North Carolina High School Football Rankings: Top 25 Teams - Oct. 23

There’s a new team at the summit of the North Carolina On3 Massey Ratings top 25 list as of Oct. 22. Other than that, the top ten has stayed relatively the same. Meanwhile, the four teams at the bottom half of the rankings switched places. Here’s where North Carolina high school football’s best squads are after October’s latest round of games.

The On3 Massey Ratings, officially used during the BCS era, is a model that ranks sports teams by analyzing game outcomes, strength of schedule, and margin of victory. According to the model, three North Carolina teams rank in the top 100 nationwide.

CLICK HERE to watch your high school’s games on NFHS Network now!

1. William Amos Hough

The Huskies’ winning streak stretches to seven games, earning them the top spot in the state rankings. Likewise, they’ve completed their fourth shutout victory of the season via a 33-0 tally over fifth-ranked Mallard Creek. Ralph Blakeney had two rushing touchdowns, while Jamison Funderburk had a rushing and a receiving touchdown.

Meanwhile, the Huskies defense generated four sacks and 12 tackles for losses. Hough, the 72^nd-best team in the United States, can keep their winning streak alive by defeating Harding University on the 25^th.

2. Weddington

After a one-possession victory over Butler last Sept. 13, the Warriors ensured that no team could come close to defeating them. Hence, they’ve won their previous three games by an average of 46.6 points. Weddington’s latest triumph was a 49-14 masterclass against Sun Valley, in which the Warriors shut down the Spartans in the second half. Those performances made them North Carolina high school football’s best defensive team. The 75^th-best team in the country can improve to 8-0 when they secure a road victory against Cuthbertson on the 25^th.

3. Grimsley

In addition to the Whirlies’ eight-game undefeated run, they’ve limited their last six opponents to seven points or less while scoring at least 42 points per game. However, North Carolina high school football’s number three team kicked into a higher gear by tallying a season-high 71 points against Southwest Guilford. Micah Williams and Faizon Brandon combined for 245 rushing yards and two touchdowns, while Mitchell Summers added four rushing scores. The 85^th-best team in the nation can get to 9-0 by securing a road win against Page this week.

4. East Forsyth

The Eagles soared to their eighth straight victory by dominating R.J. Reynolds, 61-14. In addition to clinching their second consecutive 60-point output, they’ve limited their last two opponents to 20 points combined. Against the Demons, Bryce Baker had 20 completions for 259 passing yards and two touchdowns, while Jaire Richburg had 149 receiving yards and two TDs. East Forsyth also got 214 yards and five touchdowns from their backfield. Next for the Eagles is a road victory against Glenn on Friday.

5. Mallard Creek

The Mavericks have experienced extremes over the past two weeks. After shutting down Harding University, they suffered a 33-0 defeat against top-ranked William Amos Hough. It’s only their second loss in eight games and the most disappointing outcome this season. Despite that defeat, they remain North Carolina high school football’s fifth-best team overall and the third-best on defense. Mallard Creek can bounce back by defeating West Mecklenburg on the road.

6. Rolesville

The Rams have trampled over their opponents over the last four weeks. Throughout that stretch, they’ve allowed only 14 points while scoring 227. In their 69-7 thrashing of Knightdale, they were already up 28-0 after one quarter and never looked back. Rolesville is now at 7-1 and will have a shot at victory number eight against Wake Forest on the 25^th.

7. Providence Day School

The Chargers lost by 33 points to Rabun Gap-Nacoochee, Georgia’s 28^th-best team. The Eagles had their number, as quarterback Zaid Lott threw two interceptions and had minus-35 rushing yards. Meanwhile, Gordon Sellars was Providence Day’s only bright spot, finishing with 106 receiving yards. This disappointing outcome should motivate the Chargers to do better against Charlotte Latin on the 25^th.

8. Cleveland

The Rams remain undefeated after a 39-29 victory over Southeast Raleigh. Jackson Byrd flew all over the field for Cleveland, finishing with 286 passing yards, 121 rushing yards, and four touchdowns.  Meanwhile, DJ Crooms added 115 receiving yards and a touchdown. Cleveland will put its unblemished record on the line against Garner on the 25^th.

9. Monroe

The Redhawks are now at 7-0 after a shutout victory against Anson. Kaegan Chambers had 230 passing yards and three touchdowns against the Bearcats, while Zion Lindsey contributed 130 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Monroe scored eight touchdowns against Anson, while their defense generated 13 tackles for losses. The ninth-best team in North Carolina high school football can secure victory number eight against Piedmont on the 25^th.

10. Cardinal Gibbons

The Crusaders are on a four-game winning streak after defeating Sanderson. The Cardinal Gibbons defense has picked up the intensity, limiting their last four opponents to 14 points combined. While the defense allowed seven points to the Spartans, Gannon Jones torched Sanderson with 415 passing yards and five touchdowns. Meanwhile, Sam Dodd caught all of Jones’ TD passes as part of his 228-yard output. The Crusaders can maintain their winning ways by edging Broughton on Oct. 25.

Teams 11-25 in the latest North Carolina High School Football Rankings

11. Dudley
12. Seventy-First
13. Mount Tabor
14. Clayton
15. Independence
16. West Forsyth (+1)
17. John T. Hoggard (-1)
18. Charlotte Christian
19. Hickory
20. Mooresville
21. Charlotte Catholic
22. Havelock
23. Watauga (+1)
24. Leesville Road (-1)
25. Crest