Greg Lloyd resigns as winningest coach in 100-year history of Mountaineer football

Greg Lloyd, the winningest football coach in the 100-year history of Kings Mountain High football, has resigned after 16 years with the Mountaineers.

Lloyd’s accomplishments were many during that time. He compiled a record of 133-71 which included conference championships in 2008, 2017, spring 2021 and 2022. His Mountaineers played for the Western Regional championship in 2008, 2015, 2018 and 2019. Prior to coming here he coached two years at East Gaston and led the Warriors to their conference championship. His teams here posted a 21-13 record in playoff games and his 2019 team set the all-time school record of 653 points in a season. He was Southwestern Foothills Conference Coach of the Year in 2008 and Big South Conference Coach of the Year in 2017, 2021 and 2022. He served as head coach of the West team in the 2017 NCHSAA East-West game. His 2021-22 team had the second highest GPA in the state. Over 60 of his players went on to play college football. Many of the seniors on his last team (fall of 2022) will be playing college football in the fall.

Lloyd was inducted into the Kings Mountain Sports Hall of Fame in 2018.

“I’ll never forget how excited I was to be in Kings Mountain,” he said. “It was such a great opportunity and the support was great. The talent was always very good.”

One of the first things Lloyd did was to bring Kevin Cruise, Dustin Morehead and Craig Short to join his coaching staff.

“We got off to a good start,” Lloyd said. “That second year everything started coming together. We had Michael Roberts (at quarterback) and a lot of other good players and we shutout Shelby 21-0. We went to the playoffs and in the third round we beat Mooresville, who had a 200-yard per game rusher and we held him to just a few yards. That was a phenomenal season.

“We lost out to Kannapolis and Coach (Ron) Massey. Michael Roberts had hurt his ankle the week before but we still made it a close game.”

Lloyd and the Mountaineers had some good teams in the seasons that followed, but beginning in 2015 the team got on a roll that continues to this day.

“We really started to win really helped us. We went to Freedom (in the playoffs) and they had B.J. Emmons who was one of the most highly recruited running backs in the nation. They were coming into the game with a 13-0 record and we beat them. but we swept the county. We broke a long losing streak against Shelby. We hadn’t beaten them since ’86.

“In the 2018 playoffs undefeated Northwest Cabarrus came in and we had people like Kaylon Wade, Kobe Paysour and Ricaylen Mack and we beat them.

“Another big game I remember was in 2019 at Charlotte Catholic and it was 7-7 after regulation. We went seven overtimes and lost 5649. We beat Shelby 42-17 that year and that was a really big win for us.

“In the ’21 playoffs we drove 98 yards at the end of the game to beat a good Franklin team. Last season we swept the county and beat South Point but we lost in the playoffs to East Lincoln.

“During my time here we had good players and good fans,” he noted. “We always had big crowds. I appreciate the band and cheerleaders and the support of the parents and fans. Everybody did their part.

“I appreciate our principals. Ronny Funderburke gave me the opportunity to during my time were really good – Suzanne Grayson, Mark Latham, Dustin Morehead and Matt Bridges. All of them supported me. It’s just been exciting coaching in Kings Mountain. I know I’m going to miss it a lot. I may coach again someday but right now I just need to take the fall off so I can watch Maggie play (at Western) and then Jake wherever he goes.

“I’m very thankful for my time as the football coach at Kings Mountain. It was really special. I think I will get back into coaching someday. I’ve been coaching for 28 falls. You’ll definitely see me coaching again. I hope I’ve got some good years left.

“Football shaped me,” he added. “I hope the players have learned some life lessons from us. I’m grateful for the support of the fans and for all the friends we’ve made in Kings Mountain. Kings Mountain is a great community.

“I can still see (the late) Major Loftin at every practice, and I’ll never forget (the late KMHS equipment manager) Donnie Mace. They were special Mountaineers.

“I had two coaches that are no longer with us – Brent Bagwell and Jeff Putnam. They were excellent men and excellent coaches. And, I want to thank superintendents Bruce Boyles and Stephen Fisher who were great supporters of our program and really good to me. It was an honor to know them and all the other good people in Kings Mountain. I have memories that will last me forever.”

Although he won’t be on the sidelines, Coach Lloyd said he won’t be a stranger.

“I will still be around and will be supporting the program from now on,” he said. “We have a lot of talented players coming back and I expect them to do very well this year. It will be a fun year for the Mountaineers.

“I want to thank Beth. She’s the perfect coach’s wife. She let me live out my dream. And, I want to thank Maggie and Jake. I watched them in sports from the time they were little until they grew up. I’m just thankful for everybody that supported me. I had tons of help. It’s been a great 16 years.”

Mountaineer athletic director Matt Bridges, who was also one of Lloyd’s assistant coaches, said the school planned to begin accepting applications for the head football job this week.

“I would like to thank and congratulate Coach Greg Lloyd for his 16 years of service to our football program, school and community,” Bridges said. “Coach Lloyd and the Lloyd family have dedicated their lives to building a successful program on and off the field, and they will be greatly missed. Coach Lloyd is a great coach and an even better person. The life lessons he taught his student-athletes and coaches will continue to leave a lasting impact for years to come. I wish the best for Coach Lloyd as he steps into the next chapter of his life.”

Mountaineers sweep Wildcats, Stuart Cramer here on Tuesday

Kings Mountain High’s basketball teams swept North Gaston in a Big South 3A Conference doubleheader Friday night at KM’s Parker Gym.

The KM girls won easily, 59-23, but the Mountaineers had to come from behind in the final two minutes to defeat the Wildcats 55-49 and hold onto a share of first place in the BSC with the Crest Chargers. Both teams were 8-2 in the BSC heading into Tuesday night’s action at home against the Forestview Jaguars.

The North Gaston boys scored the first four points of the game and led most of the way until the Mountaineers made a charge in the final three minutes to pull out the win and maintain their share of the BSC lead with the Crest Chargers. Hunter Huss, which had been tied for first, dropped to third with a loss to the South Point Red Raiders.

KM was down 45-39 with 4:41 left on the clock but rallied to come within 47-45 with just over three minutes left. The Mountaineers went to a pressing defense and Zay Smith canned a pair of free throws to tie the score at 47-all with 2:51 remaining.

It was still tied at 49-all when North Gaston lost the ball out of bounds with 1:26 remaining. Bradley Floyd, who was limited to three points on the night, canned a pair of free throws to put the Mountaineers up 51-49 with 39.1 seconds remaining.

After a North timeout, the Wildcats missed a field goal attempt and KM rebounded. Bryson Brown sank two free throws in a five-second span to put KM up 54-49. Smith’s steal that led to a Floyd free throw with 3.3 seconds left rounded out the scoring.

Smith finished with 14 points, six rebounds and five assists to lead the KM attack. Simpson added 10 points.

In the opening contest the KM ladies broke on top early and led the entire game to run their record to 3-7 in the BSC and 9-10 overall.

CoRey Simpson had one of her best games of the season with 18 points and Khalia King was right behind her with 16. Tyasya Bell added six, Aaliya Miller five, Alayna Patrick four, Allysia Pettis three and Mia Bridges one.

The Lady Mountaineers rolled to a 28-6 halftime lead and were up 40-11 after three quarters of play. The lead stretched to 30 points (43-13) with 5:40 remaining and went to a high of 51-15 with 2:52 left on the clock.

The Kings Mountain teams will travel to South Point Friday which is a key game in determining post-season playoff seedings. The KM teams will be at home for their final two regular season games.

Stuart Cramer comes to Parker Gym on February 7 and the regular season ends with a doubleheader against county rival Crest on Friday, Feb. 10

BOYS BOXSCORE

KM (55) – Smith 14, Simpson 10, Robinette 9, Brown 7, Foster 4, Floyd 3, Osborne 3, Lenair 3, Sanders 2. NG (51) – Byers 15, Simmons 15, Lomick 8, Murrell 4, Huggins 4, Payne 3.

Huss sweeps Mountaineers

Hunter Huss swept Kings Mountain in a Big South Conference doubleheader last week in Gastonia.

The Huss ladies prevailed 52-40 before the Huskies avenged an earlier loss at KMHS with a 59-46 win.

Aaliyah Miller scored 12 points and Khalia King 10 to lead the KM ladies.

CoRey Simpson added seven, Tyasya Bell four, Allysia Pettis, Mia Bridges and Farri Martin two each and Austyn Dixon one.

Curtis Simpson had a good all-around game with 11 points and nine rebounds. Tucker Robinette also scored 11 points. Zay Smith had nine points and four assists and Qua Sanders eight points and nine rebounds.

BOYS BOXSCORE

KM (46) – Robinette 11, Smith 9, Sanders 8, Linney 3, Simpson 11, Osborne 2, Foster 2.

HH (59) – Falls 2, Gladden 14, Hall 3, Duff 7, Dunlap 17, Ross 7, Mitchell 2, Rhodes 1.