Friday’s a big day in the high school football world, and the teams are in a march to play for the various state titles at Carter-Finley Stadium at NC State or Keenan Stadium at North Carolina.
Grimsley (13-0) at Weddington (11-2)
Independence (10-3) at Butler (12-1)
East
Cardinal Gibbons (11-2) at Rolesville (12-1)
Hoggard (12-1) at Cleveland (13-0)
NC State has recruiting targets in all four games. The big one from a recruiting standpoint is Grimsley and Weddington.
The Whirlies have NCSU commit Terrell Anderson, who has visited Georgia twice — once unofficial and the other an official visit. The athletic 6-3 wide receiver and kick returner committed to NC State last August. Anderson has 53 catches for 985 yards and 13 touchdowns, plus he has rushed for a touchdown and had a kick return for a score.
Grimsley also has sophomore quarterback Faizon Brandon, who has an NC State offer. The Wolfpack have zeroed in on Brandon and Pfafftown (N.C.) Reagan sophomore quarterback Jacob Smith in the class of 2026.
Brandon has gone 170-of-244 for 2,795 yards, 35 touchdowns and three interceptions, and has rushed 77 times for 521 yards and nine scores.
Weddington has three talented sophomores that NC State has offered. Safety Thomas Davis Jr., and his cousins Aiden Harris, a defensive end/outside linebacker and Drew Harris, a defensive end are all high major prospects. They join UNC senior wide receiver commit Keenan Jackson in making the Warriors go.
Davis has 31 tackles, two tackles for loss and one sack this season. Drew Harris has 54 tackles, 11 tackles and 2.5 sacks, and his twin brother Aidan Harris has 54 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and four sacks.
Charlotte area rivals Independence and Matthews Butler should be intense.
NC State has evaluated junior defensive lineman Jadyn Farmer and junior defensive end/outside linebacker Ian Coleman. Farmer has 60 tackles, 18 tackles for loss and three sacks this season. Coleman has 48 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, five sacks and one interception.
Independence 6-6, 320-pound freshman offensive lineman Nori White is one to watch.
The Cardinal Gibbons at Rolesville matchup will likely draw NC State coach Dave Doeren. He can see two of the top younger receivers in the Triangle.
Sophomore Aidan Smalls missed some action in September, but has 72 catches for 900 yards and 12 touchdowns. His quarterback background has been put to good use with 22 carries for 115 yards and 10 touchdowns, and he’s gone 9 of 10 passing for 210 yards and three scores.
NC State has a verbal commitment from Rolesville senior running back Isiah Jones, but he’s missed most of the season with an injury.
Rolesville has three explosive playmakers, but NC State hasn’t offered them yet.
In Jones’ place, junior running back De’Von Thomas has exploded for 192 carries for 2,189 yards and 23 touchdowns, plus six catches for 165 yards and four scores.
Junior wide receiver Jaedon Alford has been a monster this season with 84 catches for 1,704 yards and 21 touchdowns. Sophomore wide receiver Gavin Waddell has 61 catchers for 961 yards and nine scores.
NC State offered junior tackle Michael Gibbs was offered by NC State earlier this month, his first high major offer. His father played center in basketball at North Carolina-Wilmington.
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Dudley (13-0) at Crest (13-0)
West Henderson (13-0) at Hickory (13-0)
East
Northern Nash (12-1) at Havelock (13-0)
Southern Alamance (12-1) at Seventy-First (13-0)
Dudley juniors Nasir Newkirk and Jerron Blackwell have picked up offers and been evaluated by NC State. Georgia offered Newkirk this season, who has 43 catches for 943 yards and 13 touchdowns. Blackwell has 48 tackles and one interception, plus 262 all-purpose yards and seven touchdowns on offense.
Missouri has offered sophomore defensive back D’Various Surratt, who had 57 tackles, five tackles and two tackles for loss. He’s next in line with wide receiver Javarius Green going to North Carolina.
Hickory High junior wide receiver Jamien Little has recently earned offers from NC State and Virginia Tech. The speedster has 51 catches for 1,129 yards and 16 yards this season.
Havelock junior athlete Jonathan Williams played wide receiver last year, and is at quarterback this season. He has thrown for 825 yards and nine touchdowns, and rushed 109 times for 1,1198 yards and 15 touchdowns this season. He also has 14 catches for 123 yards and a touchdown.
•••
Bunker Hill (13-0) at Reidsville (12-1)
Forest Hills (12-1) at Shelby (10-3)
East
Nash Central (11-2) at Clinton (13-0)
Whiteville (11-2) at Northeastern (13-0)
Reidsville sophomore tight end/defensive end Kendre’ Harrison and Marshville (N.C.) Forest Hills junior wide receiver Je’rel Bolder have both been offered.
Harrison has 49 catches for 731 yards and 11 touchdowns, and he has 56 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and five sacks.
Bolder has 34 catches for 681 yards and 12 touchdowns, and have 234 kick return yards and 62 punt return yards.
Clinton High features Florida soft verbal commit Amaris Williams and Maryland commit Josiah McLaurin, but could have some prospects for the future. McLaurin missed last week’s game. Junior wide receiver/defensive back Jakarrion Kenan has 22 catches for 538 yards and eight touchdowns, and 17 tackles, four interceptions and five tackles for loss.
•••
Spencer North Rowan (11-2) at Robbinsville (12-1)
Ramseur Eastern Randoph (12-1) at Mount Airy (13-0)
East
Elizabethtown East Bladen (8-5) at Tarboro (11-0)
Wilson Prep (11-1) at West Columbus (11-1)
There aren’t any obvious NC State targets yet in the NCHSAA 1A brackets, but that can change.
Virginia Tech landed Mount Airy seniors Tyler Mason and Deric Dandy. Mason has 99 carries for 1,715 yards and 34 touchdowns at running back, and Dandy has 78 tackles, 37 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks at defensive end.
UNC has a commit of Eastern Randolph senior lineman Jani Norwood.
NCHSAA 4A
WestGrimsley (13-0) at Weddington (11-2)
Independence (10-3) at Butler (12-1)
East
Cardinal Gibbons (11-2) at Rolesville (12-1)
Hoggard (12-1) at Cleveland (13-0)
NC State has recruiting targets in all four games. The big one from a recruiting standpoint is Grimsley and Weddington.
The Whirlies have NCSU commit Terrell Anderson, who has visited Georgia twice — once unofficial and the other an official visit. The athletic 6-3 wide receiver and kick returner committed to NC State last August. Anderson has 53 catches for 985 yards and 13 touchdowns, plus he has rushed for a touchdown and had a kick return for a score.
Grimsley also has sophomore quarterback Faizon Brandon, who has an NC State offer. The Wolfpack have zeroed in on Brandon and Pfafftown (N.C.) Reagan sophomore quarterback Jacob Smith in the class of 2026.
Brandon has gone 170-of-244 for 2,795 yards, 35 touchdowns and three interceptions, and has rushed 77 times for 521 yards and nine scores.
Weddington has three talented sophomores that NC State has offered. Safety Thomas Davis Jr., and his cousins Aiden Harris, a defensive end/outside linebacker and Drew Harris, a defensive end are all high major prospects. They join UNC senior wide receiver commit Keenan Jackson in making the Warriors go.
Davis has 31 tackles, two tackles for loss and one sack this season. Drew Harris has 54 tackles, 11 tackles and 2.5 sacks, and his twin brother Aidan Harris has 54 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and four sacks.
Charlotte area rivals Independence and Matthews Butler should be intense.
NC State has evaluated junior defensive lineman Jadyn Farmer and junior defensive end/outside linebacker Ian Coleman. Farmer has 60 tackles, 18 tackles for loss and three sacks this season. Coleman has 48 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, five sacks and one interception.
Independence 6-6, 320-pound freshman offensive lineman Nori White is one to watch.
The Cardinal Gibbons at Rolesville matchup will likely draw NC State coach Dave Doeren. He can see two of the top younger receivers in the Triangle.
Sophomore Aidan Smalls missed some action in September, but has 72 catches for 900 yards and 12 touchdowns. His quarterback background has been put to good use with 22 carries for 115 yards and 10 touchdowns, and he’s gone 9 of 10 passing for 210 yards and three scores.
NC State has a verbal commitment from Rolesville senior running back Isiah Jones, but he’s missed most of the season with an injury.
Rolesville has three explosive playmakers, but NC State hasn’t offered them yet.
In Jones’ place, junior running back De’Von Thomas has exploded for 192 carries for 2,189 yards and 23 touchdowns, plus six catches for 165 yards and four scores.
Junior wide receiver Jaedon Alford has been a monster this season with 84 catches for 1,704 yards and 21 touchdowns. Sophomore wide receiver Gavin Waddell has 61 catchers for 961 yards and nine scores.
NC State offered junior tackle Michael Gibbs was offered by NC State earlier this month, his first high major offer. His father played center in basketball at North Carolina-Wilmington.
•••
NCHSAA 3A
WestDudley (13-0) at Crest (13-0)
West Henderson (13-0) at Hickory (13-0)
East
Northern Nash (12-1) at Havelock (13-0)
Southern Alamance (12-1) at Seventy-First (13-0)
Dudley juniors Nasir Newkirk and Jerron Blackwell have picked up offers and been evaluated by NC State. Georgia offered Newkirk this season, who has 43 catches for 943 yards and 13 touchdowns. Blackwell has 48 tackles and one interception, plus 262 all-purpose yards and seven touchdowns on offense.
Missouri has offered sophomore defensive back D’Various Surratt, who had 57 tackles, five tackles and two tackles for loss. He’s next in line with wide receiver Javarius Green going to North Carolina.
Hickory High junior wide receiver Jamien Little has recently earned offers from NC State and Virginia Tech. The speedster has 51 catches for 1,129 yards and 16 yards this season.
Havelock junior athlete Jonathan Williams played wide receiver last year, and is at quarterback this season. He has thrown for 825 yards and nine touchdowns, and rushed 109 times for 1,1198 yards and 15 touchdowns this season. He also has 14 catches for 123 yards and a touchdown.
•••
NCHSAA 2A
WestBunker Hill (13-0) at Reidsville (12-1)
Forest Hills (12-1) at Shelby (10-3)
East
Nash Central (11-2) at Clinton (13-0)
Whiteville (11-2) at Northeastern (13-0)
Reidsville sophomore tight end/defensive end Kendre’ Harrison and Marshville (N.C.) Forest Hills junior wide receiver Je’rel Bolder have both been offered.
Harrison has 49 catches for 731 yards and 11 touchdowns, and he has 56 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and five sacks.
Bolder has 34 catches for 681 yards and 12 touchdowns, and have 234 kick return yards and 62 punt return yards.
Clinton High features Florida soft verbal commit Amaris Williams and Maryland commit Josiah McLaurin, but could have some prospects for the future. McLaurin missed last week’s game. Junior wide receiver/defensive back Jakarrion Kenan has 22 catches for 538 yards and eight touchdowns, and 17 tackles, four interceptions and five tackles for loss.
•••
NCHSAA 1A
WestSpencer North Rowan (11-2) at Robbinsville (12-1)
Ramseur Eastern Randoph (12-1) at Mount Airy (13-0)
East
Elizabethtown East Bladen (8-5) at Tarboro (11-0)
Wilson Prep (11-1) at West Columbus (11-1)
There aren’t any obvious NC State targets yet in the NCHSAA 1A brackets, but that can change.
Virginia Tech landed Mount Airy seniors Tyler Mason and Deric Dandy. Mason has 99 carries for 1,715 yards and 34 touchdowns at running back, and Dandy has 78 tackles, 37 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks at defensive end.
UNC has a commit of Eastern Randolph senior lineman Jani Norwood.
