The WSSU-N.C. A&T rivalry means a lot to both sides (2024)

HIGH POINT — There’s a little more juice in the N.C. A&T Hall of Fame weekend thanks to Saturday’s football game against longtime rival Winston-Salem State.

Part of the weekend was a golf tournament at Oak Hollow Golf Course on Friday morning.

Bill Hayes, the legendary coach for both schools, was there, and like a lot of others, he is excited about the two schools playing each other for the first time in 14 years. Because Hayes also coached and was the athletics director at WSSU after his coaching days were over, there were two WSSU teams that signed up to play in the tournament.

There was good-natured trash talking going on, and Hayes loved it.

“Who is going to win?” Hayes was asked about Saturday’s game. “Well, one of them will win for sure.”

Leave it to the 81-year-old Hayes not to pick sides and straddle the gold and red fence of one of the best rivalries in not only HBCU but in the state of North Carolina. Hayes, the second winningest coach in state history behind only Jerry Moore at Appalachian State, won 195 games and six conference championships at WSSU and A&T.

“I’m just glad this game is being played, and I think it’s great for both schools,” Hayes said. “This is an HBCU family, and when folks see how many people will be there on Saturday night, maybe it gets played every season.”

The two schools, which are separated by about 30 miles, last played in 2010 when the Rams won 21-14 in Greensboro. This will be a one-year deal because A&T’s schedule is already set for 2025; the next time they could play again would be in 2026.

“It should be called ‘The Bill Hayes Classic,’ and that’s a no-brainer to me,” said Maseo Bolin, a former star quarterback for the Aggies who is the president of the A&T Hall of Fame committee. “Bill’s done so much for both schools, and we’re just thrilled to have him here so we can celebrate his legacy.”

Before teeing off on Friday morning, however, Bolin fired the first shot to those gathered waiting to tee off.

“We going to whip Winston’s (butt), so that’s all I’m going to say,” Bolin said.

Among those defending the Rams was Richard Daniels, who played for Hayes, and Keith “Speedy” Torrence. Both were proudly wearing red. Charles Penny, the WSSU golf coach, was also on a team supporting the Rams.

Hayes, an avid golfer who sports a single-digit handicap, Torrence, Daniels and Torrence’s brother, were all playing together on a team.

“You can tell there’s more excitement because Winston is playing A&T again,” said Daniels, who is the Vice President of Community Engagement and Executive Director at the William White YMCA in Winston-Salem. “With the game not being played in almost 15 years, it’s about time so that rivalry is still there.”

Torrence said he went 3-1 against the Aggies during his playing days and remembers his freshman season.

“We were losing 19-3 at halftime, and you know Coach Hayes came into halftime with his fake cry and talking about how he walked over to the coach at A&T and said something,” Torrence said about the 1985 game. “And then we came out first play of the second half and we ended up winning (35-24).”

Hayes estimated about 40 former players from both schools were playing in the golf tournament.

Supporting the golf tournament with his 6-year-old son on his team was incoming A&T hall of famer J.J. Miller, who was a basketball player. Miller, a 2001 graduate, said he’s excited about the game.

“We’ve missed playing them, and we are neighbors and with the camaraderie and the friendly nature is always good,” Miller said. “Most Aggies know a lot of Rams and vice versa, so we all enjoy the banter back and forth.”

Miller’s son, who was dressed head to toe in Aggie golf apparel, didn’t hesitate when asked who is going to win on Saturday night. “The Aggies will win,” said J.T. Miller.

Daniels said the rivalry brings the two sides together in a good way.

“I’m just excited that they are playing again,” Daniels said, who played from 1986 to 1990 for Hayes at WSSU. “Maseo and I work on the Carolyn and Bill Hayes Foundation golf tournament, so this is also about giving back.”

There also was a banquet at Grandover Resort on Friday night that helps raise money for the endowment fund that helps students at A&T. The golf tournament also helps with money needed at A&T.

“We are excited that a couple of WSSU teams are playing and helping us out because we know it’s a good rivalry. They bought a couple of tables at the banquet as well,” Bolin said. “But we are all about helping each other out, and I think Bill Hayes helps foster that relationship.”

Hayes said has such great memories of coaching in the rivalry game from both sides of the gold and red fence.

“It’s not hard to play this game every year,” Hayes said. “It’s just something that needs to be done. People in the area and alumni from both schools ... it just makes sense.”

As for those battles when he was on the sideline, Hayes smiled.

“To be honest, it should be a home-and-home series because this is a special rivalry, and I can honestly say that as a former coach of both schools it was a lot of fun,” Hayes said. “I’m not sure I would have said that back in my coaching days, but this game means a lot to a lot of people.”