Charlotte-area natives slated for conference championship showdown this weekend

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) - There is no shortage of star power in this year’s ACC Championship game, but two of the biggest stars taking the field at Bank of America Stadium this weekend hail from the Charlotte area.

UNC’s Drake Maye played quarterback at south Charlotte’s Myers Park High School, and is fresh off of being named the ACC Player of the Year, among other awards.

Meanwhile, Clemson star running back Will Shipley, who graduated from Weddington High School in Union County, is working on a 1,000-plus yard rushing season and has emerged as one of the best offensive weapons in the conference.

In speaking with the two stars’ high school coaches, it is clear that the legacy they left behind goes well beyond what they did on the football field.

“More than anything his humility and his competitive spirit was something that has left a legacy here,” Myers Park basketball coach Scott Taylor said of Maye. “Both within football and basketball and kids that played with him.”

For Shipley, one high school coach remembers his strong work ethic, but also his compassion for others.

“I think it’s just who he is, as a human being,” Weddington coach Andy Capone said. “He was always one of the hardest workers…and he always wanted to make sure he tried to make everybody’s day better.”

While Saturday will mark the first time either has appeared in an ACC Championship Game, it won’t be their first time suiting up in their home city.

Shipley started his collegiate career last year with a Week 1 loss to Georgia, and Maye was on the sidelines for North Carolina’s Mayo Bowl loss to South Carolina to end the season.

Related: UNC redshirt freshman QB Drake Maye wins ACC Player of the Year

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