The fourth round of the North Carolina high school football playoffs was defined by shocking upsets and dominant performances that will be remembered for years to come. Tarboro set the tone with a thunderous 50-0 shutout that left no doubt about their championship aspirations, while Jacksonville delivered the most stunning blow of the round, dismantling top-seeded Havelock 56-28 in a game that rewrote the postseason narrative. Brevard added to the night's spectacular highlights with an overwhelming 57-14 victory, and in perhaps the most surprising result, fifth-seeded Corvian dethroned previously unbeaten Mount Airy, proving that in the playoffs, anything can happen.

1A East Semifinals:

(1) Tarboro def. (4) Pender, 50-0

(3) Wilson Prep def. (10) Lakewood, 36-17

1A West Semifinals:

(2) Mountain Heritage def. (3) Murphy, 26-8

(5) Corvian def. (1) Mount Airy, 14-7

2A East Semifinals:

(1) Northeastern def. (12) James Kenan, 46-28

(2) Whiteville def. (19) Kinston, 48-21

2A West Semifinals:

(9) Brevard def. (13) Forest Hills, 57-14

(3) Monroe def. (2) Shelby, 41-23

3A East Semifinals:

(12) Jacksonville def. (1) Havelock, 56-28

(2) Seventy-First def. (11) Rose, 48-7

3A West Semifinals:

(8) West Charlotte def. (5) Dudley, 39-13

(3) Hickory def. (10) North Lincoln, 49-46

4A East Semifinals:

(5) Rolesville def. (1) Cleveland, 49-6

(2) Cardinal Gibbons def. (3) Hoggard, 38-0

4A West Semifinals:

(1) Grimsley def. (5) Hough, 35-28

(2) Weddington def. (3) East Forsyth, 37-21

Next Week's Regional Championship Matchups:

1A East: (1) Tarboro vs. (3) Wilson Prep
1A West: (2) Mountain Heritage vs. (5) Corvian
2A East: (1) Northeastern vs. (2) Whiteville
2A West: (3) Monroe vs. (9) Brevard
3A East: (2) Seventy-First vs. (12) Jacksonville
3A West: (3) Hickory vs. (8) West Charlotte
4A East: (2) Cardinal Gibbons vs. (5) Rolesville
4A West: (1) Grimsley vs. (2) Weddington

Friday, December 8

7:00 p.m. – 3A Championship | Hickory vs. Seventy-First at Kenan Stadium

Saturday, December 9

Noon – 1A State Championship | Mount Airy vs. Tarboro at Kenan Stadium

3:00 p.m. – 2A State Championship | Reidsville vs. Clinton at Carter-Finley Stadium

7:00 p.m. – 4A State Championship | Weddington vs. Hoggard at Carter-Finley Stadium

This Friday night, the North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) will host the 2023 Regional Championships, a tradition that has declared state champions in every classification since 1972. From 2001-2021, each classification had two champions. This year’s regional final games promise to be as thrilling as ever, with teams boasting impressive records and histories of regional appearances.

Teams to Watch

Shelby is making its 24th appearance, with a record of 16-7. They have been a regular participant since 1986, with their most recent appearances in 2019, 2021, and now 2023.

Robbinsville is making its 20th appearance, with a record of 13-6. They have been a strong contender since 1973, with their latest appearances in 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2023.

Clinton and Tarboro are both making their 17th appearances, with records of 10-6 and 13-3 respectively. Clinton has been a regular participant since 1974, while Tarboro started in 1984.

Reidsville is making its 16th appearance with a record of 10-5, and Dudley is making its 12th appearance with a record of 7-4. Independence, Mount Airy, Seventy-First, Hoggard, Northeastern, and Weddington are also teams to watch, each making multiple appearances in the regional finals.

Cardinal Gibbons, Northern Nash, Hickory, and West Columbus are the newcomers, with West Columbus making its first appearance this year.

Regional Rematches

There are several rematches to look forward to. Northern Nash and Seventy-First have met twice before in the East Regional Championship, with both games being closely contested. Shelby and Reidsville have only met once before in the Regional Final, with Shelby emerging victorious. Mount Airy and Robbinsville, and Northeastern and Clinton have also met once before in the Regional final.

Low Seeds and High Seeds

All eight No. 1 seeds reached the regional semifinals, but only five advanced to the regional finals. Both of the No. 1 seeds in the 3A bracket fell in the fourth round. A pair of double-digit seeds, Northern Nash and Independence, will compete for the regional title this week.

The stage is set for an exciting night of high school football. Best of luck to all the teams participating in the 2023 NCHSAA Regional Championships!

This week’s regional final games

4A West:
#1 Weddington vs. #23 Independence
 
4A East:
#3 Hoggard vs. #5 Cardinal Gibbons
 
3A West:
#2 Hickory vs. #4 Dudley
 
3A East:
#2 Seventy-First vs. #13 Northern Nash
 
2A West:
#1 Reidsville vs. #7 Shelby
 
2A East:
#1 Clinton vs. #2 Northeastern
 
1A West:
#1 Robbinsville vs. #2 Mount Airy
 
1A East:
#1 Tarboro vs. #2 West Columbus

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The 4A West top-seeded Weddington Warriors outmaneuvered Grimsley, securing a 44-27 victory. Meanwhile, #23 Independence rode a strong defense to take down rival Butler with a score of 10-7. Out east, Cardinal Gibbons, the 5th seed, emerged victorious against top-seeded Rolesville, 28-21. On the other hand, #3 Hoggard took down #2 Cleveland on the road by two scores, 51-35.

Dudley, the #4 seed in the 3A West, triumphed over top-seeded Crest with a 46-34 win. In the other 3A West matchup, Hickory, the #2 seed, held off #3 West Henderson by a score of 28-16. In a surprising turn of events in the 3A East, Northern Nash, the 13th seed, broke open a 21-all halftime tie with three second-half scores to defeat top-seeded Havelock on the road. Meanwhile, Seventy-First, the #2 seed, secured a win against #3 Southern Alamance in a squeaker, 32-27.

In the 2A West, Top-seeded Reidsville overcame #4 Bunker Hill by a 41-26 margin. In the other 2A West game, #7 Shelby defeated #11 Forest Hills by a touchdown, 37-30. Clinton, the top seed in the east, ran away from Nash Central, the 4th seed, 55-32. In Elizabeth City, Northeastern, the #2 seed, narrowly defeated #6 Whiteville, 17-14.

Robbinsville, the top seed in the 1A West, outscored #4 North Rowan by thirty points to win 44-14. Meanwhile, Mount Airy, the 2nd seed, held serve against #3 Eastern Randolph, 42-21. In the 1A East, #1 Tarboro, used a third-quarter touchdown to edge past #13 East Bladen 20-13. In the southeastern corner of the state, #2 West Columbus held off #3 Wilson Prep, 21-16.

A Look Ahead at the Regional Finals

As the NCHSAA football playoffs head into the fourth round, anticipation is high for thrilling matchups and historic achievements. Among the standout narratives is Tarboro's remarkable 16th consecutive post-Thanksgiving appearance, the longest streak in North Carolina. The Vikings, eyeing an eighth straight fourth-round presence, have been dominant in the East Regional, clinching the title six years in a row.

In a clash of resilience and ambition, Tarboro faces East Bladen, the No. 13 seed, marking their deepest playoff run since 2009. Wilson Prep, making only its second playoff appearance, is set for a post-Thanksgiving debut, while West Columbus looks to build on last year's near miss, determined to break through the fourth round after a hiatus since 1985.

Robbinsville, a familiar face in the fourth round with six appearances in the last decade, seeks redemption after falling short in the third round last season. North Rowan, making its first fourth-round appearance since 1992, aims to recapture the glory of its 1992 state runner-up finish.

In the 2A bracket, Clinton and Nash Central are making significant playoff strides, with Clinton making its first fourth-round appearance since 2019, and Nash Central celebrating its inaugural entry into the round. Whiteville, back after a 1987 2A Championship, showcases their resilience in the 1A Classification, while Northeastern returns for the seventh time since 2010.

The 3A bracket sees perennial contenders Havelock and Crest making their mark once again, with Havelock on its 14th fourth-round appearance and Crest in its 15th. Southern Alamance is set for its fourth-round debut, adding an element of unpredictability to the mix.

In the 4A bracket, Rolesville continues its dominance with a fourth consecutive appearance, while Cardinal Gibbons looks for redemption after last year's second-round exit. Butler, making its seventh fourth-round appearance, faces Independence, marking the Patriots' return after a hiatus since 2009.

The excitement is further amplified by the notable high-scoring encounters in the third round, setting the stage for a gripping fourth round. Notably, the clash between Nash Central and Hertford County produced a record-breaking combined score, securing its place in the NCHSAA Football Record Book.

As fans gear up for the upcoming matchups, the stage is set for a weekend of thrilling football action, where history will be made, and teams will battle for a coveted spot in the Regional Finals.