Major shakeup in NC high school football polls heading into NCHSAA regional play
There are only two weeks left in the 2023 N.C. high school football season, and the high school football polls from The Charlotte Observer and News & Observer of Raleigh don’t have any new teams.
But there some major shakeups, at least in the 4A poll.
▪ After beating previous No. 1 Greensboro Grimsley at home Friday, Weddington moves from No. 6 to No. 1. The other three teams remaining in the playoffs also moved up: Raleigh’s Cardinal Gibbons went from No. 7 to No. 2. Wilmington’s Hoggard High went from No. 5 to No. 3, and Independence, from Mint Hill, jumped four spots to No. 4.
NC high school football polls
NCHSAA 4A
| Rank | School | Record | Prev. |
| 1 | Weddington | (12-2) | 6 |
| 2 | Cardinal Gibbons | (12-2) | 7 |
| 3 | Hoggard | (13-1) | 5 |
| 4 | Independence | (11-3) | 8 |
| 5 | Grimsley | (13-1) | 1 |
| 6 | Rolesville | (12-2) | 2 |
| 7 | Butler | (12-2) | 3 |
| 8 | Cleveland | (13-1) | 4 |
| 9 | Hough | (11-2) | 9 |
| 10 | Clayton | (10-3) | 10 |
NCHSAA 3A
| Rank | School | Record | Prev. |
| 1 | Dudley | (14-0) | 1 |
| 2 | Seventy-First | (14-0) | 2 |
| 3 | Hickory | (14-0) | 5 |
| 4 | Northern Nash | (13-1) | 7 |
| 5 | Crest | (13-1) | 3 |
| 6 | West Henderson | (13-1) | 4 |
| 7 | Southern Alamance | (12-2) | 8 |
| 8 | Havelock | (13-1)* | 6 |
| 9 | J.M. Robinson | (12-1) | 9 |
| 10 | West Charlotte | (9-4) | 10 |
NCHSAA 2A
| Rank | School | Record | Prev. |
| 1 | Clinton | (14-0) | 1 |
| 2 | Northeastern | (14-0) | 3 |
| 3 | Reidsville | (13-1) | 4 |
| 4 | Shelby | (11-3) | 5 |
| 5 | Bunker Hill | (13-1) | 2 |
| 6 | Forest Hills | (12-2) | 6 |
| 7 | Whiteville | (11-3) | 7 |
| 8 | Nash Central | (11-3) | 8 |
| 9 | Monroe | (11-2) | 9 |
| 10 | Salisbury | (12-1) | 10 |
NCHSAA 1A
| Rank | School | Record | Prev. |
| 1 | Mount Airy | (14-0) | 1 |
| 2 | Tarboro | (12-0) | 2 |
| 3 | Robbinsville | (13-1) | 3 |
| 4 | West Columbus | (12-1) | 6 |
| 5 | Eastern Randolph | (12-2) | 4 |
| 6 | Swain County | (11-2) | 5 |
| 7 | North Rowan | (11-3) | 7 |
| 8 | Wilson Prep | (11-2) | 8 |
| 9 | Mountain Heritage | (10-3) | 9 |
| 10 | East Bladen | (8-6) | 10 |
This story was originally published November 27, 2023 at 5:30 AM.
Langston Wertz Jr.
The Charlotte Observer