After a season of exciting matchups, the 2024 North Carolina high school football playoffs are reaching their end as they culminate with state championship games this weekend in Raleigh and Chapel Hill.
These matchups feature five teams without a loss this season, seven teams that had undefeated conference records, and one team that is playing in its first-ever championship game.
Seven of the eight state finalists have reached a championship game before, and six of them have come away with at least one victory.
1A Championship Game: No. 1 Tarboro vs. No. 5 Corvian Community
Dec. 21 at 3 p.m. — Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh, NC
Tarboro is on the hunt for its 10th state championship in 16 tries as it faces the first charter school to ever reach a NCHSAA football state championship game. The Vikings have blown out their competition during their recent playoff games, while Corvian has prevailed through one-to-two score victories.
Tarboro Vikings
Record: 13-1 (5-0 Four Rivers Conference)
Key Wins: 59-6 home win over Wilson Prep, 50-0 home win over Pender, 71-0 home win over Warren County
Top Players: Junior running back Kamerin McDowell-Moore, junior quarterback/defensive end Tyler Powell, senior running back Mason Satterfield
Championship History: 9-6 record (wins in 1965, 1984, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021)
Corvian Community Cardinals
Record: 15-0 (7-0 Catawba Shores Conference)
Key Wins: 28-19 road win over Mountain Heritage, 14-7 road win over Mount Airy, 27-14 road win over Eastern Randolph
Top Players: Senior running back/defensive end Cam Johnson, senior quarterback AJ Jackson Jr., junior linebacker Jayden Summers
Championship History: No state championship appearances
2A Championship Game: No. 1 Northeastern vs. No. 3 Monroe
Dec. 21 at 6:30 p.m. — Kenan Stadium, Chapel Hill, NC
In a battle between two teams with perfect records, either Northeastern or Monroe will leave the 2A state title game with its only loss of the season. The Eagles are hoping to win their first state title in 55 years.
Northeastern Eagles
Record: 15-0 (7-0 Northeastern Coastal Conference)
Key Wins: 24-14 home win over Whiteville, 46-28 home win over James Kenan, 42-7 home win over West Craven
Top Players: Senior quarterback Trevaris Jones, senior wide receiver, Tyell Saunders, senior linebacker Maurice Bowser
Championship History: 1-4 record (win in 1969)
Monroe Redhawks
Record: 14-0 (5-0 Rocky River Conference)
Key Wins: 41-15 home win over Brevard, 41-23 road win over Shelby, 48-21 home win over West Stokes
Top Players: Senior quarterback Kaegan Chambers, senior wide receiver Jordan Young, junior running back Nymir Kendall
Championship History: 1-3 record (win in 2015)
3A Championship Game: No. 2 Seventy-First vs. No. 8 West Charlotte
Dec. 21 at 11 a.m. — Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh, NC
As the biggest underdog out of the eight teams playing for a state championship, West Charlotte now faces an undefeated Falcons team. Seventy-First has outscored its past three opponents by a margin of 141 to 14.
Seventy-First Falcons
Record: 15-0 (7-0 United 8 Conference)
Key Wins: 43-7 home win over Jacksonville, 48-7 home win over J.H. Rose, 50-0 home win over North Brunswick
Top Players: Senior quarterback Deandre Nance, senior running back/linebacker Donavan Frederick, senior defensive end Hector Baustista
Championship History: 3-1-1 record (wins in 1970, 1986, 2008)
West Charlotte Lions
Record: 12-2 (5-2 Queen City Conference)
Key Wins: 36-20 road win over Hickory, 39-13 road win over Dudley, 58-0 road win over Erwin
Top Players: Sophomore quarterback Jamouri Nichols, senior running back Aidan Turner, junior wide receiver KD Cotton
Championship History: 1-6 record (win in 1995)
4A Championship Game: No. 5 Rolesville vs. No. 1 Grimsley
Dec. 20 at 7 p.m. — Kenan Stadium, Chapel Hill, NC
Riding a 13-game winning streak, Rolesville is set to challenge a 15-0 Grimsley squad that allowed a season-high 28 points on Dec. 6. The Rams have posted at least 38 points in each of their past three playoff wins — all as a road underdog.
Rolesville Rams
Record: 14-1 (5-0 Northern Conference)
Key Wins: 38-31 road win over Cardinal Gibbons, 49-6 road win over Cleveland, 44-6 road win over Richmond
Top Players: Senior quarterback Braden Atkinson, senior running back Devon Thomas, senior defensive end Jayden Fry
Championship History: 0-1 record
Grimsley Whirlies
Record: 15-0 (7-0 Metro Conference)
Key Wins: 35-23 home win over Weddington, 35-28 home win over Hough, 42-14 home win over Charlotte Catholic
Top Players: Junior quarterback Faizon Brandon, senior running back Mitchell Summers, senior defensive end Bryce Davis
Championship History: 1-1 record (win in 2020)
