• Receiver: Has led the team in receptions each of the past two seasons and is leading in 2017 (65 in 2015, 55 in 2016, 15 in 2017)
• Rushing: 90 carries for 566 yards for 6.3 ypc and a TD every 5.9 carries from 2015-17.
• Blocking: Graded out with 73% accuracy on blocking assignments last season.
• Scoring: Ranks sixth in school history with 32 career touchdowns (16 rushing, 16 receiving)

RALEIGH, N.C. – It didn’t take long, one minute to be exact, for the Dudley Panthers to seize control of the 4A State Championship Game against Cape Fear. Dudley took the reins on the third play from scrimmage as Hendon Hooker lofted a pass down the left sideline to Nigel Fitzgerald who hauled it in and sprinted 79 yards for the opening score and as he took off, so did the Panthers, never to look back.

Fitzgerald and Hooker connected one other time on the night as Hooker hit Fitzgerald on a seven-yard back shoulder throw in the end zone in the closing second of the first half as the Panthers stretched the lead to 34-0. Dudley went on to capture the school’s fourth championship in six appearances in an NCHSAA Championship game, knocking out Cape Fear 54-0.

Hendon Hooker was brilliant at quarterback for the Panthers. Hooker threw three touchdown passes in the first half alone. He accounted for six touchdowns in total, 3 on the ground and 3 in the air as he threw for 221 yards and rushed for another 89 yards on the night on his way to M.V.P. honors in the game, voted unanimously by the assembled media.

Zareik Rush had a two touchdown night for the Panthers as well, accounting for 120 yards rushing with scores of 25 and 52 yards.
The Dudley defense was solid as well, holding the balanced Cape Fear attack to just 108 yards on the night. Nigel Peele was named the Most Outstanding Performer on the defensive side of the ball with seven tackles on the night and a pass break up.

Cape Fear struggled mightily all night long with the Colts dual-threat quarterback Justice Galloway-Velasquez held under 100 yards of total offense on the night for the first time this season. Galloway-Velasquez was named the Colts Most Outstanding Offensive Performer with 110 yards through the air and -15 on the ground as he was under siege all night by the Dudley defense.

The Colts concluded their year 15-1, the best season in school history, winning 10 or more games for the first time in a year as a program. They were the undefeated champions of the Mid-South 4A Conference.

Dudley wrapped up their year at 15-1 on the season, finishing second in the All-Metro 4A behind Page who also reached a State Championship Final. The Panthers won their first State Championship since their 2013 victory over Scotland County in the 4A title game.


Story courtesy of the NCHSAA

RALEIGH, N.C. – The Wake Forest Cougars defense led the way to make the school’s fourth appearance in the state championship game and defense dominated the day bringing the Cougars their first state championship with a 29-0 victory over Greensboro Page.

The Cougar defense held the explosive Page offense to just 142 yards of offense all day and forced four interceptions. The defense opened the day by forcing a three-and-out on the Pirates first offensive series. Then Wake Forest special teams came up big as Darius Hodge broke through and blocked the Pirate punt. The block was recovered by Thomas Murray who scooped up the ball at the Pirate 10 and scored to give the Cougars a 7-0 lead with 10:42 to go in the first quarter.

After another Pirate three-and-out on the ensuing possession, Wake Forest took over near midfield at their own 42, driving seven plays and cashing in on the good field position with a 2-yard Devon Lawrence touchdown run. The point after was blocked and the Cougars jumped in front 13-0 with 5:45 to go in the first.

The Pirate offense continued to struggle, as Wake Forest continued to force the pressure on Pirate quarterback Will Jones. Darius Hodge dominated the game from the linebacker spot making 17 tackles on the afternoon, including the blocked punt. He was named the game’s M.V.P. Seth Williams had two interceptions and was tapped as the Cougars Most Outstanding Defensive Performer.

The Cougar offense capitalized on good field position most of the night as Lawrence turned in a strong performance against the Pirates solid defensive front. Lawrence gained 77 yards on the ground, scoring two touchdowns rushing while throwing for another on a halfback pass to Lex Goodwin with 10:08 to play in the fourth, giving Wake Forest a 29-0 lead.

The Pirates completed their season 14-2 on the year and champions of the All-Metro 4A Conference. Javon Leake was named Page’s Most Outstanding Offensive Performer with 36 hard-earned yards on 18 carries.

Wake Forest finished the year unblemished at 16-0, they were the champions of the CAP 8 4A Conference. They claimed the school’s first championship and made their fourth appearance in the state finals, all since 2010. The win for Wake Forest was the first Football Championship for a team from Wake County since Garner won the title in 1987, snapping a 29-year drought.


Story courtesy of the NCHSAA

RALEIGH, N.C. – The Golden Lions of Shelby had lived up to the “Golden” moniker all season long as the Lions had never trailed at any point of the 2016 football season coming into the school’s fourth straight appearance in the state championship game. They never trailed in the 2AA title game either, as Shelby took down Northside-Jacksonville 28-6 to win the school’s ninth state title all-time and their fourth straight.

Shelby opened the scoring just 48 seconds into the contest as Devin Gullatte score the first of his two touchdowns on the day from three yards out. The Lions tacked on another score as quarterback Malik Sarratt improvised to find Juwan Sims in the flats before Sims powered his way into the endzone to give Shelby a 14-0 with 7:13 to go in the first quarter.

Sims was named the game’s Most Valuable Player as he caught two passes for 19 yards and a score while rushing for 152 yards on 21 carries. Sarratt was picked as Shelby’s Most Outstanding Offensive Performer completing 10 of 9 passes for 134 yards and 2 touchdowns while rushing for 24 yards. Dax Hollifield was chosen as the Most Outstanding Defensive player for the Lions with 16 total tackles on the day, 3.5 for a loss, a single sack and fumble recovery.

Shelby’s stud receiver Jayden Borders got free to haul in a 7 yard pass from Sarratt late in the second quarter, giving the Lions a 21-0 halftime lead. Borders finished the day with five catches for 86 yards and a score.
Northside-Jacksonville came out in the second half and continued to fight even down by 21. Jonte McMullen found Cameron Rogers who made a beautiful one-handed catch in stride down the sideline for a 33-yard score. The point after was blocked and the Lions held a 21-6 advantage with 7:10 to go in the third quarter.

Gullatte’s second touchdown of the day ended the scoring with a two-yard run with 11:09 to play in the game making the score 28-6.

Northside-Jacksonville completed the season 12-4, finishing second in the East Central 2A Conference behind East Duplin, a team they defeated in the regional finals. The Monarchs made the school’s first appearance in an NCHSAA Football State Championship game.

Shelby finished the season 16-0, champions of the South Mountain Athletic 2A/3A Conference. The senior class completed the rare sweep as members of the senior class were a part of the State Championship team in all four years of their time at Shelby. They became the fourth school in history to win four straight football state championships.

Story courtesy of the NCHSAA

Kenan Stadium – UNC Chapel Hill

BB&T Field – Wake Forest University

Carter-Finley Stadium – NC State University

1^st Round: November 18, 2016


2016 Football Championships 1A


2016 Football Championships 1AA


2016 Football Championships 2A


2016 Football Championships 2AA


2016 Football Championships 3A


2016 Football Championships 3AA


2016 Football Championships 4A


2016 Football Championships 4AA

• Carolina's 10-game win streak is the third-longest current streak in the country.
• Carolina has scored in 22 of the last 23 quarters. UNC had scored in 20 consecutive quarters until Virginia Tech held the Tar Heels scoreless in the second quarter.
• Marquise Williams is just the fifth quarterback in ACC history with 2,000 career rushing yards. Williams ranks 12th in UNC history with 2,243 yards. He is tied for fourth all-time with Kelvin Bryant at UNC with 32 rushing scores.
• Williams has been responsible for a school-record 89 career touchdowns, which ranks fourth in ACC history. Williams has rushed for 32 scores (UNC record for QB), passed for 54 and has three receiving TDs. Williams is just 63 yards shy of Darian Durant’s school record for total offense.
• Tailback Elijah Hood has 14 rushing touchdowns, which ranks second in the league. He is third in the ACC with 96.3 rushing yards per game and is the 27th 1,000-yard rusher in school history (1,060).
• Carolina leads the ACC and ranks 10th in the country in passes defended (52 pass breakups, 14 INTs).
• Cornerback Des Lawrence leads the ACC in pass breakups (13), and cornerback M.J. Stewart leads the ACC in passes defended per game (1.78 per game, 12 PBUs, 4 INTs in nine games).
• Eleven current Tar Heels have made 20-or-more career starts. Quinshad Davis leads the way with 44, followed by OG Landon Turner (39), OT Jon Heck (35), LB Jeff Schoettmer (35) and OG Caleb Peterson (34).
• Carolina ranks 10th in the country in scoring offense (40.9) and 21st in scoring defense (19.5).
• Carolina is one of just 10 teams in the country averaging more than 200 yards per game rushing (216.5) and 250 passing (273.9).
• Preseason first-team All-America guard Landon Turner will make his 40th career start Saturday against NC State. Turner has graded out at 90 percent or higher in nine of 11 games this season.
• Last season, North Carolina made just six field goals and none longer than 30 yards. This season, kicker Nick Weiler has made 17 of 19 attempts, including four from 46 yards-or-longer.
• Senior wide receiver Quinshad Davis is the all-time leader at UNC in receptions (192) and touchdowns (24) and is second in career receiving yards with 2,448.

Kenan Stadium - Chapel Hill

Carter-Finley Stadium - Raleigh

BB&T Field - Winston-Salem