High school football rewind: Charlotte-, Raleigh-area teams roll in NC playoffs
Now that the dust has settled from Round 2 of the N.C. high school football playoffs, let’s see what sticks out:
— We’re going to get Creek-Chambers II.
Mallard Creek shut down Pinecrest at home, winning 37-0, and Chambers held off a young West Charlotte team, also at home, winning 25-20. That sets up next week’s N.C. 8A state quarterfinal, at Chambers, between the two rival schools that are just 5.8 miles apart.
Mallard Creek, which has won seven straight games, beat Chambers, 17-7, at home on Oct. 30 to win the Meck Power Six championship. But the Mavericks will still be on the road for the playoff game. Expect a big crowd and a lot of social media back and forth all week.
— In Denver, 5-star tight end/receiver Jaxon Dollar played what likely was his last home game, and putting on a sterling performance, leading the Mustangs to a runaway 49-16 win over Forest Hills (9-3). East Lincoln (10-1), a No. 7 seed in the 5A West bracket will play at No. 2 Franklin next week. Franklin (11-0) beat West Henderson, 42-21, on Friday. Dollar, who had a touchdown catch and a fumble return for a score, left the game with an apparent shoulder injury.
— In Raleigh, Millbrook and Rolesville advanced and will play each other again. The teams played to a 10-10 tie on Sept. 25 in a game that was stopped in overtime because of an unruly crowd. On Friday, Millbrook beat Laney, 42-6. Rolesvlle rolled past Green Hope, 55-6.
In the bottom half of the East 8A bracket, Hoggard and Apex Friendship won and will play at Apex next week in a quarterfinal.
— In 7A, AL Brown escaped an upset bid from West Cabarrus, winning 22-18 to advance to play at Reagan next week. Marvin Ridge advanced and will play at Lake Norman in a game that will pit two of the state’s top junior quarterbacks — Lake Norman’s Kaden Craft has committed to Tennessee; Marvin Ridge’s Levi Kerr has committed to North Carolina.
— In the private schools, Cannon’s semifinal at Rabun Gap (GA) was postponed, but Providence Day advanced to the championship round with a 49-17 win over Christ School, one day after news broke that the Chargers’ conference rivals — Charlotte Christian, Charlotte Latin and Charlotte Country Day — no longer wanted to play them. Providence Day will host next week’s state championship game, hunting its fifth state title in six years.
— Also, Charlotte Catholic beat Freedom, 18-14, to advance in 6A; three area teams advanced in 4A (Lake Norman Charter, West Iredell and Stuart Cramer); and two Mecklenburg County teams rolled in 2A: Corvian Community beat Langtree Charter, 56-13, and Community School of Davidson stopped Albemarle, 35-6.
MULTIMEDIA: Scroll down for Friday’s images and videos
Quick links
Chambers holds off stubborn West Charlotte to advance
Why ‘educational differences’ will break up Charlotte’s top private school league
Hough High investigated over eligibility issues, cleared
Friday’s Charlotte-area high school basketball rewind
No. 1 Hough starts rusty, finishes strong against Palisades
Nationally ranked Hough came into Friday’s second-round game against Palisades after a bye week — and after six straight games when the other team didn’t score and the game was pretty much over by halftime.
So it had to be a little bit of a shock to the Huskies — and their home fans — when Palisades turned a fumble into a 7-0 lead and a short run into a 14-6 lead after that. It was just the second time Hough has trailed all season, and the first time since mid-August.
But after that, Hough showed why it’s a top 15 team in America, riding some sharp play from senior QB Ethan Royal — and its ferocious defense — to a 50-14 win.
Hough (11-0) won its 25th straight game and advanced to next week’s state quarterfinal against West Forsyth, which will also be played in Cornelius.
Here’s why Round 1 of the NCHSAA playoffs may be unnecessary
You might say the NCHSAA football playoffs really get underway Friday night with Round 2.
Here are a few reasons:
— There are 330 teams in the postseason and most of the 121 with losing records played last week. Four of those teams were winless and nine had only won one game.
And 118 teams, or nearly 36 percent of the field, had a bye, meaning they got the night off.
— The average margin of victory in Round 1 was 24.36 points. Further, 36 games, or more than a third of those played, were decided by 30 points or more. Eight were decided by 40 plus; six by 50-plus points. Nine were shutouts.
— All 13 zero- and one-win teams went on the road, racking up nearly 2,500 miles. Trinity, 1-9, traveled about 348 of those miles to Wallace-Rose Hill and lost 68-0, the widest margin of the weekend. Cherryville beat Elkin 63-0. Northern Guilford shut out South Caldwell 63-0. Hickory Ridge, one of the few 7A West teams with a winning record, beat Chapel Hill 59-0.
— On the flip side, two previously winless teams, North Stokes and Weldon, won their openers. Twenty lower-seeded teams won, and 15 games were decided by fewer than seven points. So it wasn’t all lopsided.
— But … a 330-team tournament needed a first week largely to separate losing teams from other losing teams, while more than a third of the field, including every regional No. 1 seed, waited. As the second round begins Friday, those numbers are why the NCHSAA may need to trim a round from the playoffs.
The picks
The Talking Preps preview show
Friday’s NCHSAA scores/schedule
CLASS 8A
West
Friday’s second round
No. 1 Hough 50, No. 8 Palisades 14
No. 4 West Forsyth 49, No. 5 Myers Park 22
No. 3 Mallard Creek 37, No. 6 Pinecrest 0
No. 2 Chambers 25, No. 7 West Charlotte 20
Nov. 20 third round
No. 4 West Forsyth (9-2) at No. 1 Hough (11-0)
No. 3 Mallard Creek (9-2) at No. 2 Chambers (10-1)
East
Friday’s second round
No. 1 Millbrook 42, No. 9 Laney 6
No. 4 Rolesville 55, No. 5 Green Hope 6
No. 3 Hoggard 40, No. 6 Jordan 14
No. 2 Apex Friendship 28, No. 7 Leesville Road 10
Nov. 20 third round
No. 4 Rolesville (8-2-1) at No. 1 Millbrook (10-0-1)
No. 3 Hoggard (10-1) at No. 2 Apex Friendship (11-0)
Charlotte-area: Hough, Mallard Creek and Chambers advanced; Palisades, Myers Park and West Charlotte were eliminated. All-area third-round game: Mallard Creek at Chambers.
Raleigh-area: Millbrook, Rolesville and Apex Friendship advanced; Green Hope, Jordan and Leesville Road were eliminated.
Notable: Before Friday, Hough had gone six games without giving up a point. Palisades took a 14-6 lead in the second quarter before the Huskies pulled away for a 50-14 win; Chambers came back to beat West Charlotte 25-20
CLASS 7A
West
Friday’s second round
No. 1 Weddington 56, No. 17 Porter Ridge 7
No. 8 East Forsyth 24, No. 9 Hickory Ridge 7
No. 5 A.L. Brown 22, No. 12 West Cabarrus 18
No. 4 Reagan 49, No. 13 Jack Britt 8
No. 3 Lake Norman 50, No. 14 Richmond Senior 13
No. 6 Marvin Ridge 21, No. 11 Mooresville 17
No. 10 Davie County 17, No. 7 Page 14
No. 2 Grimsley 48, No. 15 Butler 6
Nov. 20 third round
No. 8 East Forsyth (8-3) at No. 1 Weddington (11-0)
No. 5 A.L. Brown (11-0) at No. 4 Reagan (9-2)
No. 6 Marvin Ridge (10-1) at No. 3 Lake Norman (11-0)
No. 10 Davie County (8-4) at No. 2 Grimsley (11-0)
East
Friday’s second round
No. 1 Cleveland 38, No. 17 Topsail 24
No. 9 D.H. Conley 28, No. 8 Cape Fear 21
No. 5 New Bern 35, No. 12 Ashley 0
No. 4 Southern School of Energy and Sustainability 35, No. 13 Holly Springs 0
No. 3 Clayton 35, No. 19 Sanderson 8
No. 6 Wake Forest 49, No. 22 South Garner 29
No. 7 Cardinal Gibbons 37, No. 10 Southeast Raleigh 6
No. 2 Garner 49, No. 18 North Brunswick 0
Nov. 20 third round
No. 9 D.H. Conley (8-4) at No. 1 Cleveland (10-1), 7 p.m.
No. 5 New Bern (8-3) at No. 4 Southern School of Energy and Sustainability (10-1)
No. 6 Wake Forest (9-2) at No. 3 Clayton (9-2)
No. 7 Cardinal Gibbons (8-3) at No. 2 Garner (9-2)
Charlotte-area: Weddington, A.L. Brown, Lake Norman and Marvin Ridge advanced; Porter Ridge, Hickory Ridge, West Cabarrus, Mooresville and Butler were eliminated. All-area third-round game: Marvin Ridge at Lake Norman.
Raleigh-area: Cleveland, Southern School of Energy and Sustainability, Clayton, Wake Forest, Cardinal Gibbons and Garner advanced; Holly Springs, Sanderson, Southeast Raleigh and South Garner were eliminated.
Notable: West Cabarrus led A.L. Brown 15-9 with 11 minutes left. The Wonders survived 22-18, and Demetrius Adams’ fumble recovery sealed it. … No. 10 Davie County upset No. 7 Page 17-14.
CLASS 6A
West
Friday’s second round
No. 1 Asheville 43, No. 16 A.C. Reynolds 6
No. 8 Dudley 50, No. 9 Sun Valley 28
No. 12 Ashbrook 29, No. 5 Mount Tabor 28
No. 4 Kings Mountain 42, No. 13 Watauga 0
No. 3 Asheboro 17, No. 19 Eastern Guilford 7
No. 11 Northern Guilford 62, No. 6 Alexander Central 38
No. 10 Charlotte Catholic 18, No. 7 Freedom 14
No. 2 T.C. Roberson 31, No. 15 Ragsdale 13
Nov. 20 third round
No. 8 Dudley (7-4) at No. 1 Asheville (10-1)
No. 12 Ashbrook (7-5) at No. 4 Kings Mountain (8-3)
No. 11 Northern Guilford (8-4) at No. 3 Asheboro (10-1)
No. 10 Charlotte Catholic (8-4) at No. 2 T.C. Roberson (9-2)
East
Friday’s second round
No. 1 J.H. Rose 48, No. 16 South Johnston 0
No. 8 Middle Creek 35, No. 9 Seventy-First 26
No. 5 Union Pines 48, No. 21 Terry Sanford 19
No. 4 Scotland 49, No. 13 Swansboro 7
No. 3 Northern Nash 33, No. 14 Westover 6
No. 6 Southern Alamance 42, No. 11 Harnett Central 33
No. 7 Williams 35, No. 10 Triton 14
No. 2 Jacksonville 48, No. 15 Gray’s Creek 7
Nov. 20 third round
No. 8 Middle Creek (9-2) at No. 1 J.H. Rose (11-0)
No. 5 Union Pines (10-1) at No. 4 Scotland (10-1), 7 p.m.
No. 6 Southern Alamance (9-2) at No. 3 Northern Nash (9-2), 7 p.m.
No. 7 Williams (7-2) at No. 2 Jacksonville (8-2)
Charlotte-area: Ashbrook and Charlotte Catholic advanced; Sun Valley was eliminated.
Raleigh-area: Middle Creek advanced; South Johnston was eliminated.
Notable: No. 12 Ashbrook beat No. 5 Mount Tabor 29-28, and No. 10 Charlotte Catholic won 18-14 at No. 7 Freedom. No. 11 Northern Guilford scored 62 points in a win at No. 6 Alexander Central.
CLASS 5A
West
Friday’s second round
No. 1 Crest 42, No. 16 Parkwood 14
No. 8 Oak Grove 25, No. 9 Hickory 3
No. 5 Monroe 56, No. 21 North Lincoln 13
No. 4 South Point 40, No. 13 Smoky Mountain 0
No. 3 Jay M. Robinson 40, No. 14 North Davidson 7
No. 6 West Rowan 41, No. 11 Enka 33
No. 7 East Lincoln 49, No. 10 Forest Hills 16
No. 2 Franklin 42, No. 15 West Henderson 21
Nov. 20 third round
No. 8 Oak Grove (9-2) at No. 1 Crest (10-1)
No. 5 Monroe (9-2) at No. 4 South Point (10-1)
No. 6 West Rowan (9-2) at No. 3 Jay M. Robinson (11-0)
No. 7 East Lincoln (10-1) at No. 2 Franklin (11-0)
East
Friday’s second round
No. 1 Southeast Alamance 49, No. 16 West Carteret 21
No. 8 Havelock 43, No. 9 Rocky Mount 6
No. 5 Seaforth 35, No. 12 South Granville 28
No. 4 Croatan 42, No. 13 Western Alamance 22
No. 3 Hunt 39, No. 14 Montgomery Central 34
No. 6 Fike 28, No. 11 St. Paul’s 17
No. 7 Eastern Alamance 42, No. 10 Orange 21
No. 2 Northside - Jacksonville 43, No. 15 Southern Nash 35
Nov. 20 third round
No. 8 Havelock (6-5) at No. 1 Southeast Alamance (11-0)
No. 5 Seaforth (10-1) at No. 4 Croatan (10-1)
No. 6 Fike (9-2) at No. 3 Hunt (10-1)
No. 7 Eastern Alamance (8-2) at No. 2 Northside - Jacksonville (11-0)
Charlotte-area: Monroe, South Point, Jay M. Robinson and East Lincoln advanced; Parkwood, North Lincoln and Forest Hills were eliminated. All-area third-round game: Monroe at South Point.
Raleigh-area: Orange was eliminated.
Notable: Georgia commit Jaxon Dollar left East Lincoln’s 49-16 win over Forest Hills with an injury to his shoulder.
CLASS 4A
West
Friday’s second round
No. 1 Hibriten 38, No. 16 East Burke 0
No. 8 Lake Norman Charter 56, No. 9 R-S Central 21
No. 12 Wilkes Central 31, No. 5 Mount Pleasant 13
No. 4 Burns 49, No. 13 Bunker Hill 14
No. 3 West Iredell 51, No. 14 West Stanly 0
No. 6 West Stokes 37, No. 11 South Rowan 16
No. 7 Stuart W. Cramer 52, No. 23 Foard 13
No. 2 Tuscola 28, No. 15 Maiden 27
Nov. 20 third round
No. 8 Lake Norman Charter (8-3) at No. 1 Hibriten (11-0)
No. 12 Wilkes Central (9-3) at No. 4 Burns (8-3)
No. 6 West Stokes (9-2) at No. 3 West Iredell (10-1), 7 p.m.
No. 7 Stuart W. Cramer (9-2) at No. 2 Tuscola (10-1)
East
Friday’s second round
No. 1 East Duplin 41, No. 16 Washington 20
No. 8 Southwestern Randolph 43, No. 9 Fairmont 14
No. 5 Reidsville 55, No. 12 Randleman 30
No. 4 West Craven 65, No. 13 Ledford 21
No. 3 Clinton 17, No. 19 Southwest Onslow 16
No. 6 SouthWest Edgecombe 40, No. 22 Central Davidson 21
No. 7 Morehead 28, No. 23 Lexington Senior 7
No. 2 T.W. Andrews 46, No. 18 Anson 20
Nov. 20 third round
No. 8 Southwestern Randolph (8-3) at No. 1 East Duplin (10-1), 7 p.m.
No. 5 Reidsville (8-3) at No. 4 West Craven (9-2)
No. 6 SouthWest Edgecombe (8-3) at No. 3 Clinton (8-3)
No. 7 Morehead (8-3) at No. 2 T.W. Andrews (10-1)
Charlotte-area: Lake Norman Charter, West Iredell and Stuart W. Cramer advanced; Mount Pleasant was eliminated.
Notable: No. 12 Wilkes Central won 31-13 at No. 5 Mount Pleasant. No. 2 Tuscola edged No. 15 Maiden 28-27. South Rowan finished 7-5 after a 37-16 loss at West Stokes, its best record in 17 years.
CLASS 3A
West
Friday’s second round
No. 1 North Stanly 56, No. 16 North Wilkes 7
No. 8 Lincolnton 35, No. 9 Mountain Heritage 30
No. 5 Thomasville 24, No. 12 West Davidson 14
No. 4 Walkertown 51, No. 20 Polk County 8
No. 3 Hendersonville 38, No. 14 East Surry 12
No. 6 Mount Airy 50, No. 11 Union Academy 22
No. 10 West Wilkes 41, No. 7 CHASE 34
No. 2 Shelby 41, No. 18 West Lincoln 13
Nov. 20 third round
No. 8 Lincolnton (8-3) at No. 1 North Stanly (11-0)
No. 5 Thomasville (10-1) at No. 4 Walkertown (10-1)
No. 6 Mount Airy (8-3) at No. 3 Hendersonville (11-0)
No. 10 West Wilkes (9-3) at No. 2 Shelby (10-1)
East
Friday’s second round
No. 1 Northeastern 54, No. 17 Greene Central 28
No. 9 Wallace-Rose Hill 28, No. 8 Pasquotank County 14
No. 5 Martin County 61, No. 12 South Columbus 26
No. 4 James Kenan 42, No. 13 Louisburg 7
No. 3 Midway 75, No. 14 Princeton 73
No. 6 Eastern Randolph 35, No. 11 Providence Grove 10
No. 7 Hertford County 56, No. 10 Farmville Central 48
No. 2 Whiteville 42, No. 15 Northwood 18
Nov. 20 third round
No. 9 Wallace-Rose Hill (7-4) at No. 1 Northeastern (10-1)
No. 5 Martin County (8-3) at No. 4 James Kenan (9-1)
No. 6 Eastern Randolph (8-3) at No. 3 Midway (9-1)
No. 7 Hertford County (7-4) at No. 2 Whiteville (10-0)
Charlotte-area: Lincolnton advanced; Union Academy and West Lincoln were eliminated.
Raleigh-area: Princeton was eliminated.
Notable: Midway’s 75-73 win over Princeton is the fifth-highest-scoring regulation game in NCHSAA history. The 148 combined points trail only Hobbton-Pender (189, 2023), Midway-Hobbton (153, 2021), Hobbton-Heide Trask (152, 2021) and D.H. Conley-C.B. Aycock (151, 2016) on that list. … Lincolnton beat Mountain Heritage 35-30, and No. 10 West Wilkes won 41-34 at No. 7 Chase. No. 9 Wallace-Rose Hill won 28-14 at No. 8 Pasquotank County.
CLASS 2A
West
Friday’s second round
No. 1 Corvian Community 56, No. 16 Langtree Charter Academy 13
No. 8 East Wilkes 51, No. 9 Christ the King 13
No. 12 Cherryville 35, No. 5 Alleghany 28
No. 4 Community School of Davidson 38, No. 13 Albemarle 6
No. 3 Murphy 63, No. 19 South Stanly 0
No. 6 North Rowan 35, No. 11 Cherokee 34
No. 10 Mitchell 14, No. 7 Mountain Island Charter 7
No. 2 Starmount 49, No. 15 Swain County 7
Nov. 20 third round
No. 8 East Wilkes (7-4) at No. 1 Corvian Community (10-1)
No. 12 Cherryville (8-4) at No. 4 Community School of Davidson (8-3)
No. 6 North Rowan (8-3) at No. 3 Murphy (9-2)
No. 10 Mitchell (8-3) at No. 2 Starmount (10-1)
East
Friday’s second round
No. 1 Tarboro 49, No. 16 Rosewood 7
No. 8 Gates County 20, No. 9 North Duplin 12
No. 5 Manteo 24, No. 12 Camden County 16
No. 4 Lakewood 57, No. 13 Northwest Halifax Collegiate & Technical Academy 0
No. 3 Warren County 59, No. 14 East Carteret 8
No. 6 East Bladen 49, No. 11 Bertie 18
No. 10 West Columbus 50, No. 7 Southside 33
No. 2 Holmes 42, No. 15 Hobbton 6
Nov. 20 third round
No. 8 Gates County (6-5) at No. 1 Tarboro (10-1)
No. 5 Manteo (8-3) at No. 4 Lakewood (8-3)
No. 6 East Bladen (8-3) at No. 3 Warren County (11-0)
No. 10 West Columbus (6-5) at No. 2 Holmes (9-1)
Charlotte-area: Corvian Community, Cherryville and Community School of Davidson advanced; Langtree Charter Academy, Christ the King and Mountain Island Charter were eliminated. All-area third-round game: Cherryville at Community School of Davidson.
Notable: No. 12 Cherryville trailed No. 5 Alleghany 20-8 and later 28-22 before Jackson Heavner’s touchdown put the Ironmen ahead 29-28. Heavner scored again in the 35-28 win. No. 6 North Rowan trailed Cherokee 34-21 in the fourth quarter and won 35-34. … No. 10 West Columbus scored 50 points in a win at No. 7 Southside, and No. 10 Mitchell won 14-7 at No. 7 Mountain Island Charter.
CLASS 1A
West
Friday’s second round
No. 1 Chatham Central 40, No. 8 The College Prep & Leadership Academy 0
No. 5 East Columbus 20, No. 4 Winston-Salem Preparatory Academy 14
No. 3 Robbinsville 61, No. 11 North Stokes 6
No. 2 Wilson Prep Academy 40, No. 7 Rosman 28
Nov. 20 third round
No. 5 East Columbus (5-6) at No. 1 Chatham Central (11-0)
No. 3 Robbinsville (6-5) at No. 2 Wilson Prep Academy (7-4)
East
Friday’s second round
No. 1 Northside - Pinetown 56, No. 9 Washington County 6
No. 4 North Edgecombe 20, No. 5 Southeast Collegiate Prep Academy 8
No. 3 Sallie B. Howard 29, No. 6 KIPP Pride 0
No. 2 Hobgood Charter 48, No. 10 Weldon STEM 6
Nov. 20 third round
No. 4 North Edgecombe (7-4) at No. 1 Northside - Pinetown (11-0)
No. 3 Sallie B. Howard (7-3) at No. 2 Hobgood Charter (8-2)
Notable: No. 5 East Columbus won 20-14 at No. 4 Winston-Salem Prep. It’s the only 1A team with a losing record still alive.
Friday’s multimedia
This story was originally published November 13, 2026 at 5:00 AM with the headline "High school football rewind: Charlotte-, Raleigh-area teams roll in NC playoffs."
