The North Carolina high school football playoffs delivered another weekend of drama, dominance, and down-to-the-wire finishes as teams battled for spots in the Elite Eight across all eight classifications. From one-point nail-biters to stunning blowouts, the third round showcased the best of Tar Heel State football.
1A: Robbinsville, Wilson Prep Roll to Regional Finals
In 1A, the favorites flexed their muscles as Robbinsville demolished East Columbus 54-7 to set up a West Regional showdown with South Davidson, who handled Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy 27-12. The Black Knights' suffocating defense and explosive offense have them looking like the team to beat.
In the East, Wilson Prep bounced back from their close second-round win to dominate KIPP Pride 42-16, while Northside Pinetown delivered a statement performance in a 43-6 thrashing of Bear Grass Charter. The regional final between Wilson Prep and Northside Pinetown promises to be a defensive battle between two of the East's stingiest units.
2A: Murphy and Starmount Roll
Murphy's remarkable season rolled on with perhaps their most impressive performance yet, a 62-20 dismantling of Community School of Davidson that wasn't as close as the final score indicates. The Bulldogs face Corvian Community next, who survived a physical 31-28 battle with East Wilkes.
On the other side of the West bracket, Starmount blanked South Stanly 35-0 in dominant fashion, setting up a fourth-round clash with Mitchell, who upset Mountain Island Charter 28-15.
In the East, top-seeded Tarboro continued their march with a 47-14 victory over Hobbton, while East Bladen's 38-21 win over Manteo kept their Cinderella story alive. The bracket's other half features Warren County, who controlled East Carteret 44-23, and Holmes, who edged North Duplin in a hard-fought 34-28 contest.
3A: Upset Alert in the West
The third round's biggest shock came in 3A West, where Lincolnton stunned top-seeded Mountain Heritage 37-36 in a game that came down to the final possession. The Wolves now face West Davidson, another surprise winner who knocked off North Stanly 23-21.
Elsewhere in the West, Shelby demolished Mount Airy 41-21 to stay on track, while Eastern Randolph handled Walkertown 30-14.
In the East, James Kenan put on an offensive clinic in a 54-26 victory over Ayden-Grifton, while Farmville Central grinded out a 28-20 win over Martin County. The top half of the bracket features Northeastern, who dominated Pender 52-34, and Kinston, who dispatched Pasquotank County 34-20.
4A: Photo Finishes and Defensive Battles
In 4A East, top-seeded Reidsville weathered a stern test from Eastern Wayne, prevailing 41-24, while Central Davidson's 40-22 win over North Pitt sets up a marquee matchup between the two powerhouses. West Craven and SouthWest Edgecombe also advanced, with the latter surviving a 44-41 thriller over East Duplin.
The West bracket saw Brevard edge Burns 30-27 in a defensive slugfest, while Pisgah's 22-15 win over Mount Pleasant keeps their championship hopes alive. Hibriten held off Stuart W. Cramer 14-9, and Maiden cruised past Newton-Conover 29-6.
5A: Offensive Explosions Highlight Round Three
South Point put up video game numbers in a 61-42 shootout over Monroe, serving notice that their high-powered offense is ready for anyone. They'll face Crest, who dominated East Lincoln 31-14.
In the other West semifinal, Jay M. Robinson outlasted Oak Grove 41-33, setting up a date with Hickory, who rolled past Franklin 36-14.
The East bracket features Hunt, who handled Southern Nash 42-21, facing Croatan in what promises to be a defensive chess match after Croatan's heart-stopping 22-21 win over Havelock. Rocky Mount's 31-12 victory over Northeast Guilford sets up a clash with Northside-Jacksonville, who edged St. Pauls 28-21.
6A: One-Point Thrillers Steal the Show
The 6A East produced the weekend's most dramatic finish as Jacksonville survived a 35-34 nail-biter against Scotland. The Cardinals will need to recover quickly for a fourth-round battle with Union Pines, who upset Williams 17-7. The other East semifinal pits Northern Nash, victorious 19-14 over Seventy-First, against Middle Creek, who escaped Southern Alamance with a 31-30 squeaker.
In the West, Watauga's 27-19 win over Charlotte Catholic sets up a showdown with Sun Valley, who dominated Freedom 46-20 in the upset of the round. Northern Guilford destroyed Kings Mountain 37-7 and will face Ashbrook, who edged Dudley 15-7 in a defensive struggle.
7A: Favorites Flex Their Muscles
The 7A bracket saw the cream rise to the top as all four top seeds advanced in dominant fashion. Cardinal Gibbons rolled past Hillside 40-19, while Garner put up a stunning 63-26 demolition of Cape Fear that has the Trojans looking like legitimate title contenders.
Southeast Raleigh's 49-37 win over Cleveland and Clayton's 47-7 thrashing of D.H. Conley complete the East's Final Four.
In the West, Grimsley made a statement with a 55-12 blowout of Jack Britt, while Reagan survived a heart-stopper against Mooresville 32-31. Weddington cruised past Lake Norman 42-7, and Independence dominated Richmond Senior 52-18.
The Cardinal Gibbons-Garner matchup looms as the game of the weekend, pitting two explosive offenses against each other in what could be a shootout for the ages.
8A: Charlotte Metro Showdown Set
In the state's largest classification, Hoggard continued their dominant run with a 40-14 victory over Rolesville, setting up an East Regional final against Millbrook, who handled Jordan 27-10.
The West Regional will be an all-Charlotte affair as Hough dismantled West Forsyth 28-10 to earn a date with West Charlotte, who knocked off Myers Park 34-21 in a battle of Mecklenburg County powers.
Looking Ahead
This week's fourth-round matchups promise to deliver even more drama as teams battle for spots in regional championships. The 2A through 7A classifications will play their fourth round on Thanksgiving week, while 1A and 8A will crown regional champions who'll advance directly to the state finals.
With favorites falling, underdogs rising, and championship dreams on the line, the 2024 playoffs continue to deliver the drama that makes North Carolina high school football special.
Notable Stats: Biggest Blowout: Garner 63, Cape Fear 26 (37 points) Closest Games: Three one-point victories (Croatan, Reagan, West Davidson) Most Points: South Point (61) Shutout: Starmount 35, South Stanly 0
1A REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
East Regional
Wilson Prep vs. Northside Pinetown
West Regional
Robbinsville vs. South Davidson
2A FOURTH ROUND
East
#1 Tarboro vs. #4 East Bladen
#2 Warren County vs. #6 Holmes
West
#1 Murphy vs. #5 Corvian Community
#2 Starmount vs. #11 Mitchell
3A FOURTH ROUND
East
#1 James Kenan vs. #13 Farmville Central
#7 Northeastern vs. #14 Kinston
West
#8 Lincolnton vs. #12 West Davidson
#10 Shelby vs. #3 Eastern Randolph
4A FOURTH ROUND
East
#1 Reidsville vs. #4 Central Davidson
#2 West Craven vs. #11 SouthWest Edgecombe
West
#1 Brevard vs. #4 Pisgah
#2 Hibriten vs. #6 Maiden
5A FOURTH ROUND
East
#1 Hunt vs. #4 Croatan
#7 Rocky Mount vs. #3 Northside - Jacksonville
West
#1 South Point vs. #4 Crest
#2 Jay M. Robinson vs. #3 Hickory
6A FOURTH ROUND
East
#1 Jacksonville vs. #4 Union Pines
#2 Northern Nash vs. #3 Middle Creek
West
#1 Watauga vs. #5 Sun Valley
#2 Northern Guilford vs. #3 Ashbrook
7A FOURTH ROUND
East
#1 Cardinal Gibbons vs. #4 Garner
#3 Clayton#7 vs. Southeast Raleigh
West
#1 Grimsley vs. #5 Reagan
#2 Weddington vs. #3 Independence
8A REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
East Regional
#1 Hoggard vs. #2 Millbrook
West Regional
#1 Hough vs. #2 West Charlotte
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