All team nominations must be submitted by a school’s athletic director or the head coach. A committee will select the four squads by mid-February.

Last year’s classic featured the Independence (North Carolina) Patriots holding off the Myers Park (North Carolina) Mustangs, 24-21. In the nightcap, the then-defending 4A state champion Weddington (North Carolina) Warriors earned a 13-7 win over the Providence Day (North Carolina) Chargers, who had claimed three consecutive independent titles.


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Jeff Hawkins
JEFF HAWKINS

Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in print and digital media. A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2023-24 and 2011-12), NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003). His minor-league coverage included the UHL’s Adirondack IceHawks (1999-2003), Northeast League’s Adirondack Lumberjacks (1997-99) and South Atlantic League’s Hickory Crawdads (1993-95). Hawkins penned four youth sports books and away from the laptop, his main hobbies include mountain bike riding and live music. He has been writing for High School On SI since 2024.