Weddington dominates Wilmington’s Hoggard High, wins first NCHSAA 4A state title
Weddington is a state champion again.
The Warriors took an early lead and never looked back in Saturday night’s N.C. 4A championship game, forcing a running clock in the third quarter of a 56-21 drubbing of Wilmington’s Hoggard at N.C. State’s Carter-Finley Stadium.
Senior quarterback Tyler Budge, known for his agility on top of his record passing numbers, led the way with 243 yards on 17-of-24 passing. His favorite target, UNC-bound Keenan Jackson, had three touchdowns during the first half and finished with 136 yards.
Weddington (14-2) won its first state title since jumping to the 4A level. The perennial contender — which won championships in 2016, 2018 and 2019 — capped a dominant postseason in which it outscored its opponents by more than 100 points.
“This one’s gonna be special for me, forever,” Warriors head coach Andy Capone told reporters postgame. “It’s just a great group.”
It snapped a 14-game win streak for Hoggard (14-2). The Vikings’ only loss before Saturday had come in their season opener against Cleveland, which they avenged in Round 4 of the playoffs.
The night began inauspiciously for Budge, who threw an interception deep in his own territory on Weddington’s first drive. Hoggard scored quickly and, surprisingly, attempted an onside kick. It was unsuccessful, giving the Warriors good field position, and they moved into the red zone.
Budge tried to rush it himself from about 5 yards out — and fumbled. But the pigskin bounced forward, and Jackson scooped it up in the end zone. Despite a near pick-6 and costly turnover on its first two drives, Weddington knotted the game at 7.
“Next play,” Budge said he told himself after the interception. “Can’t let that bother you, as much as I might have wanted it to. Especially in these big situations — all the cameras, all the eyes are on you — you can’t let that affect you.”
Budge, who will play at Georgia Southern, was stellar for the rest of the game, and the Warriors’ defense wore down its opponent.
Hoggard faced first-and-goal, trailing 14-7, after a promising drive. Vikings quarterback Hudson Wilharm had a pass batted down, which fell into the hands of sophomore defensive lineman Aiden Harris for a crucial interception.
Harris had another defensive highlight early in the second half. Harris blocked a punt, and sophomore TJ Davis scooped up the football and scored a defensive touchdown.
Worth noting
- Keenan Jackson, who totaled three touchdowns, was voted MVP.
- Tyler Budge was voted outstanding offensive player.
- Aiden Harris was voted outstanding defensive player.
- Hoggard’s Kamar Fulton was recognized as his team’s defensive player of the game after recording 13 tackles. Vikings quarterback Hudson Wilharm won offensive honors after completing 17-of-31 passes for 195 yards, along with 59 rushing yards.
They said it
Weddington coach Andy Capone on quarterback Tyler Budge: “Maybe I’ll get in trouble and he might not want to know, this dude’s played with an AC joint sprain in his throwing shoulder since the end of the Chambers game (Nov. 10), and no one really knows about it. He’s as tough as they come. He took a hit on a run against Chambers coming down, said, ‘I can’t throw,’ then threw a 55-yard pass after that, came off and said, ‘I really can’t throw.’ So, we got our run game going, Round 3 against Catholic, because we had to. During warmups against Catholic, he would have told you I don’t know if I can go. Each week he got stronger and stronger. It’s just a pain tolerance thing, he had a great week of practice. I know there’s a lot of good quarterbacks in North Carolina. Ain’t none tougher than him.”
Scoring summary
Hoggard 7 0 7 7 — 21
Weddington 14 14 28 0 — 56
H: Charlie Kilbourne four-yard pass from Hudson Wilharm (kick by Tobias Brubaker)
W: Keenan Jackson five-yard rush off Tyler Budge fumble (kick by Everett Scott)
W: Keenan Jackson 27-yard pass from Tyler Budge (kick by Everett Scott)
W: Nick Diamond 12-yard rush (kick by Everett Scott)
W: Keenan Jackson 21-yard pass from Tyler Budge (kick by Everett Scott)
W: TJ Davis 12-yard scoop-and-score off blocked punt by Aiden Harris (kick by Everett Scott)
W: Nick Diamond 47-yard rush (kick by Everett Scott)
H: Hudson Wilharm 65-yard rush (kick by Tobias Brubaker)
W: Brady Ritter 11-yard rush (kick by Everett Scott)
W: Tyler Budge one-yard rush (kick by Everett Mandeville)
H: Ryan Mcallister 20-yard pass (kick by Tobias Brubaker)
PHOTOS: Weddington vs. Hoggard, 4A finals
This story was originally published December 9, 2023 at 9:46 PM.
