Hough, Providence Day share No. 1 in ‘way too early’ Sweet 16; showdown set Sept. 4
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- Hough and Providence Day share the No. 1 spot in The Observer’s preseason Sweet 16 rankings.
- Providence Day returns 16 starters, including 10 on defense, aiming for another title.
- Hough went 14-0 and lost 26 seniors but remains a top contender after its state championship.
Providence Day has won three of the past four Charlotte Observer Sweet 16 championships. As we look ahead to the 2026 season, however, the Chargers have some company at the top.
Hough High School, which was unbeaten last season and won its first state championship, looks poised to make another run for a public school title, despite losing 26 seniors. Providence Day, which returns 16 starters, including 10 on defense, will try to win its fifth state championship in six seasons.
So the Chargers and Huskies, right now, share the top spot in The Observer’s annual “way too early” preseason Sweet 16 rankings. Which team is better? We don’t know right now, but we’ll find out in a few months.
Providence Day plays at Hough on Sept. 4 in what looks like the game of the year in North Carolina.
“They’re really good,” Providence Day coach Chad Grier said of Hough, which is coached by former Waddell High star DeShawn Baker. “I love (Baker). I think he’s a great dude, and he had a successful season last year and (Hough defensive coordinator) ChaChi (Sullivan) and I go way back. I mean, they have a lot of talent, and I called him up about a game.”
That game will feature at least a dozen Division I recruits and two 5-star players: Hough senior cornerback Joshua Dobson and Providence Day receiver Braylon Clark, who transferred from Charlotte Country Day. Clark is a top 25 national recruit overall in the class of 2028 and the No. 1 player in North Carolina in his grade. Dobson is a top 50 national recruit in the class of 2027 overall and the No. 2 player in North Carolina among rising seniors.
“I think it’s going to be good for the city,” Baker said of the Hough-Providence Day matchup this fall. “Everybody wants to see it anyway. It’s two good ball clubs. We’re looking forward to the challenge, and I think it’s going to be a really great game.”
Note: The Observer’s Sweet 16 regional poll ranks the top teams in its coverage area, currently N.C. sanctioned schools in Mecklenburg, Cabarrus, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln and Union counties. The winner at the end of each season will receive a large banner to hang in the school’s gym.
The “way too early” Sweet 16 football poll
Rk, School, 2025 record
1. Hough (14-0)
1. Providence Day (13-0)
3. Weddington (12-2)
4. Lake Norman (8-4)
5. Myers Park (9-3)
6. West Charlotte (10-3)
7. J.M. Robinson (11-2)
8. Mallard Creek (7-4)
9. Palisades (8-4)
10. Providence (8-4)
11. Mooresville (9-3)
12. Monroe (7-4)
13. Independence (10-3)
14. Corvian Community (10-2)
15. South Mecklenburg (7-4)
16. A.L. Brown (8-4)
