AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
The high school football season began one day early, with more than 100 games played in North Carolina due to severe thunderstorms expected Friday.
Read more ‘Outer Banks’ Star Addresses Series Finale’s Deaths, Surprises and Spinoff
And several teams made big statements.
— Mallard Creek, ranked No. 8 in the N.C. Super 25 rankings, went to Wake County and stopped Rolesville, 45-25, beating No. 11 the Rams for the second straight season.
— Berry ended a 12-game losing streak, beating West Meck, 19-13. Berry scored the winning touchdown in the fourth quarter. Chambers ran past Gray Collegiate (SC) after a big of slow start, running off to a 50-21 win. And Garinger got its second straight opening night under second-year coach Jupiter Wilson. The Wildcats won at Winston-Salem Prep, 28-22.
— Providence rallied to beat Hickory Ridge, 24-21, giving new coach Perry Osbey his first career win — and earning himself a game ball.
— And in the Triangle, No. 5 Raleigh Millbrook made a statement, blowing out a promising Garner team, 42-0, in its first game since losing to Hough in the state final. Elsewhere, No. 9 Southeast Raleigh shut out Enloe, 48-0.
Rk., School, Class, Rec, This Week
1. Hough (8A) 0-0, vs. Northwestern, Sat.
2. Providence Day (NCISAA) 0-0, vs. Myers Park, Fri
3. Grimsley (7A) (1-0): d. No. 22 West Charlotte, 24-0
4. Hoggard (8A) 1-0, d. No. 23 Richmond Sr. 27-13
5. Millbrook (8A) 1-0, d. Garner 42-0
6. J.M. Robinson (5A) 0-0, at Charlotte Country Day, Fri.
7. Weddington (7A) 0-0, at Mooresville, Fri.
8. Mallard Creek (8A) 1-0, d. No. 11 Rolesville 45-25
9. Southeast Raleigh (7A) 1-0, d. Enloe 48-0
10. Cardinal Gibbons (7A) 0-0, vs. Dudley, Fri.
11. Rolesville (8A) 0-1, lost 45-25 to No. 8 Mallard Creek
12. Jacksonville (6A) 0-0, at West Cateret, Fri.
13. Lake Norman (7A) 1-0, d. Sun Valley 47-0
14. Crest (5A) 0-0, vs. Burns, Fri.
15. Reagan (7A) 0-0, at Mount Tabor, Fri.
16. Northern Nash (6A) 0-1, lost 20-11 to JH Rose
17. Scotland (6A) 0-1, lost 25-22 to Asheboro
18. Hickory (5A) 0-1, lost 34-28 to South Point
19. Clayton (7A) 0-0, vs. Wilson Prep, Fri.
20. Palisades (8A) 0-0, at Ashbrook, Fri.
21. Chambers (8A) 1-0, d. Gray Collegiate (SC) 50-21
22. West Charlotte (8A) 0-1, lost, 24-0, at No. 3 Grimsley
23. Richmond (7A) 0-1, lost 27-13 to No. 4. Hoggard
24. East Forsyth (7A) 1-0, d. Glenn 13-0
25. West Forsyth (8A) 1-0, d. Davie County 42-13
Hough at Northwestern, Sat, 4 p.m. at Rock Hill’s District 3 Stadium: Nationally ranked Hough is the reigning N.C. 8A state champion and has the best team, at least on paper, in school history. Northwestern is the reigning S.C. 5A Division II state champion. Both teams return elite QBs. Hough’s Ethan Royal, a Marshall recruit and first-team preseason All-Observer, had 2,993 yards total offensive and 43 touchdowns last season. Northwestern’s Xavier Means had 4,112 yards total and 52 scores. This is one of USA Today’s national games of the week. Four its six experts picked Hough to win.
Myers Park at Providence Day, Friday, 7 p.m.: The Chargers are normally one of the state’s most prolific teams, but Providence Day will debut a new QB, senior Cole Cater, and have some questions on that side of the ball. On defense, 10 starters return and all 10 have Division I scholarships. Add to that 4-star cornerback Nate Dollard, who transferred from Country Day. Myers Park’s new coach, Duke Howell, makes his debut and returns five starters from a 9-3 team.
South Mecklenburg at Charlotte Catholic, Friday, 7 p.m.: The schools are literally across the street from each other in south Charlotte. Catholic returns five-time state championship coach Mike Brodowicz and has some confidence it can challenge for a 6A title this winter. South Meck comes off a seven-win season, its most since 2021, and returns a confident team hungry to keep the momentum going. This game has become one of the better rivalries in the region in recent years.
Weddington at Mooresville, Friday, 7 p.m.: Two teams that expect to make 7A playoff runs hook up. Mooresville has 10 starters back from a 9-3 team and picked up former Ambassador Christian QB Weston Michalak, who threw for 2,321 yards and 21 scores as a freshman. Weddington, coming off a state semifinals appearance, added former Independence star QB Jared Street, who committed to Western Carolina after throwing for 2,317 yards and 19 touchdowns as a junior last fall.
Here are this week’s picks from The Observer’s panel.
No. 8 Mallard Creek 45, No. 11 Rolesville 25: The Mavericks beat the Wake County team for the second straight year on opening night. Mallard Creek did so by taking advantage of four Rolesville turnovers, two interceptions and two fumbles. After the fourth turnover, late in the third quarter, Mavericks’ QB Cailen Napier hit RB Xzavier Edmond on a 3-yard pass for a 32-19 lead.
Read more Chiefs didn’t just sign Kenneth Walker to run. They hope he reshapes the offense
Later, in the fourth quarter, Edmond ran 60 yards for a put-away touchdown, giving the Mavericks a 39-19 lead.
No. 3 Grimsley 24, No. 22 West Charlotte 0: Grimsley (1-0) opened up its chase for a third straight state championship with a hot start. The Whirlies jumped on the Lions 21-0, sparked by a 75-yard run from junior Alex Cooper early in the first quarter.
Grimsley boosted the lead to 21-0 before the quarter ended and cruised after that. It was the debut of new Lions’ coach DJ McFadden, who came over from Independence, where he built a regional power.
No. 21 Chambers 50, Gray Collegiate 21: The Cougars won the Year 2 debut for head coach Captain Munnerlyn, the former Carolina Panthers defensive back. After a slow start, Chambers broke the game open to earn the runaway win.
AL Brown 42, Porter Ridge 10: Porter Ridge scored first, on a 70-yard TD pass from Corbin Donahoo to Noel Bryant. The Wonders dominated after that. QB AJ Settles threw three touchdown passes — of 47, 32 and 30 yards — and running back Lemar Grier scored three times: two short carries and a 45-yarder.
Marvin Ridge 77, Cox Mill 13: Marvin Ridge scored 35 points in the first quarter and led 56-0 at halftime in a season-opening rout. Marvin Ridge QB Levi Kerr threw four touchdown passes.
Providence 24, Hickory Ridge 21: The Panthers were down 21-14 at halftime, but shut out Hickory Ridge on the road Thursday to get the win in the debut of new coach Perry Osbey. Providence scored 10 points in the third quarter to rally. Panthers’ QB Luke Meador hit Alex Haywood to tie the game, and Jamison Causey won the game with a 30-yard field goal late in the third quarter.
A.L. Brown 42, Porter Ridge 10
Anson County 42, Red Springs 0
Apex Friendship 35, Broughton 20
Asheboro 25, Scotland 22
Bandys 30, St. Stephens 28
Berry Academy 19, West Mecklenburg 13
Bradford Prep 22, Thomas Jefferson 16
Bunker Hill 47, Draughn 0
C.B. Aycock 20, Rosewood 0
Cape Fear 50, Douglas Byrd 0
Central Cabarrus 21, Montgomery Central 14
Chambers 50, Gray Collegiate Academy (SC) 21
Cherryville 41, North Stokes 6
Christ the King 36, Metrolina Christian Academy 33
Cleveland 41, Pinecrest 40 (OT)
Clinton 35, Lakewood 19
East Bladen 41, Heide Trask 0
East Columbus 12, Green Sea Floyds (SC) 8
East Forsyth 13, Glenn 0
East Gaston 34, North Gaston 8
East Wake 27, Riverside 20
Eastern Alamance 42, Eastern Guilford 14
Eastern Wayne 77, Goldsboro 0
Fairmont 32, Lumberton 31
Fike 80, North Moore 0
Forbush 10, Bishop McGuinness 7
Forest Hills 49, Salisbury 7
Franklinton 34, Person 14
Fred T. Foard 26, West Wilkes 13
Freedom 33, Patton 0
Garinger 28, Winston-Salem Prep 22
Green Hope 31, Felton Grove 20
Green Level 41, Athens Drive 30
Greene Central 49, North Lenoir 20
Grimsley 24, West Charlotte 0
Harnett Central 49, Northwood 7
Heritage 30, Wakefield 28
Hertford County 44, Gates County 12
Hillside 30, E.E. Smith 22 (OT)
Hobgood Charter 14, Northwest Halifax 6
Hoggard 27, Richmond 13
Holmes 42, Pasquotank County 0
Indian Land (SC) 49, Harding 0
J.F. Webb 28, Western Harnett 7
J.H. Rose 20, Northern Nash 11
Jack Britt 22, South View 17
James Kenan 49, Southern Wayne 6
John Paul II Catholic 62, Rocky Mount Academy 0
Jordan 38, Leesville Road 37
Jordan-Matthews 36, Carrboro 22
Lake Norman 47, Sun Valley 0
Lake Wylie (SC) 41, Ballantyne Ridge 35
Langtree Charter 59, Highland Tech 24
Mallard Creek 45, Rolesville 25
Marvin Ridge 77, Cox Mill 13
Middle Creek 42, Fuquay-Varina 18
Millbrook 42, Garner 0
Monroe 28, Hoke County 6
Mount Pleasant 35, Concord 6
North Brunswick 10, Corinth Holders 7
North Edgecombe 20, Southeast Halifax 8
North Johnston 40, Beddingfield 0
North Wake Saints 29, North East Carolina Prep 20
North Wilkes 42, South Stokes 14
Northeast Guilford 50, Morehead 7
Northeastern 66, Bertie 0
Northern Durham 45, Bartlett Yancey 18
Northside-Pinetown 24, Camden County 0
Northwest Cabarrus 35, West Cabarrus 20
Oak Grove 52, Ledford 3
Overhills 52, Southern Lee 0
Owen 37, Rosman 14
Page 56, Charlotte Christian School 23
Pamlico County 34, KIPP Pride 26
Panther Creek 13, Holly Springs 10
Parkland 35, Carver 0
Parkwood 47, Piedmont 32
Pender 52, West Bladen 0
Perquimans 14, First Flight 6
Pine Forest 29, Gray’s Creek 19
Pine Lake Prep 47, Bessemer City 14
Princeton 34, Ayden-Grifton 9
Providence 24, Hickory Ridge 21
Providence Grove 27, Randleman 19
R.J. Reynolds 47, North Forsyth 0
Ragsdale 48, Southern Guilford 0
Reagan 20, Mount Tabor 0
Reidsville 35, Northern Guilford 14
Roanoke Rapids 33, Northampton County 8
Rockingham County 39, Southwest Guilford 7
Seaforth 48, Chapel Hill 0
Seventy-First 59, Terry Sanford 14
South Davidson 35, Trinity 13
South Garner 33, West Johnston 14
South Granville 27, Bunn 6
South Johnston 36, Smithfield-Selma 8
South Point 34, Hickory 28
South Rowan 41, Union Academy 14
Southeast Alamance 42, Orange 11
Southeast Guilford 20, Western Guilford 8
Southeast Raleigh 48, Enloe 0
Southern Durham 26, Wake Forest 21
Southern Nash 33, Knightdale 13
St. Pauls 28, Purnell Swett 6
Statesville 36, East Surry 22
Stuart Cramer 42, Forestview 6
T.C. Roberson 48, Hunter Huss 12
T.W. Andrews 28, Thomasville 19
Tarboro 38, Rocky Mount 34
Topsail 20, Dixon 8
Triton 49, Willow Spring 17
Union Pines 27, Westover 13
Walkertown 47, Atkins 0
Warren County 52, Vance County 12
West Forsyth 42, Davie County 13
West Henderson 34, Erwin 21
West Iredell 43, East Burke 6
West Rowan 33, North Rowan 18
Western Alamance 33, Northwest Guilford 32
Whiteville 53, West Columbus 8
Wilkes Central 63, North Iredell 0
Note: All games kick off at 7 p.m., unless listed
Ambassador Christian at Mountain View Prep (S.C.) (at North Greenville University), 7:30 p.m.
Bonnie Cone at Hickory Grove
Butler at Olympic
Cuthbertson at Ardrey Kell
East Lincoln at South Iredell
Hopewell at East Mecklenburg
Jay M. Robinson at Charlotte Country Day
Mitchell at Charlotte Latin
Mountain Island Charter at Lincoln Charter
Myers Park at Providence Day
North Mecklenburg at Rocky River
North Stanly at Community School of Davidson
Palisades at Ashbrook
South Mecklenburg at Charlotte Catholic
SouthLake Christian at Lake Norman Charter
Weddington at Mooresville
West Lincoln at North Lincoln, 7:30 p.m.
SATURDAY
Covenant Day at Trinity Christian
Hough vs. Northwestern, District 3 Stadium, 4 p.m.
This story was originally published August 20, 2026 at 6:00 AM with the headline “High school football rewind: How the Super 25 fared; NC scores, schedule.”
Read more Wake County renters need about 5 times the minimum wage, new report finds