
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 in 2014,” he noted. “And then 2015 was a really good year. Adding Daryl Wilson and Michael Kennedy to the staff 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.
“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 56-49. We beat Shelby 42-17 that year and that was a really big win for us.
“In 2020 we probably had our most talented players,” he noted. “Kobe Paysour left early to go to Chapel Hill but we swept the county. We broke a long losing streak against Shelby. We hadn’t beaten them since ’86.
“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 come to Kings Mountain. I appreciated Julie Rikard and Dr. (Dustin) Morehead.
“Our athletic directors 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.”
See more photos on Page 1B of the February 1, 2023 issue of KM Herald
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 in 2014,” he noted. “And then 2015 was a really good year. Adding Daryl Wilson and Michael Kennedy to the staff 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.
“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 56-49. We beat Shelby 42-17 that year and that was a really big win for us.
“In 2020 we probably had our most talented players,” he noted. “Kobe Paysour left early to go to Chapel Hill but we swept the county. We broke a long losing streak against Shelby. We hadn’t beaten them since ’86.
“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 come to Kings Mountain. I appreciated Julie Rikard and Dr. (Dustin) Morehead.
“Our athletic directors 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.”
See more photos on Page 1B of the February 1, 2023 issue of KM Herald