Heading into Week 4, here are the best high school football teams in North Carolina
Six new teams join The Charlotte Observer and News & Observer of Raleigh’s weekly rankings of North Carolina’s best high school football teams.
▪ In the 4A poll, the top five spots remained the same. Hough jumped up two spots to No. 6.
▪ In 3A, unbeaten Hickory holds its spot at No. 1. Unbeaten Cape Fear (2-0) joins the poll at No. 9.
▪ In 2A, there are three new teams: No. 7 James Kenan (3-0), No. 8 Randleman (3-0) and No. 9 Farmville Central (3-0).
▪ Mitchell (2-1) and Bishop McGuinness (2-0) join the 1A poll this week.
▪ The first N.C. private school poll of the season debuts this week. Providence Day, the three-time reigning state champion, is No. 1 ahead of Rabun Gap and Charlotte Christian.
4A
| Rank | School | Record | Prev. |
| 1 | Weddington | (3-0) | 1 |
| 2 | Grimsley | (3-0) | 2 |
| 3 | East Forsyth | (3-0) | 3 |
| 4 | Independence | (3-0) | 4 |
| 5 | Rolesville | (2-1) | 5 |
| 6 | Hough | (2-1) | 8 |
| 7 | Cardinal Gibbons | (2-0) | 6 |
| 8 | Mallard Creek | (1-1) | 7 |
| 9 | Cleveland | (3-0) | 9 |
| 10 | Clayton | (2-0) | 10 |
3A
| Rank | School | Record | Prev. |
| 1 | Hickory | (2-0) | 1 |
| 2 | Seventy-First | (2-0) | 2 |
| 3 | Dudley | (3-0) | 3 |
| 4 | West Charlotte | (2-0) | 4 |
| 5 | Havelock | (2-0) | 5 |
| 6 | Crest | (2-0) | 6 |
| 7 | Northern Nash | (3-0) | 9 |
| 8 | J.M. Robinson | (3-0) | 10 |
| 9 | Cape Fear | (2-0) | NR |
| 10 | Jacksonville | (2-0) | 8 |
2A
| Rank | School | Record | Prev. |
| 1 | Reidsville | (3-0) | 1 |
| 2 | Monroe | (2-0) | 2 |
| 3 | Northeastern | (2-0) | 3 |
| 4 | SouthWest Edgecombe | (3-0) | 5 |
| 5 | Shelby | (1-2) | 4 |
| 6 | West Craven | (2-1) | 6 |
| 7 | James Kenan | (3-0) | NR |
| 8 | Randleman | (3-0) | NR |
| 9 | Farmville Central | (3-0) | NR |
| 10 | Nash Central | (2-1) | 10 |
1A
| Rank | School | Record | Prev. |
| 1 | Tarboro | (3-0) | 1 |
| 2 | Mount Airy | (3-0) | 2 |
| 3 | Mountain Heritage | (3-0) | 3 |
| 4 | Eastern Randolph | (3-0) | 4 |
| 5 | Starmount | (2-0) | 5 |
| 6 | Murphy | (2-1) | 10 |
| 7 | North Duplin | (2-0) | 6 |
| 8 | Robbinsville | (0-3) | 8 |
| 9 | Bishop McGuinness | (2-0) | NR |
| 10. | (2-1) | NR |
NCISAA
| No. | School | Record |
| 1 | Providence Day | (2-1) |
| 2 | Rabun Gap-Nacoochee | (3-1) |
| 3 | Charlotte Christian | (1-1) |
| 4 | Asheville School | (2-0) |
| 5 | Christ School | (1-2) |
| 6 | High Point Christian | (4-0) |
| 7 | Trinity Christian | (2-1) |
| 8 | Charlotte Latin | (4-0) |
| 9 | Charlotte Country Day | (2-1) |
| 10 | Hickory Grove Christian | (4-0) |
Langston Wertz Jr.
The Charlotte Observer