RALEIGH – On a chilly Saturday afternoon at Carter-Finley Stadium, the West Charlotte Lions captured the NCHSAA 3A state championship with a hard-fought 14-7 victory over Seventy-First, riding an efficient passing attack and stalwart defensive effort to secure the title.

In a game where offensive opportunities proved scarce, West Charlotte quarterback Jamouri Nichols delivered a masterful performance, completing 12 of 13 passes for 94 yards and two touchdowns. His precision through the air proved to be the difference in a defensive struggle that saw both teams battle for every yard.

The Lions struck first, establishing their passing attack early when Nichols connected with KD Cotton on a 6-yard touchdown strike in the opening quarter. That early score would stand as the game's only points until late in the second quarter, as both defenses settled in and refused to yield ground.

Seventy-First, playing without starting quarterback Deandre Nance due to a knee injury suffered the previous week, showed remarkable resilience. The Falcons mounted an impressive seven-minute drive before halftime, culminating in Jayson Franklin's 5-yard touchdown run that knotted the score at 7-7.

The third quarter evolved into a tactical chess match, with field position proving crucial. West Charlotte appeared poised to break the deadlock when they drove deep into Falcons territory, but a touchdown run by Nichols was nullified by a penalty. The Lions' frustration mounted as they turned the ball over on downs at the 6-yard line.

The decisive moment finally arrived early in the fourth quarter when Nichols found Donte Nicholson for what proved to be the game-winning touchdown. The 10-yard scoring strike capped a methodical drive that started at the game's most critical juncture.

Seventy-First mounted two late challenges, recovering a fumble in Lions territory with 6:53 remaining, but the West Charlotte defense stood firm. The Falcons' final desperate drive ended on a botched spike attempt as time expired, setting off a celebration on the Lions' sideline.

The defensive nature of the contest was reflected in the statistics, with both teams finding rushing yards at a premium. West Charlotte's Emory McClain Jr. led all rushers with 47 yards on 14 carries, while the Lions' defense limited Seventy-First to just 46 total rushing yards on 26 attempts.

Davion Jones proved to be Nichols' favorite target, hauling in 8 receptions for 55 yards as the Lions consistently moved the chains through the air. The Falcons' Jytavius Whitted provided several explosive plays in defeat, including a 50-yard reception that set up their lone touchdown.

The victory marked a triumphant culmination for West Charlotte, whose defense proved championship-worthy by holding Seventy-First to just seven points. The Falcons entered the contest averaging significantly more points per game but found themselves stymied by a Lions defensive unit that recorded eight tackles for loss.

For Seventy-First, the loss was particularly bitter given their late opportunities. Despite the absence of their starting quarterback, the Falcons remained within striking distance throughout, a testament to their defensive unit led by Kaiveon Gear and Hector Bautista, who combined for 19 tackles.

The championship represents a crowning achievement for West Charlotte's program, which demonstrated championship mettle in the season's biggest moment. Their blend of efficient offense and suffocating defense proved to be the perfect formula for capturing the 3A crown on a memorable December afternoon in Raleigh.

The North Carolina High School Athletic Association's regional finals delivered a night of intense football, with sixteen teams battling for state championship berths across four classifications, setting the stage for next week's ultimate showdown.

In the most decisive performance of the evening, top-seeded Tarboro dominated Wilson Prep, routing the newcomers 59-6 in the 1A East Regional Final. The Vikings continued their playoff momentum, having already scored 176 points in their previous three postseason games, securing their eighth consecutive regional championship.

The 1A West Regional Final saw fifth-seeded Corvian continuing its Cinderella run, defeating Mountain Heritage 28-19. This comes on the heels of their stunning upset of Mount Airy, which ended the Granite Bears' remarkable 43-game winning streak – the fifth-longest active streak in the nation.

In the 2A East Regional, top-seeded Northeastern maintained its strong form, defeating Whiteville 24-14. The team successfully avenged last year's regional final loss and will now advance to the state championship game for the first time since 2019. Standing opposite of the Eagles will be the Monroe Redhawks, who took down Brevard in convincing fashion.

The 3A East Regional Final witnessed Seventy-First emphatically defeating Jacksonville 43-7, a remarkable turnaround for a team that was the twelfth seed. In a rematch of the 1986 4A championship, the team facing Seventy-First will be the West Charlotte Lions, who took down the defending state champion Hickory Red Tornadoes on the road.

The 4A East Regional Final provided perhaps the most competitive matchup, with fifth-seeded Rolesville edging Cardinal Gibbons 38-31. This victory continues Rolesville's playoff magic, following their earlier upset of top-seeded Cleveland.

The 4A West Regional was a rematch of the 2022 regional final between Grimsley and Weddington, a game which the Whirlies won by a single point. The Warriors looked poised to return the favor, taking a 10-0 lead into the half. But Grimsley came roaring to life in the second half, putting up thirty-five points and making it back to the title game for the fourth time in school history.

These regional final results set up an exciting state championship weekend. Grimsley and Rolesville will clash in the 4A title game, Seventy-First and West Charlotte will battle in the 3A contest, Tarboro and Corvian will fight for 1A supremacy, and Northeastern and Monroe will compete for the 2A crown.

The championships will be held December 20-21 at Kenan Memorial Stadium and Carter-Finley Stadium, with Kenan Stadium hosting its 83rd and 84th state championship games in its historic football venue.

Regional Final Scores

1A East: (1) Tarboro def. (3) Wilson Prep, 59-6
1A West: (5) Corvian def. (2) Mountain Heritage, 28-19
2A East: (1) Northeastern def. (2) Whiteville, 24-14
2A West: (3) Monroe def. (9) Brevard, 41-15
3A East: (2) Seventy-First def. (12) Jacksonville, 43-7
3A West: (8) West Charlotte def. (3) Hickory, 36-20
4A East: (5) Rolesville def. (2) Cardinal Gibbons, 38-31
4A West: (1) Grimsley def. (2) Weddington, 35-23

The North Carolina High School Athletic Conference served for many years as the athletic organization for historically black high schools. The NCHSAC conducted classified state championships in several sports, certified officials and administered its athletic program. Dr. Army Armstrong of Rocky Mount served as its commissioner for many years.

Members of the old NCHSAC, which numbered over 100 at one point, joined the NCHSAA when the Conference merged with the Association. The NCHSAC actually disbanded in 1969.

Class	YEAR	CHAMPION		RUNNER - UP
Open	1928	Oxford Mary Potter	42	W-Salem Columbia Heights	0
Open	1930	Henderson Institute
Open	1931	Raleigh Washington	6	Gastonia Highland	0
Open	1932	Raleigh Washington
Open	1933	Henderson Institute	14	Belmont Reid	6
Open	1934	Henderson Institute	32	Gastonia Highland	13
Open	1935	Wilmington Williston
Open	1936	not listed
Open	1937	not listed
Open	1938	not listed
Open	1939	not listed
Open	1940	Gastonia Price
Open	1941	High Point William Penn	14	Raleigh Washington	6
Open	1942	Asheville Stephens-Lee	13	Durham Hillside	12
Open	1943	Durham Hillside
Open	1944	Durham Hillside
Open	1945	Raleigh Washington	20	Gastonia Highland	0
Open	1946	Gastonia Highland	7	Raleigh Washington	6
Open	1947	Wilmington Williston	12	Lexington Dunbar	0
Open	1949	Raleigh Washington	2	Gastonia Highland	0
Open	1950	Raleigh Washington	14	Salisbury Price	0
AAA	1951	Greensboro Dudley	13	Durham Hillside	6
AAA	1952	Kinston Adkin	7	Greensboro Dudley	0
AAA	1953	Winston-Salem Atkins	45	New Bern West Street	6
AAA	1954	West Charlotte	14	Kinston Adkins	6
AAA	1955	Wilmington Williston	13	Winston-Salem Carver	7
AAA	1956	New Bern Barber	13	High Point William Penn	12
AAA	1957	Asheville Stephens-Lee	25	Rocky Mount Washington	6
AAA	1958	Rocky Mount Washington	34	Winston-Salem Carver	6
AAA	1959	Winston-Salem Atkins	50	Durham Hillside	0
AAA	1960	High Point William Penn	12	Durham Hillside	8
AAA	1961	Rocky Mount Washington	18	Winston-Salem Carver	0
AAA	1962	Winston-Salem Carver	34	Fayetteville E.E. Smith	2
AAAA	1963	Charlotte Second Ward	28	Raleigh Ligon	14
AAAA	1964	Wilson Darden	14	Winston-Salem Carver	12
AAAA	1965	Elizabeth City P.W. Moore	36	Winston-Salem Carver	0
AAAA	1966	Greensboro Dudley	6	New Bern Barber	6
AAAA	1967	Fayetteville E.E. Smith	6	Winston-Salem Paisley	0
AAAA	1968	Fayetteville E.E. Smith	12	Elizabeth City P.W. Moore	12
AAAA	1969	Tarboro Patillo	14	Kinston Adkin	0
AAA	1963	Winston-Salem Anderson	30	Chapel Hill Lincoln	15
AAA	1964	Durham Merrick-Moore	37	Winston-Salem Anderson	14
AAA	1965	Durham Merrick-Moore	8	Lexington Dunbar	0
AAA	1966	Williamston E.J. Hayes	60	Winston-Salem Anderson	12
AAA	1967	Winston-Salem Anderson	20	Durham Merrick-Moore	19
AAA	1968	Williamston E.J. Hayes	33	Edenton Walker	0
AA	1950	Hickory Ridgeview
AA	1951	Nash County Training School	7	Hickory Ridgeview	6
AA	1952	Salisbury Price	13	Tarboro Patillo	7
AA	1953	Tarboro Patillo	42	Belmont	0
AA	1954	Nash County Training School	19	Burlington Jordan Sellars	12
AA	1956	Lexington Dunbar	6	Chapel Hill Lincoln	6
AA	1957	Chapel Hill Lincoln	7	Lexington Dunbar	6
AA	1958	Lexington Dunbar	32	Chapel Hill Lincoln	6
AA	1959	Lexington Dunbar	20	Clinton	6
AA	1960	Chapel Hill Lincoln	38	Hickory Ridgeview	8
AA	1961	Chapel Hill Lincoln	22	Hickory Ridgeview	0
AA	1962	Hickory Ridgeview	19	Edenton Walker	8
AA	1963	Lexington Dunbar	24	Ahoskie R.L. Vann	6
AA	1964	Hickory Ridgeview	16	Hamlet Monroe Avenue	0
AA	1965	Perquimans County Union	34	Kannapolis Carver	0
AA	1966	Trenton Jones	8	Kannapolis Carver	6
AA	1967	not listed
AA	1968	Wake Forest DuBois	6	Sampson	6