The North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) has released the seeds for this year’s highly anticipated high school football playoffs. Teams from across the state will begin their journey toward the championship on November 15, with the ultimate goal of reaching the State Championships held at Kenan Memorial Stadium at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Carter-Finley Stadium at North Carolina State University.
Playoff Schedule
- First Round: November 15
- Second Round: November 22
- Third Round: November 29
- Fourth Round: December 6
- Regional Finals: December 13
- State Championships: December 20-21
Road to the Championship
The NCHSAA playoff system is built to recognize excellence across conferences, rewarding top-performing teams and those who fought hard throughout the season. Teams earn playoff berths through conference standings, with champions from conferences of 1-5 teams receiving automatic berths, while conferences of six or more teams also send runner-ups or tournament winners. Further playoff spots are filled by wild-card selections based on Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) ratings.
RPI ratings are used extensively in the seeding process, ensuring that high-performing teams are rewarded based on their conference rankings and season strength. Each region, East and West, is seeded independently, with conference champions getting precedence over other qualifying teams.
Path to Victory
From the opening round, higher-seeded teams will have the advantage of home field until the State Championships, where champions from each division will clash. Fans across North Carolina can look forward to an intense season finale, as the top teams from each region converge in Chapel Hill and Raleigh for a two-day championship event.
1A First Round
East
(1) Tarboro vs BYE
(16) Weldon vs (17) Lejeune
(8) Perquimans vs (25) Northwest Halifax
(9) Warren vs (24) Southside
(5) Northside (Pinetown) vs (28) East Columbus
(12) Gates vs (21) Washington County
(13) Rosewood vs (20) Hobbton
(4) Pender vs (29) Chatham Central
(3) Wilson Prep vs BYE
(19) KIPP Pride vs (14) West Columbus
(6) North Moore vs (27) Union
(11) Bertie vs (22) North Edgecombe
(7) Bear Grass vs (26) Pamlico
(10) Lakewood vs (23) Northampton
(15) East Bladen vs (18) Southeast Halifax
(2) North Duplin vs BYE
West
(1) Mount Airy vs (32) Thomas Jefferson
(16) Mountain Island vs (17) Bishop McGuinness
(8) South Stanly vs (25) Avery
(9) Starmount vs (24) Andrews
(5) Corvian vs (28) Elkin
(12) Mitchell vs (21) Draughn
(13) Cherokee vs (20) Carver
(4) Eastern Randolph vs (29) Swain
(3) Murphy vs (30) Highland Tech
(14) Alleghany vs (19) Christ the King
(6) Bessemer City vs (27) South Stokes
(11) Robbinsville vs (22) Thomasville
(7) North Rowan vs (26) Cherryville
(10) East Wilkes vs (23) Albemarle
(15) Union Academy vs (18) Hayesville
(2) Mountain Heritage vs (31) North Stokes
2A First Round
East
(1) Northeastern vs (32) Hertford
(16) Midway vs (17) Greene Central
(8) St. Pauls vs (25) East Duplin
(9) Nash Central vs (24) West Craven
(5) Martin County vs (28) North Johnston
(12) James Kenan vs (21) Roanoke Rapids
(13) Cummings vs (20) SouthWest Edgecombe
(4) Wallace-Rose Hill vs (29) Washington
(3) Southeast Alamance vs (30) Heide Trask
(14) South Columbus vs (19) Kinston
(11) Ayden-Grifton vs (22) North Lenoir
(6) South Granville vs (27) Edenton Holmes
(7) Eastern Wayne vs (26) Northwood
(10) East Carteret vs (23) Princeton
(15) Farmville Central vs (18) North Pitt
(2) Whiteville vs (31) Pasquotank
West
(1) Reidsville vs (32) RS Central
(16) North Surry vs (17) East Rutherford
(8) Bunker Hill vs (25) Hendersonville
(9) Brevard vs (24) Anson
(5) Salisbury vs (28) West Davidson
(12) Walkertown vs (21) Surry Central
(13) Forest Hills vs (20) Lexington
(4) Randleman vs (29) East Gaston
(3) Monroe vs (30) TW Andrews
(14) Burns vs (19) North Stanly
(11) East Surry vs (22) Southwestern Randolph
(6) West Stokes vs (27) North Forsyth
(7) Mount Pleasant vs (26) West Lincoln
(10) CS Davidson vs (23) Bandys
(15) Lincolnton vs (18) Maiden
(2) Shelby vs (31) Morehead
3A First Round
East
(1) Havelock vs (32) Westover
(16) Western Alamance vs (17) Vance County
(8) Terry Sanford vs (25) South Central
(9) Union Pines vs (24) Scotland
(5) Williams vs (28) East Wake
(12) Jacksonville vs (21) West Carteret
(13) Cape Fear vs (20) Southern Alamance
(4) Aycock vs (29) Eastern Alamance
(3) Northern Nash vs (30) Rose
(14) Southern Nash vs (19) Harnett Central
(11) Southern Durham vs (22) Fike
(6) Currituck vs (27) West Johnston
(7) White Oak vs (26) Lee County
(10) North Brunswick vs (23) Hunt
(15) Rocky Mount vs (18) Richlands
(2) Seventy-First vs (31) Croatan
West
(1) Erwin vs (32) Parkwood
(16) Pisgah vs (17) Smoky Mountain
(8) West Charlotte vs (25) Hunter Huss
(9) Freedom vs (24) West Rowan
(5) Dudley vs (28) Asheboro
(12) AC Reynolds vs (21) Central Davidson
(13) Kings Mountain vs (20) East Lincoln
(4) Robinson vs (29) Northeast Guilford
(3) Hickory vs (30) Tuscola
(14) Statesville vs (19) Franklin
(11) Oak Grove vs (22) North Iredell
(6) Crest vs (27) Eastern Guilford
(7) West Henderson vs (26) South Rowan
(10) North Lincoln vs (23) North Davidson
(15) Ashbrook vs (18) Northwest Cabarrus
(2) South Point vs (31) Montgomery Central
4A First Round
East
(1) Cleveland vs (32) Heritage
(16) Ashley vs (17) Laney
(8) Jordan vs (25) Enloe
(9) Apex Friendship vs (24) Pine Forest
(5) Rolesville vs (28) Middle Creek
(12) Pinecrest vs (21) New Hanover
(13) Clayton vs (20) Corinth Holders
(4) Richmond vs (29) Topsail
(3) Hoggard vs (30) Broughton
(14) Leesville Road vs (19) Conley
(6) New Bern vs (27) Gray’s Creek
(11) Millbrook vs (22) South View
(7) Jack Britt vs (26) Wake Forest
(10) Overhills vs (23) Hillside
(15) Garner vs (18) Southeast Raleigh
(2) Cardinal Gibbons vs (31) Willow Spring
West
(1) Grimsley vs (32) Western Guilford
(16) Reagan vs (17) Southeast Guilford
(8) Charlotte Catholic vs (25) Porter Ridge
(9) Palisades vs (24) Page
(5) Hough vs (28) South Iredell
(12) Mount Tabor vs (21) Independence
(13) Mallard Creek vs (20) Lake Norman
(4) Watauga vs (29) Ragsdale
(3) East Forsyth vs (30) Butler
(14) West Forsyth vs (19) Cuthbertson
(6) Mooresville vs (27) Alexander Central
(11) Northwest Guilford vs (22) Olympic
(7) Asheville vs (26) Marvin Ridge
(10) Northern Guilford vs (23) West Cabarrus
(15) Sun Valley vs (18) Roberson
(2) Weddington vs (31) Brown
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