High School Football

WSOC Channel 9 announces "Big 22" finalists

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Thousands of votes were received in the first round of voting in WSOC-TV Channel 9 and High School Football Extra’s Big 22 brought to you by Bojangles’ Famous Chicken’n Biscuits contest, and the top five finalists have been named.

The finalists were determined by a percentage of public votes and a percentage of votes from the WSOC-TV Sports Team. All five finalists are top pre-season standouts from area high school football teams for the 2016 season and will now be eligible to be named as the Big 22 “Player of the Year.”

Prior to the football season, coaches in the WSOC-TV viewing area were asked to nominate five high school football players to be considered for the “Big 22” players to watch in the fall of 2016. After reviewing the coach’s nominations, the Big 22 were selected by a committee of judges consisting of the WSOC-TV’s Sports Team.

A second round of public voting to determine the “Player of the Year” starts on wsoctv.com Friday, Oct. 14 at 3 p.m. and will continue through 10 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 31.

The “Big 22” finalist who receives the most public votes will be named “Player of the Year” and will receive a $10,000 donation for his school (use of prize money to be allocated and determined by the school principal) along with a personalized trophy, all provided by WSOC-TV and Bojangles’ Famous Chicken’n Biscuits.

For the 2016 High School Football season the “Big 22” finalists are (in alphabetical order by last name):

  • JT Cauthen, Cuthbertson High School, Waxhaw, NC
  • Drake DeIuliis, Providence High School, Charlotte, NC
  • Derion Kendrick, South Pointe High School, Rock Hill, SC
  • Chase Monroe, Davidson Day, Davidson, NC
  • Sage Surratt, Lincolnton High School, Lincolnton, NC