High school football: North’s Alford makes it two in a row for the family

By Mike London

Salisbury Post

SPENCER — Lots of guys have to wait for their turn to shine in high school, but North Rowan junior quarterback Michael Alford, the Post’s Rowan County Offensive Player of the Year, has a different story than most.

He was waiting behind his brother.

North’s QB from 2021 to 2024 was Jeremiah Alford, who is now a Catawba freshman. As a rare four-year starting varsity QB, Jeremiah had the opportunity to break records, and he did just that — 7,220 passing yards, 82 TD passes, seven TD passes in a single game. Jeremiah also is the all-time leader for Rowan QBs with 10,092 yards of total offense. Only West Rowan’s legendary running back KP Parks accounted for more yards of offense than Jeremiah.

While Michael (6 feet, 180 pounds) was waiting his turn, it’s not like he was standing around holding a clipboard. He was an impact player as a varsity sophomore, scoring eight touchdowns for the Cavaliers as a linebacker, receiver and QB2. He threw four touchdown passes, picked off three passes and led the team in tackles per game. So he already was shining, just not quite as brightly as his big brother.

“I didn’t feel any extra pressure coming into this season, as that guy who would be following Jeremiah,” Michael said. “I love my brother and I’ve learned a lot from him. I was confident I could do the job because I’ve played quarterback for a long time. In youth football, I was being coached by my dad (Bryan, who was a star for the Cavaliers in the late 1990s) and was playing quarterback. When I got to North, I was the jayvee quarterback.”

North head coach Josh Sophia was confident that the baton could be passed smoothly from one Alford to another, and that belief was justified. Now the Alford siblings are back-to-back Rowan County Offensive Player of the Year honorees.

“We all know what kind of athlete Michael is and we knew he had the ability,” Sophia said. “And we knew we had really good skill guys around him, game-changing receivers and a very tough running back.”

On opening night against West Rowan, Michael threw for 358 yards. Jeremiah’s all-time best was 350. That said a lot. Michael threw multiple interceptions against the Falcons, so it wasn’t his best night, but the potential for major accomplishments was clearly there. West had the county’s best run defense and fiercest pass rush, plus some talent in the secondary, but Michael had thrown for three TDs.

Michael threw 34 times that night. That would be his season high because North’s running game steadily got better.

“Michael Alford is a good choice for county player of the year,” West head coach Louis Kraft said. “He kept North going.”

Michael would have a solid game against Salisbury in Week 2, even though the Cavaliers lost 40-36. He threw for 215 yards with two touchdowns — and no interceptions.

North lost another close game in Week 3 to Lake Norman Charter, but the Cavaliers turned the corner after that. They went 6-1 in the Yadkin Valley Conference and tied South Stanly and North Stanly for first place.

Like Jeremiah, Michael played linebacker in the tougher games, when the Cavaliers really needed him, and he posted 57 tackles and 10.5 tackles for loss. He would’ve been an all-county/all-conference player even if he never threw a pass.

“I used to play defensive back, but I hit the weight room hard and was able to move to linebacker my sophomore year,” Michael said. “Playing both ways is something I’ve always done since youth football. It’s never a problem for me. As a football player, you prepare to play both ways.”

Sophia pointed out that it was Alford who made the critical fourth-down stop at South Stanly that preserved a 20-14 victory and made the Cavaliers conference co-champs. Alford made 13 tackles in that game. Sophia and Alford agree that it was his best defensive game.

But most of Alford’s shining moments came on offense during a terrific season. North’s speed completely overmatched some YVC teams, and while Alford threw only 11 passes, he amassed 337 passing yards and five TDs against Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy. He was 6-for-6 passing for 209 yards against the Bonnie Cone Leadership Academy.

Alford believes his best offensive game was in the 30-21 battle at Mountain Island Charter that concluded the regular season. That was a must-win on the road for the Cavaliers against a good team that had the league’s best defensive lineman. Alford was 16-for-27 for 290 yards and two TDs.

“There were games when I had bigger stats,” Alford said. “But Mountain Island Charter was the game where I felt like I played my best offensive football of the season. I have to give a lot of credit for that to our receivers and backs and to our offensive line. We had a young offensive line. They came a long way during the season.”

There would be one more humongous outing for Alford, as North pummeled Avery County 55-10 in the opening round of the 2A playoffs. Alford was 11-for-15 for 360 yards and six touchdowns.

Alford was injured in the second round of the playoffs at Corvian Community School. It was 14-7 when he exited. It was 45-7 at the end. That gives an indication of how much he meant to the Cavaliers, not only as a passer, runner and tackler, but as a leader.

The final numbers for Alford were sensational. His 28 touchdown passes were a school record, breaking a mark set by North legends Mitch Ellis and Mario Sturdivant, who produced 25-TD seasons in the 1990s. He threw for 2,865 yards, the third-highest total in county history. He rushed for 264 yards and became only the sixth Rowan player to have a 3,000-yard season.

He was recognized as the YVC’s Overall Player of the Year in addition to taking the county honor. The YVC also names an Offensive Player of the Year (North receiver A’son Best) and Defensive Player of the Year.

“Very proud of Mike’s season and his leadership,” said Sophia, who was the YVC Coach of the Year. “I was proud to coach all these kids. We were 0-3, but we got things turned around. We won seven of our next eight and had a good season.”

It was the 10th straight winning season for the Cavaliers (7-5).

Alford has recovered from his injury in the playoffs and is now on the basketball court for the Cavaliers.

North’s first Rowan County Offensive Player of the Year was running back Jimmy Heggins in 1974. The first North QB to win the award was Bobby Myers, a double winner in 1978 and 1979.

North players have won the Rowan County Offensive Player of the Year award 22 times, including two-time winners Myers, Darryl Jackson, Carvie Kepley, Mitch Ellis, Mario Sturdivant, Alfonzo Miller and Malcolm Wilson.