From Rags to Riches
by Bobby Poss Head Football Coach: Southview High North Carolina 4-A State Champions After 17 years of football frustration, the South View Tigers began a new era in 1989. With a career record of 27 wins, 141 losses, and one tie, South View entered the 1989 season with a new coach, a new approach, and a new attitude. Coach Bobby Poss came to South View that summer bringing enthusiasm, motivation, and the "Bigger, Faster, Stronger" program to a school that had finished at or near the bottom of its eight-team conference almost every year.
The combination of new coach, new attitude of the players, and the BFS program clicked and South View found itself in for the state playoffs for the first time ever as it posted a 7-3 regular season record. The Tigers finished 9-4after winning two playoff games. The following year, 1990, South View compiled a bestever 8-2 regular season record losing two close games and failing to make the playoffs . Eager to earn a trip back to the playoffs the team worked extra hard and had high hopes for 1991. Once Editor's Note: Coach Bobby Poss is an Upper Limit Coach of the first order. We featured his Seventy-First High School team in the BFS Journal after they had won their 2nd State Championship.
Then he moved to South View and Coach Poss and his new Tigers overcame great obstacles in winning another state championship. Coach Poss beat two other schools which have had BFS Clinics in the late playoff rounds, so the competition was tough. Congratulations to Coach Poss and the South View Tigers for winning state but more important congratulations to the entire program which reflects Upper Limit attitudes and character. again the Mid-South 4-A Conference proved to be very challenging as the league's two playoff spots were not decided until the final night of the regular season. South View earned the number two berth in the playoffs after completing their second straight 8-2 season.
In the opening round of the playoffs, the Tigers traveled 220 miles to defeat Elizabeth City Northeastern, 34-6. The following week in a superbly played contest, South View defeated Raleigh Millbrook, 14-7. The playoff bracket finall y brought the Tigers home for their third contest against undefeated Northern Durham. With a great Thanksgiving Holiday crowd on hand, the Tigers roared to SOUTH VIEW HIGH SCHOOL a surp risi ng, 48-20 victory, q u alifying for the North Car olina Eastern 4-A C ha m p ions hip game. South View traveled to meet unb eaten, 130, Wilm in gton New Hanover.
The ga me was a thriller as the Tigers battled back from a 30-14 de ficit to pull out a 37-36 last second victory and earn the right to play for the state title. It was on to Cha pel Hill and the University of North Carolina to play for the championship. The Tigers had to take on th eir th ird straight undefeat ed oppo nent, the nationally ranked by USA TODAY #12, 14-0, West Cha rlo tte Lions. South View played its best d efensive game of the year hold ing th e hi gh scoring Lions to seve n points. The Tigers ball-control offense managed to keep possession for 29 minutes -- ten minutes lon ger th a n Wes t C ha rlo t te.
With 49 seconds remaining, the Tigers kicked their only field goal of the year and edged out a 10-7 win to take the state crown. In three yea rs, th e Tigers compiled a 30-8 record -- an amazing turnaround for a program that had won only 27 ga mes in 17 years. In 1989, Coach Poss came to Sou th View Coach Bobby Pass Instructing Offensive Linemen from Fayett eville Seve nty-First after hav ing won III State Championship Game. two state champio ns hips and compiling a 68-27-1 record. Ad di ng to the career challenging move was the fact that Seventy-First was in the same conference and the tw o communities ad joined each other.
The BFS program had been used by Coach Poss at Sevent y-First and he knew that it wo uld be an important aspec t in turning the South View program around. Thro ugh the support of the ad ministration Coac h Poss was able to move the weight room fro m the gy m's back hallway to a 2,000 square foot voca tional room. With the help of a local farmer, Buckshoot McMillian, Coac h Poss was able to buil d 6 po wer racks, 5 plate hold ers and 4 power pla tforms. The schoo l purchased 6 ben ches and eight 400 pound sets to go wi th the existin g equip me nt.
Putting the final coa t of Tiger Ora nge paint on the racks the night before their first summer wo rkou t, Coac h Poss could only vision the enthusiasm his play ers wou ld have for their ne w workou t area. The pla yers resp onded and a new and posi tive attitude unfold ed. The Tigers too k full advantage of their new weight room and sched uled six classes per day in weight training. The weight room is used yea r round and often after schoo l for students and athletes. Now the Tigers are able to help skilled athletes become eve n better.
But more im portantly, ta ke average athletes and give The South View Tiger High School 2000 Square Foot Weight Room Tiger Defensive Pressure #34 Joey Mintz, JR DG Bench 330 lbs. #80 Mike McClain,SR DE Bench 265 lbs, them a chance to excel to their fullest potential. Coach Poss believes that the key to success does not remain on the skilled athletes, but with the dedication of the average athletes to develop to their fullest abilities. The 1991 Tigers were loaded with dedicated seniors that arrived on the scene with Coach Poss in 1989.
Lead by record setting All-State tailback Marcus Wall (2501 yards rushing) and a veteran offensive line, the Tigers used a strong running game to win the state championship. The offensive line was built around five seniors and a junior. All were intense weight lifters who spent many hours in the weight room preparing for tiger football. The Tigers lift year round. The summer program begins the first week of July and players lift three times per week during July and August. During the season the players lift four times per week. The off season program runs five days per week. It includes weights, running, quickness and plyometrics. The BFS dot drill is used for warm-ups!
The program really emphasizes the bench and squat. The power clean, trap bar dead lifts are also in the core program. BFS principles are taught and used . The Tigers believe in the total development of the players. They truly believe that strength training and conditioning are an important aspect of the program. However, the most important component of the program is the spiritual development of our players. We have a team chaplain that speaks to our players each Thursday. This time is set aside for reflection.
Tony Jernigan , South View Fans Support The Tigers At the State Championship Game at University of North Carolina 's Stadium Chaplain, is also available to counsel and work with our players during the week. We also have a Fellowship of Christian Athletes huddle for our pla yers to be a part of. Last summer, Coach Poss, Coa ch Rice, and nine athletes attended the National FCA camp at Black Mt . North Carolina . FCA plays a vital role in our teams development. Dreams do come true. Through the various programs and hard work of the players South View Senior High School's football team went from Tiger Rags to Riches in just three years.
SOUTHVIEW: REAL LIFE QUEST FOR G~EATNESS 25
From BFS Magazine — Summer 1992. Part of the BFS Magazine Archive (1980–2014).
