There’s not much doubt about which is the biggest high school football game in North Carolina this week.
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Two teams ranked in this week’s NC Super 25 poll will face off Friday: No. 4 Lake Norman (4-0) will visit No. 9 Reagan in Pfafftown, near Winston-Salem.
Reagan (4-0) beat Northern Guilford, 59-6, Friday to improve to 4-0. The Raiders, who jumped two spots this week into the top 10, have outscored opponents 150-31 this season.
Lake Norman, however, has been even more dominant.
The Wildcats’ defense has allowed one touchdown, and Lake Norman has outscored opponents 179-14.
Led by junior QB Kaden Craft, a Tennessee commit, this could be the best Lake Norman team since the 2014 Wildcats finished 14-1 and nearly ended Mallard Creek’s state championship run, losing 48-41 in a memorable regional championship, or state semifinal, game.
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Elsewhere, two new teams are in the poll this week: No. 18 West Forsyth (3-1) and No. 24 Myers Park (2-2).
West Forsyth lost to No. 3 Grimsley earlier this season, but has blown out three other opponents. After an 0-2 start, Myers Park has won two straight under first-year coach Duke Howell, including a 28-25 win over then No. 7 Mallard Creek last week. Mallard Creek fell to No. 25 in the new rankings.
The Super 25 rankings are sponsored by The Charlotte Observer and the News & Observer of Raleigh. It ranks teams, regardless of classification, or if the school is public or private. The media companies also sponsor a statewide ranking of teams by classification, and The Observer has its regional Sweet 16 poll, which began in 1984 and offers the winner a large banner to hang in its gymnasium.
1. Hough 4-0 8A Prev. 1
2. Providence Day 3-1 D1 Prev. 2
3. Grimsley 3-0 7A Prev. 3
4. Lake Norman 4-0 7A Prev. 4
5. Chambers 4-0 8A Prev. 5
6. Millbrook 3-0 8A Prev. 6
7. Weddington 4-0 7A Prev. 8
8. Clayton 4-0 7A Prev. 9
9. Reagan 4-0 7A Prev. 11
10. Hoggard 3-1 8A Prev. 12
11. Cardinal Gibbons 3-1 7A Prev. 13
12. Southeast Raleigh 3-1 7A Prev. 10
13. Robinson 3-0 5A Prev. 14
14. Palisades 3-1 8A Prev. 15
15. East Forsyth 3-1 7A Prev. 16
16. West Charlotte 3-1 8A Prev. 17
17. Northside 3-0 5A Prev. 18
18. West Forsyth 3-1 8A Prev. NR
19. South Point 4-0 5A Prev. 19
20. Crest 3-1 5A Prev. 20
21. Rose 4-0 6A Prev. 24
22. Page 3-0 7A Prev. 21
23. Southern Durham 2-1 7A Prev. 22
24. Myers Park 2-2 8A Prev. NR
25. Mallard Creek 2-2 8A Prev. 7
This story was originally published September 13, 2026 at 5:00 AM with the headline “NC Super 25 prep football poll: Major showdown between ranked teams in the Triad.”
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