Which are the top football teams heading to Week 4? Check the NC statewide polls
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Shelby jumped to No. 1 in 3A despite a 1-2 record and a 90-0 win last week.
- Crest, Kings Mountain, and Shelby all rank in top 6; each hails from Cleveland County.
- Six new schools entered the statewide top 8 rankings across various classifications.
There are six new teams in the N.C. statewide rankings from The Charlotte Observer and News & Observer of Raleigh this week.
All of the No. 1 teams held onto their spots, except in the 3A poll. Shelby High jumped from No. 3 to No. 1, despite the Golden Lions’ 1-2 record.
Shelby beat Highland Tech 90-0 Friday after starting the season with losses to Kings Mountain (30-14) and Crest (31-24).
This week, Kings Mountain (3-0) is ranked No. 6 in the 6A poll. Crest (3-0) is No. 1 in 5A.
All three teams are from Cleveland County.
The statewide rankings are compiled by longtime N.C. prep football expert Chris Hughes, a co-host of The Observer’s streaming Talking Preps show.
This week’s NC rankings
CLASS 1A
Rk, School, Rec., Prvs.
1. Robbinsville (1-2), 1
2. Northside (3-0), 3
3. Wilson Prep (0-3), 2
4. KIPP Pride (3-0), 4
5. Southeast Halifax (2-1), 5
6. Sallie B. Howard (2-1), 6
7. South Davidson (3-0), 8
8. Thomas Jefferson (1-1), 7
CLASS 2A
Rk., School, Rec., Prvs.
1. Tarboro (3-0), 1
2. Corvian Community (1-1), 2
3. Murphy (2-1), 3
4. Starmount (2-1), 4
5. Community School of Davidson (0-3), 5
6. East Wilkes (1-2), 6
7. Alleghany (3-0), 7
8. North Duplin (3-0), NR
CLASS 3A
Rk., School, Rec, Prvs.
1. Shelby (1-2), 3
2. Northeastern (2-1), 2
3. Walkertown (3-0), 6
4. Mountain Heritage (3-0), 4
5. James Kenan (1-1), 5
6. Mount Airy (2-1), 1
7. East Rutherford (2-1), 8
8. Hendersonville (3-0), NR
CLASS 4A
Rk., School, Rec., Prvs.
1. Brevard (2-0), 1
2. West Craven (2-1), 3
3. Reidsville (1-2), 2
4. East Duplin (3-0), 4
5. Maiden (2-1), 5
6. Hibriten (3-0), 7
7. Bandys (1-1), 6
8. Eastern Wayne (2-0), 8
CLASS 5A
Rk., School, Rec., Prvs.
1. Crest (3-0), 1
2. South Point (2-0), 2
3. Hickory (2-1), 3
4. East Lincoln (3-0), 4
5. Forest Hills (3-0), 6
6. Northeast Guilford (3-0), 7
7. Oak Grove (2-1), 8
8. Southeast Alamance (3-0), NR
CLASS 6A
Rk., School, Rec, Prvs.
1. Terry Sanford (3-0), 1
2. Seventy-First (2-1), 4
3. Watauga (3-0), 6
4. Northern Nash (2-1), 2
5. Ashbrook (3-0), 3
6. Kings Mountain (3-0), 5
7. Northern Guilford (2-1), NR
8. Scotland (2-1), 7
CLASS 7A
Rk., School, Rec, Prvs.
1. Grimsley (3-0), 1
2. Cardinal Gibbons (3-0), 2
3. Cleveland (3-0), 4
4. Weddington (2-1), 5
5. Independence (2-1), 6
6. Reagan (3-0), NR
7. New Bern (3-0), 8
8. Mooresville (2-1), NR
CLASS 8A
Rk., School, Rec., Prvs.
1. Hough (3-0), 1
2. Myers Park (3-0), 4
3. Mallard Creek (2-1), 2
4. West Charlotte (1-2), 3
5. Millbrook (3-0), 5
6. Hoggard (3-0), 8
7. Jordan (3-0), 6
8. Rolesville (1-2), 7
This story was originally published September 8, 2025 at 5:30 AM.
