WS Chronicle

The Glenn Bobcats are enjoying a great season thus far this year.  They currently stand undefeated at 9-0 after they dispatched Davie County 35-17 last Friday night.  Their offensive and defensive leaders, quarterback Stephon Brown and defensive lineman Bryson Glenn have both been invited to the 2017 Shrine Bowl.

The game, which takes place on Dec. 16 at Wofford College in Spartanburg, S.C., will pit the best of the best from North Carolina against the best seniors from South Carolina.  This is the 81st annual Shrine Bowl.

Brown is a dual threat quarterback that has had a phenomenal season thus far.  He will attend Appalachian State University next year and will have a chance to start as a freshman. He says it was a tremendous honor to be invited to play in the Shrine Bowl.
“This is a great opportunity and I didn’t know too much about this game but I know one of my uncles played in it during the 70s,” Brown said.  “When I found out how big it was I was proud to be a part of it.”

Glenn is a disruptive defensive tackle that can play any position along the line.  He will attend North Carolina Central next fall and looks to make an immediate impact.  He says it has been a dream of his to play in this game since he was a child.

“I have been imagining this since I was a little kid because growing up in North Carolina it’s a big opportunity to get invited as a player,” Glenn said.  “I used to watch it on TV and to now be playing in the game feels great, I feel blessed.”

Glenn says he heard the news from his father while he was working out and immediately notified Brown on social media.  Brown says when he found out, he called his father to tell him the good news.

They said they “really feel blessed” to have the chance to showcase their skills against the best senior players in North and South Carolina.  They feel all their hard work has paid off over the years and it’s icing on the cake to be able to publicize their school in a positive manner.
With their team getting bounced in the first round of the playoffs last year, Brown and Glenn have made it their goal to win the state championship this year.

“I think we can take this all the way this year,” they said.  “All it takes is for everyone to put in and not be complacent and get better each day.  We just have to take it game by game, day by day and practice by practice.  We have to always keep working hard because that next team is looking to beat us because we are undefeated.”

Brown says he decided to choose Appalachian State over other schools because they really showed they wanted him.  He also liked the fact he will compete for the starting job as soon as he steps foot on campus.

“I think the biggest thing for me was the opportunity to play as a freshman because I’m not a guy that likes to sit,” Brown said.  “Also I liked the school because it was a real family atmosphere.”
For Glenn he also had a number of suitors wanting his services on the next level.  He decided on Eagles because of a number of factors.

“I liked the atmosphere there and also my big brother goes there, he is a freshman on the football team,” said Glenn.  “I just loved the coaches and they also said that I would have a lot of playing time as a freshman.”

Both young men have high expectations about their potential on the next level.  They say their work ethic will allow them to succeed playing college football.  They both agreed they have to stay humble and work even harder because of the expectations.

Glenn head coach Antwon Stevenson says he was extremely proud of both Brown and Glenn.  He expects them to not only play well in the bowl game but also thinks they will have an immediate impact on their college teams.

“This honor is well deserved because they have put in the work coming in everyday and leading by example,” said Stevenson.  “Those guys have stuck with it over the years with what we were coaching them and it has paid off.”

“I think they are a testament of how it should be done in high school football,” he continued.  “Bryce and Steph are playing with purpose and they both have a lot to prove because of their inner drive.  One of those two kids and maybe both will play on Sunday just because I know they are playing with a purpose.

Stevenson says he wants both young men to know once they get to college they will not only represent themselves but also the school and their families.  He says he told them not to take advantage of this opportunity because not many young men have this chance.  He is confident they will live up to expectations.

Bryson says he would love to pursue a degree in some type of history because he enjoys learning about the past.  Brown would like to study sports medicine or criminal science.