Saturday’s high school NCHSAA state finals previews, full schedule

By Steve Lyttle

December 13, 2019 10:59 AM

No. 1 Vance (12-2) vs. Leesville Road (13-0), 3 p.m., Kenan Stadium, Chapel Hill (4AA championship) – Having beaten powerhouses Mallard Creek, West Forsyth and Richmond Senior, Vance now tries again for the state championship it narrowly failed to win a year ago. Leesville Road’s balanced attack featured QB Trey Baker (1,644 passing yards and 15 touchdowns against just two interceptions) and RB Tiawan Moore (1,019 rushing yards).

No. 2 Weddington (15-0) vs. Lee County (14-0), 7 p.m., Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh (3AA championship) – The Warriors go for a second straight 3AA title, and the offense goes through a pair of juniors, RB Will Shipley (player of the year in North Carolina) and QB Dante Casciola. If the game is close, PK Ian Williams (an N.C. State commit, as of this week) has connected on 50-yard-plus field goals multiple times. Lee County, playing for a state title for the first time since 1973, is led by RB A.J. Boulware (2,124 rushing yards and 31 touchdowns).

No. 7 Charlotte Catholic (11-3) vs. Southern Nash (15-0), 3 p.m., Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh (3A championship) – The Cougars aim for their third straight title in 3A and their seventh state championship overall. This game features two teams that love to run the football. Catholic RB Paul Neel has rushed for 1,816 yards this season, and the Firebirds’ Quinton Cooley has 2,633 rushing yards and 45 touchdowns. Each team averages fewer than eight pass attempts per game. Southern Nash head coach Brian Foster has collapsed on the sidelines twice during the playoffs, with doctors attributing it to blood pressure problems.

No. 6 Shelby (13-1) vs. No. 16 Salisbury (13-2), 11 a.m., BB&T Field, Winston-Salem (2AA championship) – Shelby is going for its second straight state title and its fifth in six years. The Golden Lions are playing in their 16th state championship. Salisbury is in its fourth state title game, but the Hornets are three-for-three. Shelby QB Isaiah Bess leads an explosive offense, but Salisbury is holding opponents to eight points a game with a big defensive line and superb linebackers.

Other games

East Forsyth (11-2) vs. Cardinal Gibbons (12-2), 11 a.m., Kenan Stadium, Chapel Hill (4A championship) – East Forsyth won the 4A title in a 35-28 thriller last season over Scotland County. Cardinal Gibbons is in the championship game for the first time after several near-misses.

Reidsville (14-1) vs. Northeastern (12-3), 3 p.m., BB&T Field, Winston-Salem (2A championship) – Reidsville is the king of North Carolina prep football, with 17 state championships. Northeastern is in the final for the third time and has never won. Reidsville’s only loss was a 55-49 setback to 1AA finalist East Surry.

East Surry (14-0) vs. Tarboro (14-0), 7 p.m., Wallace-Wade Stadium, Durham (1AA championship) – With a victory this season over 2A powerhouse Reidsville, East Surry is in the state finals for the second straight year. But Tarboro has won six state championships and is in the finals for the 10th time.

Robbinsville (14-0) vs. Northampton (11-3), 3 p.m., Wallace-Wade Stadium, Durham (1A championship) – Robbinsville, in the finals for the 17th time, has a pair of running backs with more than 1,500 yards this season. Northampton is playing for the first time in the finals.

North vs. South, noon, Brooks Stadium, Conway, S.C. (S.C. North-South All-Star Game) – Six Observer-area players will participate as members of the North team: offensive linemen Joe Ervin (South Pointe), Jalen Tatah (Lancaster) and Lane Towery (York); linebacker Daylon Robinson (Pageland Central); running back Norii Gaither (Rock Hill); and wide receiver Hezekiah Massey (Clover).

– Steve Lyttle

This week’s schedule

North Carolina

Class 4AA