Highly-touted back competes in battle between Carolinas
Spartanburg, S.C. – For all the events that Cuttler Adams has experienced in his young life, last weekend might rank as one of the most impactful.
Robbinsville, the Smoky Mountain Conference and Western North Carolina’s all-time rushing leader (6,844 yards, 14th all-time in state history) was selected to participate in the 87th Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas, a yearly exhibition of the best football talents from both North and South Carolina – pitted against one another on the gridiron.
The game is held annually in Spartanburg, S.C., roughly 30 minutes from Greenville and the Shriners Children’s Hospital. The venue has shifted recently from Wofford College to Spartanburg High School. The event serves as a fundraiser for the Shriners organization.
The Black Knights’ perennial running back has shown no signs of slowing down since his varsity career ended in the Dec. 1 regional finals. He now has four official options on the table: Catawba College, Yale University, Maryville (Tenn.) College and Greensboro College, which just extended its terms Dec. 13.
Adams told the Star that since the Shrine Bowl, he has fielded calls from several more colleges, seeking his gridiron talents.
Adams spent a week training with his team, while also meeting some of the young lives that have been afflicted by difficult, physical struggles.
“Those kids are the true MVPs, the true champions,” Adams pointed out. “We’re blessed. We complain about every little thing; those kids just want to feel good, for an hour.”
Another honor for Adams was being selected as one of the team captains for North Carolina, which fell 24-0 to South Carolina. Adams made the highlight reel on special teams, with a dive across the plane to try and avoid a touchback on a punt return.
“If I could go back, I’d go back in a heartbeat,” Adams said. “It was so fun and so great. Getting to make new friends, meeting the coaches, it was a wonderful experience and I loved every minute of it.”
He was also asked to share his testimony during the week, which turned out to be a highlight for more than just him.
“Words cannot describe how well everything went – not for my glory, but for the Lord’s,” Adams said. “I told them that the best recruiting I’ve ever had is when the Lord recruited me. There were a lot of coaches and players that wanted to give their life to the Lord. It amazed me.”
He shows no signs of slowing down. With the Shrine Bowl crossed off his calendar, Adams will be in action on a big stage Jan. 8. He learned Sept. 7 of his selection to play in the Blue/Grey All-American Bowl Game, which will be held at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas (suburban Dallas).
He was selected from a field of over 6,500 athletes from across the nation and will suit up for the East team in the clash, which will be televised nationally on ESPN.