For the second consecutive year a local high school team will share the practice field with the Carolina Panthers during training camp at Wofford.

Dorman will get the unique experience Aug. 3 after Spartanburg was believed last summer to be the first high school team to practice with an NFL franchise.

“We weren’t expecting it and really didn’t know anything about it,” said Dorman coach David Gutshall, adding everybody was caught off guard since nobody lobbied the Panthers for an invite.

“Nobody did anything like that, that I’m aware of,” Gutshall said. “Evidently it went off good last year and they wanted to do it again. We’ve been involved with the 7-on-7 (annual passing tournament) with the Panthers maybe six times, in fact we’re going again (Thursday), so I’ve been very involved with the Panthers and know a lot of these people and that probably helped our chances.”

Last year’s mashup with Spartanburg was a big hit in front of a large crowd, with many of the Carolina players seeming to enjoy having the teenagers on the field as much as the Vikings did being there. Panthers Pro-Bowl linebacker Thomas Davis acknowledged last year he never got close to having such a chance to work around pro players when he was growing up in rural Georgia.

Gutshall acknowledged it wasn’t just his players who were thrilled to get the chance to share a field with NFL players.

“They were excited and wanting to be part of it, but I really think everybody is excited. Our administration is as well as our athletic department, so it will be a fun day. Sometimes football practices are not fun and this will be a fun day for all of us.”

The joint workout will happen not long after the Cavaliers begin their own official preseason preparation for the Aug. 18 season-opener at home against Fort Dorchester (and recent USC quarterback commit Dakereon Joyner). Gutshall believes practicing with the Panthers could have a larger impact than simply a day of fun and a cool memory, with his players hopefully taking some additional competitive fire away from the experience.

“I think it’s a good bonus coming up, because when practice starts it will be our sixth and that’s when it really starts getting tiring. The kids will be able to look forward to this and I think it will make the practices go better as we work towards it. Then after that we’re right into jamborees and scrimmages, so I think it comes at the perfect time and will really keep our kids motivated.”