Home Care In Rolesville, NC

Braden Atkinson continues rolling up big numbers as Rolesville High’s season marches on. The Rams’ quarterback joined the 3,000-yard club last week with a 371-yard performance, bumping his total to 3,185 with 40 touchdowns.

Although the junior is a second-year starter, it wasn’t long ago he didn’t strike fear in Triangle football.

At the start of the 2022 season there were doubts — including his own, he admits — that an untested sophomore coming off torn knee ligaments could direct the Rams’ high-powered offense. The injury limited his 2021 junior varsity experience to two games.

If we think back to the 2022 preseason, wide receiver Noah Rogers’ star power led the Rams. Mr. Rogers’ elite neighborhood included a commitment to Ohio State as North Carolina’s top-ranked high school wide receiver.

So, it was natural to ask Rogers in the preseason about questions surrounding his projected quarterback.

“Don’t worry about Braden,” Rogers said. “He’s going to be good.”

Rogers, a low-key guy, undersold his prediction. Atkinson was more than good, throwing for 1,846 yards and 20 touchdowns. Rolesville finished 2022 as the NCHAA 4A East Region runner-up with a 10-4 record.

But in 2023, the 6-foot-1, 200-pounder has been prolific.

“His ball placement has been impeccable,” Rolesville coach Ranier Rackley said. “He doesn’t make mistakes.”

In the NCHSAA 4A playoffs, the Rams are coming off a 49-13 second-round win against No. 17 seed Wake Forest. Atkinson was 27-of-32 passing without an interception among his 371 yards and two TDs. His season completion percentage is .746, 209 of 280 with only four thefts.

Top-seeded Rolesville (11-1), the Northern 4A Conference champion, faces No. 25 seed Fuquay-Varina (6-6) in the third-round at 7 p.m. Friday on the Rams’ field.

The Bengals, led by North Carolina-commit Malcolm Ziglar, snuck into the playoffs, but they’ve pulled off to back-to-back road upsets, defeating No. 6 Fayetteville Jack Britt, 17-9, and No. 24 Wilmington Ashley, 10-7.

Atkinson said earlier this week he was unaware the prediction Rogers gave a reporter, but he noted Rogers did plenty to bolster his preseason confidence.

“I have a lot of love for him,” Atkinson said. “He told me at the start of the season there would be a lot of talk about me, ‘but don’t listen to the outside noise.’ He said he had a lot of trust in me.”

Another question entering 2022 included Atkinson mastering Rolesville’s offense. The Rams adjusted from a dual-threat quarterback in 2021 with Byrum Brown — who is now South Florida’s starter as a redshirt freshman — to Atkinson as a drop-back passer. In 2021, Brown’s style led Rolesville to the NCHSAA 4A state runner-up finish. Atkinson watched and learned from the sideline while rehabbing his knee.

“The injury made me focus on absorbing knowledge,” he said. “I learned a lot from Byrum. When he came off the field, he’d tell me what he saw that he liked and what he didn’t like.”

Atkinson’s ability to read defenses has allowed the 2023 Rams to maintain their run-pass threat. Depending on what Atkinson reads from a shotgun formation, he hands off the ball or rolls out to deliver a quick pass. The result has been balance.

Junior running back Devon Thomas has carried 172 times for 1,968 yards and 30 touchdowns. The Rams have relied on Thomas after NC State-bound senior Isaiah Jones suffered an ankle surgery that required season-ending surgery.

Another 2023 challenge Atkinson met was he produced without two graduated seniors gone to Division I campuses — Rogers and Tamarcus Cooley (Maryland). He opened this season with new cast of receivers, and the passing totals the first three contests were under 200 yards and the fourth was 201.

But then things clicked in the fifth game with 258 against Athens Drive. With the next five dates in conference play, he threw for 301 against Wakefield; Millbrook, 418; Knightdale, 360; Wake Forest, 513; and Heritage, 238.

Despite substitutes taking over the in the fourth quarter, Atkinson’s five-game conference average was 356.4 yards per game, with 20 touchdowns and two interceptions. With as many as four games remaining if the Rams advance to the 4A state final, do the math. Atkinson can finish with a 4,000-yard season.

“The (first) Wake Forest game was his best,” Rackley said. “His passing was musical. He threw some NFL passes.”

Through 12 games, junior Jaeden Alford (6-0, 180) leads the team with 76 catches for 1,548 yards and 19 touchdowns. Sophomore Gavin Waddell (6-0, 165) has 56 for 904 and eight TDs. The third-leading receiver is junior Adrian Silver Jr. with 29 receptions, 459 yards and four touchdowns.

Atkinson’s accurate passing allowed new offensive coordinator Mike Holderman to employ sophisticated timing patterns, but the scheme only works if the receivers run precise routes before they turn to find the ball already delivered to a spot.

“That’s what I love about my guys,” Atkinson said.

Dan Fouts, the Chargers Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback who mastered Pro Football Hall of Fame coach Don Coryell’s Air Coryell timing patterns, would like what he sees from Atkinson.

So far, Atkinson has drawn limited recruiting interest. He has offers from Miami of Ohio and Bethune-Cookman. Duke has invited him to watch three games, and last weekend he was a guest of No. 18-ranked James Madison (10-0) in Harrisonburg, Virginia.

Rackley believes scouts should have seen enough by now.

“There were people who doubted him last year, so it’s truly rewarding to see where he’s at now,” Rackley said. “Scouts talk about size with kids, but he has ‘IT.’ And he hasn’t peaked.”

Optimism, rightfully so, is rising at Rolesville High these days. The school that opened 10 years ago when it split from Wake Forest High increasingly looks comfortable among the state’s football powers.

The Rams, an NCHSAA East Region semifinalist a year ago, opened the season last week with a 21-19 upset of visiting Butler, a perennial state power from the Charlotte area. The victory jumped Rolesville into the latest rankings at No. 17 in the Carolinas Top 25 and No. 7 in the state 4A poll.

A challenging schedule reflects Rolesville’s desire to play among the state’s elite, even though it means another week looking up in the polls. The Rams play Grimsley, No. 2 in the Carolinas 25 and No. 1 in 4A, at 7 p.m. Friday in Greensboro.

Grimsley (1-0) was the 4A state runner-up a year ago.

The Rams, though, enjoy bolstered optimism by winning their opener without half of their game of Mr. Inside, De’Von Thomas, and Mr. Outside, Isiah Jones.

Oh, Jones, Mr. Outside, was on the field proudly wearing NC State gloves as a Wolfpack commit. But the 5-foot-10, 195-pounder didn’t look like the guy who a year ago averaged 7.3 yards a carry while finishing with 54 carries for 1,122 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Butler’s defense swarmed to contain him on Rolesville’s first possession. Three straight carries by Jones ended with a punt on fourth-and-3. But to be fair, he was recovering from a bout of food poisoning.

“We had to hold him out of our scrimmage,” said Ranier Rackley, the Rams’ new head coach who was promoted from within after four years as an assistant. “He was still getting his feet under him, and Butler’s defense was lights out. They were pursuing him; they wouldn’t let him get outside.”

Rolesville fell behind 3-0 and dodged another Butler score with an interception before the offense’s shifted play-calling paid off.

Junior quarterback Brady Atkinson hit junior receiver Adrian Silver in stride with a 41-yard touchdown catch-and-run for a 7-3 lead. After Butler led 10-7, Thomas, a 1,000-yard rusher a year ago, scored on a 21-yard run. The defense provided the winning points on senior team captain Kameron Manley’s 30-yard pick-six.

Jones viewing himself as more than a running back helped the in-game shift. He blocked for Thomas on run plays and stayed in to pass protect for Atkinson.

“I can still contribute even if I’m not running the ball,” Jones said. “It was a great team win for us and helps with our confidence. We learned something about coming together as a team. We want to be a player-driven team. Coach (Rackley) tells us the players have to win the game.”

Part of Jones’ on-field maturity derived from overcoming doubt as a freshman on the varsity.

As the big kid on the block in his early years, he always played “up” in youth leagues against older opponents. Jones said his mother, Porchia Jones, and father, Carl McCormick, have been supportive throughout his youth football, basketball and track days.

“My mom gives me encouraging words or something to read,” Jones said. “I’ll reflect on it to get back in the right mindset.”

But high school as a freshman practicing and playing against seniors proved more challenging.

“At the beginning of my freshman year, I was struggling,” he said. “My mom noticed I was quiet and not myself. She gave me a Tim Tebow book.”

Jones began to read the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner’s 2016 book: “Shaken: Determining Your True Identity in the Midst of Life’s Struggles.” He finished his freshman year second on the team in rushing with 65 carries for 442 yards and two touchdowns.

After his junior season, he attracted recruiting interest as a 3-star prospect with offers from N.C. State, Boston College, Navy, N.C. Central and Columbia of the Ivy League.

The other schools, though, didn’t really have a chance. Jones wanted to stay home for his family. He attended N.C. State’s camp on June 16 under the watchful eyes of running backs coach Todd Goebbell and head coach Dave Doeren.

“Coach Goebbell was encouraging me at the camp,” Jones said. “I could see they were interested in me. After the camp, Coach Doeren invited me up to his office and offered me. He said he thought I was the right candidate. I wanted to tell him then I was coming, but I felt I should wait.”

One week later, he made it official.

“I can train harder and not worry about finding a school,” Jones said. “I can focus on me as a player.”

Defenses picking their poison — Mr. Inside, Mr. Outside or the passing game — is a challenge Rolesville presents.

ROLESVILLE, N.C. (WNCN) — There’s a feeling of welcome and warmth as soon as you enter Fran and Guy Hanson’s home. The couple, who lives with their dog Dixie, said The Grande at Granite Falls has been their homes for the past five years.

The three-story affordable housing complex in Rolesville is designed for residents 62 and older and holds around 70 units.

It wasn’t until recently that the couple and several other residents found themselves in a stressful situation.

“These people are worried and they’re scared because they don’t know what to do,” said Fran.

The couple said they and others at the complex were informed that their monthly went was rising. The Hanson’s said they were told that they would be seeing a 60% increase when their lease ends in August.

Fran said, “I was shocked, I was stunned. I said to my husband, ‘I don’t know what we’re going to do,’” said Fran. “We’ve lived here for five years and the rent has gone up every year that we’ve been here, but it’s only been like $40, $50… that was it.”

At 75-years-old, Fran said she has no choice but to continue to work. She currently works 32 hours at a local grocery store. She said others on a fixed income are facing a more challenging situation.

That includes Maria Alvarez who recently received a 60 day notice to vacate. The Rolesville resident said her rent was $840 and pointed to the documents showing her rent would increase to $1,918. Alvarez, who is on Section 8 housing, said she’s waiting for support from legal aid.

Rolesville Mayor Ronnie Currin said he recently visited with residents at the complex and is aware of the situation and the challenges some face finding affordable housing in Wake County. He said he and others have reached out to the facility and are doing what they can to support residents who are impacted.

Fran said it’s added an extra stress for families during the holiday season as families figure out what to do next.

“I worry about my friends who live here because they have to get out sooner than August and they have no place to go… so are they just going to get kicked to the curb?” she asked.

CBS 17 also reached out to staff at The Grande at Granite Falls who said they have been contacted by local, county and state leaders and are aware of the rising rent prices. They referred questions to their corporate management—they have not replied yet.

ROLESVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) -- The ABC11 Game of the Week was in Raleigh Friday evening.

Rolesville High School defeated Cardinal Gibbons 52-32 final.

Both teams went into this non-conference matchup with 2-1 records.

SCORES ACROSS NC

Avery County 23, McDowell County 22

Ayden-Grifton 21, Pamlico County 12

Belmont South Point 20, Lenoir Hibriten 7

Bertie County 34, Kill Devil Hills First Flight 7

Bessemer City 37, Monroe Union Academy 16

Brevard 48, North Buncombe 0

Burlington Cummings 42, Bartlett Yancey 14

Burlington Williams 44, Eden Morehead 7

Burnsville Mountain Heritage 28, Hendersonville 21

Calvary Day, Ga. 41, Charlotte Christian 10

Camden County 36, Gates County 12

Canton Pisgah 32, Hayesville 7

Catawba Bandys 45, South Caldwell 14

Central Davidson 30, Lexington 21

Chambers 63, Hickory Ridge 14

Chapel Hill 58, Carrboro 8

Charlotte Ardrey Kell 27, Catawba Ridge, S.C. 14

Charlotte Country Day 30, North Cross, Va. 27

Charlotte Independence 45, South Mecklenburg 0

Charlotte Latin 35, Winston-Salem Carver 0

Charlotte Myers Park 47, Richmond County 14

Charlotte Providence Day 49, Concord Cannon 7

Cherokee 43, Rosman 6

Chesnee, S.C. 41, R-S Central 13

Claremont Bunker Hill 45, Hickory Home 6

Clinton 47, Whiteville 14

Community Christian 22, Pungo Christian 14

Concord Robinson 54, Central Cabarrus 0

Corvian 58, Charlotte Garinger 0

East Duplin 56, Croatan 13

East Gaston 27, Gastonia Ashbrook 0

East Surry 64, South Stokes 48

Eastern Alamance 19, Reidsville 14

Eastern Wayne 53, Greene Central 26

Elizabeth City Northeastern 52, Rocky Mount 46

Fayetteville Seventy-First 38, Hoke County 0

Friendship 34, Raleigh Athens Drive 16

Gaffney, S.C. 24, Charlotte Mallard Creek 7

Havelock 20, West Craven 13

Hickory 35, Concord Cox Mill 15

Hickory Grove Christian 43, Mount Zion Christian 0

Holly Ridge Dixon 28, Rocky Point Trask 22

Indian Trail Porter Ridge 31, West Cabarrus 7

Jacksonville 35, West Carteret 8

Jacksonville White Oak 35, Jacksonville Northside 22

John Paul II Catholic 40, Grace Christian-Raleigh 8

Kannapolis Brown 49, South Rowan 0

Kinston Parrott Academy 75, Liberty Christian 12

Lake Norman 23, Waxhaw Marvin Ridge 21

Lake Norman Charter 13, Mooresville Pine Lake Prep 8

Landrum, S.C. 47, Polk County 21

Lawndale Burns 50, Alexander Central 7

Lawrence Academy 45, Greenbrier Christian, Va. 2

Lee County 34, Cary Panther Creek 16

Maiden 50, Hickory St. Stephens 19

Marshville Forest Hills 21, Davidson Community School 14

Matthews Butler 22, Matthews Weddington 15

Mitchell County 20, Andrews 3

Monroe 70, East Mecklenburg 0

Monroe Sun Valley 49, Monroe Parkwood 0

Morganton Freedom 56, Morganton Patton 6

Morrisville Green Hope 58, East Chapel Hill 0

Mount Airy 49, Ashe County 7

Mt. Holly Mountain Island Charter 42, Southlake Christian 13

Murphy 49, Sylva Smoky Mountain 27

Nash Central 35, Wilson Beddingfield 18

New Bern 49, Knightdale 0

Newton Grove Hobbton 64, Seven Springs Spring Creek 14

Newton Grove Midway 32, Salemburg Lakewood 26

North Davidson 48, Walkertown 14

North Duplin 63, Lejeune 20

North Gaston 56, Cherryville 7

North Lincoln 56, East Rutherford 21

North Pitt 24, Edenton Holmes 18

North Raleigh Christian 40, Louisburg 24

North Rowan 20, High Point Andrews 14

North Stanly 26, West Stanly 16

Northampton County 20, North Edgecombe 12

Northern Nash 37, Greenville Conley 12

Northwest Cabarrus 48, Mount Pleasant 0

Oak Grove 37, North Forsyth 6

Orange 22, Montgomery Central 0

Pinetown Northside 49, Bear Grass 6

Providence Grove 24, Asheboro 14

Rabun Gap-Nachoochee, Ga. 42, Arden Christ School 21

Raleigh Millbrook 44, Raleigh Broughton 6

Raleigh Sanderson 62, Hillsborough Cedar Ridge 0

Raleigh Wakefield 41, Franklinton 7

Randleman 47, Cameron Union Pines 6

Richlands 48, South Lenoir 0

Riverside Martin 24, Chocowinity Southside 6

Robbinsville 35, Alleghany County 7

Rocky Mount Academy 70, Father Vincent Capodanno 0

Rolesville 52, Raleigh Cardinal Gibbons 32

Salisbury 31, Person 6

Scotland 40, Fayetteville Britt 35

Shelby 51, Charlotte Olympic 14

Siler City Jordan-Matthews 30, Chatham Central 26

South Columbus 61, Rose Hill Union 0

South Garner 44, Raleigh Enloe 12

South Granville 20, Durham Riverside 14

South Iredell 33, Monroe Piedmont 6

South Stanly 26, South Davidson 14

South Wake 19, Wake Prep 13

Southeast Halifax 38, Weldon 6

Southern Alamance 22, Southern Nash 15

Southern Lee 38, Fairmont 12

Southern Pines Pinecrest 35, New Hanover County 3

Southwest Onslow 57, Goldsboro 0

St. Pauls 14, West Columbus 12

Surry Central 42, Elkin 36

Swain County 30, Waynesville Tuscola 26

Swannanoa Owen 26, East Henderson 6

Tarboro 35, SouthWest Edgecombe 20

Thomasville 33, Greensboro Smith 0

Thomasville Ledford 49, East Davidson 0

Topsail 34, Swansboro 7

Trinity 34, West Davidson 21

Trinity Wheatmore 15, Kernersville McGuinness 14

Valdese Draughn 35, Forest City Chase 25

Vance County 35, Northern Durham 0

Wake Forest 27, Southern Durham 20

Wallace-Rose Hill 56, Pender County 14

Warren County 32, Northwest Halifax 6

Warsaw Kenan 42, East Bladen 14

Washington 12, Kinston 7

Watauga County 36, Asheville Reynolds 35

Waxhaw Cuthbertson 23, Palisades 0

West Bladen 47, East Columbus 14

West Henderson 40, Asheville Erwin 10

West Iredell 21, West Wilkes 7

West Stokes 56, North Surry 28

Western Alamance 26, Eastern Guilford 20

Wilkes Central 21, East Wilkes 7

Wilmington Hoggard 38, Greenville Rose 14

Wilmington Laney 28, Cape Fear 21

Winston-Salem Prep 41, Gastonia Highland Tech 8

POSTPONEMENTS AND CANCELLATIONS=

Cardinal Gibbons got timely, meaningful contributions from members of each class, took an early lead and never let it go, earning a 30-28 win over Clayton in the third round of the NCHSAA football playoffs on Friday. Cardinal Gibbons (11-2) completed an undefeated home slate for 2023. As the No. 5 seed, any remaining games for Cardinal Gibbons are guaranteed to be on the road.

Senior wide receiver Chet Yardley made the best of his one catch — a 74-yard touchdown strike from sophomore quarterback Gannon Jones. The Jones-Yardley tandem also had a 74-yard scoring connection to help Cardinal Gibbons defeat visiting Leesville Road (on October 27) and claim the Cap Six Conference championship.

Jones had touchdown passes Friday to senior Nick Leonard (23 yards) and sophomore Aiden Smalls (48 yards), as well.

The Crusaders opened the game’s scoring on Jones’ pitch to Smalls, who, then, heaved a pass to junior Sean Manuel who found the end zone.

Comets quarterback Jonathan Montague, though, was not done. Montague had a hand in all four of his team’s touchdowns, including three rushing. Montague and Deon Harris connected for an 18-yard scoring pass.

With 2:04 remaining, and the would-be final score set, Yardley recovered Clayton’s onside kick. Cardinal Gibbons needed to earn one first down before being able to run out the clock. On third down, Smalls ran play action and completed a pass to freshman Griffin Cockerham before the Crusaders closed the win.

Cardinal Gibbons coach Steven Wright has enjoyed many life milestones in his 13 seasons at the Edwards Mill Road school. Friday’s home win over Clayton provided a most unique “full circle” experience for the Crusaders coach.

When Wright arrived at Cardinal Gibbons in 2011, his oldest daughter, Bell, was in elementary school. Bell was there when her dad led the Crusaders to a 40-26 win over Clayton on Aug. 19, 2011 in his very first game. Bell was a Cardinal Gibbons student when her dad led the Crusaders to their first state final in 2019.

And Bell was there Friday alongside her husband Sean, who serves in the United States Army.

Wright, his wife Rachel-Ruth, and other daughters Sophia and Riggin dropped off Sean and Bell Quinlan at the airport Saturday morning. The Quinlans are bound for Italy, where Sean will continue his Army service.

Bell did that after watching one last Cardinal Gibbons win over Clayton, just as she watched her Dad’s very first Crusaders win — over Clayton.

Rolesville junior Devon Thomas found the end zone to surpass 2,000 rushing yards this season and jumpstart the Rams’ offense in a 69-21 win over Fuquay-Varina. The visiting Bengals, who entered the state playoffs 4-6, scored the game’s first 14 points on a run by Malcolm Ziglar (a North Carolina commit) and pick-six by Nick Hardison.

Rolesville (12-1), riding an 11-game winning streak, will host Cardinal Gibbons next Friday for the second time this season. The Rams won the teams’ Sept. 8 meeting, 52-32.

Cleveland won a historic 13th game with its 56-13 home rout of New Bern. The Rams, who scored 42 first-half points, got 64 rushing yards and a touchdown from Tyson Stokes, who now has exactly 1,000 ground yards (17 touchdowns, 6.6 yards per carry) this season.

Stokes had a season high 151 yards (10 yards per carry in Cleveland’s 33-31 rally October 27 at Clayton that preserved the Rams’ undefeated season.

Cleveland (13-0), which played for the spring 2021 season’s 3AA state championship, will host Hoggard (Wilmington) in next Friday’s 4A fourth round.