Since 1985, the WRAL Sports department has done a weekly high school football poll that we call the Fabulous 15. We rank what we feel are the 15 best teams in our viewing area. This is regardless of classification.
Our first champion was Terry Sanford High School of Fayetteville, which was the state 4-A runner up losing a heartbreaking game to Greensboro Page for the championship.
Last season's winner was Clinton High School, the State 2-A champion and winner of more Fabulous 15 trophies over the years than any school in our viewing area.
Our champion for 2006 is Riverside High School of Durham, this season's State 4-AA second-place finisher losing last Saturday's game to invincible Charlotte Independence, which stretched its long winning streak to 108 straight games
There were some really good teams in our viewing area this past season but no state champions. Southern Vance made it to the 2-AA championship game. Clinton advanced to the 2-A title game, and James Kenan went all the way to the 1-AA champion game.
All of them were considered and all were worthy, but we felt Riverside was the best team because of the way they turned a disappointing season around and fought their way through the tough 4-AA playoffs without the benefit of a home game. They saved their best football when it counted the most.
At one point, the Pirates were 3-5. Coach Tommy Blalock had suspended some players for disciplinary reasons. Others got a chance and played well. Riverside got a break when Northern Durham had to forfeit because of the use of an ineligible player. Suspended players came back into the fold, and from there, this Riverside team, which was really struggling, started to come together. They didn't lose again until the state final against an Independence team, which has now won a remarkable seven straight state titles.
Nobody was going to beat them, but Riverside played their hearts out and acquitted themselves well against one of the best high school teams in the country.
On their way to the final, Riverside knocked off three conference champions, including archrival Durham Jordan and an excellent Garner team for the Eastern 4-AA Championship. Garner, which we had ranked No. 1 at that time, had two losses the entire season, both to Riverside.
So, congratulations to Riverside, the 22nd champion of the Fabulous 15.
We'll present our trophy to them on Thursday night's 6pm news on WRAL.
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