Find out which are the best NC high school football teams in our latest rankings
After two weeks of play, the NC statewide high school football polls don’t seem close to settling in.
There are two new No. 1 teams among the eight polls — Mount Airy in 3A and Fayetteville’s Terry Sanford in 6A — along with six new teams and just a lot of shakeup.
One thing that’s become clear, though, is which conference in the state is the toughest.
Hard to argue the Meck Power 6, which has the top three teams ranked in the state’s largest classification, 8A.
No. 1 Hough is followed by Mallard Creek and West Charlotte. Another league team, Independence, is ranked No. 6 in the 7A poll. The other two teams in the league, Butler and Chambers, are both 2-0 and have five NCHSAA state championships between them in the past 16 years.
The rankings are compiled by longtime N.C. high school football expert Chris Hughes, a co-host of The Observer’s Talking Preps streaming show, which airs at 8 p.m. Tuesday at charlotteobserver.com.
CLASS 1A
Rk., School, Rec, Prvs.
1. Robbinsville (1-1) 1
2. Wilson Prep (0-2) 2
3. Northside (2-0) 3
4. KIPP Pride (2-0) 4
5. Southeast Halifax (1-1) 5
6. Salle B. Howard (1-1) 7
7. Thomas Jefferson (1-1) 6
8. South Davidson (2-0) 8
CLASS 2A
Rk, School, Rec., Prvs.
1. Tarboro (2-0) 1
2. Corvian Community (1-1) 3
3. Murphy (1-1) 2
4. Starmount (1-1) 4
5. Community School of Davidson (0-2) 5
6. East Wilkes (0-2) 6
7. Alleghany (2-0) NR
8. Swain County (1-1) 7
CLASS 3A
Rk., School, Rec., Prvs.
1. Mount Airy (2-0) 2
2. Northeastern (1-1) 1
3. Shelby (0-2) 3
4. Mountain Heritage (2-0) NR
5. James Kenan (1-0) 4
6. Walkertown (2-0) 5
7. Eastern Randolph (2-0) NR
8. East Rutherford (1-1) 6
CLASS 4A
Rk., School, Rec, Prvs.
1. Brevard (1-0) 1
2. Reidsville (1-1) 2
3. West Craven (2-0) 3
4. East Duplin (2-0) 5
5. Maiden (1-1) 4
6. Bandys (1-0) 6
7. Hibriten (2-0) 7
8. Eastern Wayne (2-0) 8
CLASS 5A
Rk., School, Rec, Prvs.
1. Crest (2-0) 1
2. South Point (1-0) 3
3. Hickory (1-1) 4
4. East Lincoln (2-0) 6
5. Monroe (1-1) 2
6. Forest Hills (2-0) 7
7. Northeast Guilford (2-0) NR
8. Oak Grove (1-1) 5
CLASS 6A
Rk., School, Rec, Prvs.
1. Terry Sanford (2-0) 2
2. Northern Nash (2-0) 1
3. Ashbrook (2-0) 3
4. Seventy-First (1-1) 4
5. Kings Mountain (2-0) 6
6. Watauga (2-0) NR
7. Scotland County (1-1) 5
8. Charlotte Catholic (2-0) NR
CLASS 7A
Rk., School, Rec, Prvs.
1. Grimsley (2-0) 1
2. Cardinal Gibbons (2-0) 4
3. Clayton (2-0) 6
4. Cleveland (2-0) 7
5. Weddington (1-1) 2
6. Independence (1-1) 3
7. Richmond Senior (1-1) 5
8. New Bern (2-0) 8
CLASS 8A
Rk., School, Rec, Prvs.
1. Hough (2-0) 1
2. Mallard Creek (2-0) 2
3. West Charlotte (1-1) 3
4. Myers Park (2-0) 7
5. Millbrook (2-0) 4
6. Jordan (2-0) 8
7. Rolesville (0-2) 5
8. Hoggard (2-0) 6
This story was originally published September 1, 2025 at 5:30 AM.
