The high school football season came to an end last weekend when the North Carolina High School Athletic Association held its four championship games, two each at the homes of NC State and UNC football.
1A: Mount Airy 21, Tarboro 3
Mount Airy won its second straight 1A state football championship, doing all its scoring in the second half and smothering Tarboro in a 21-3 win Saturday at Kenan Memorial Stadium in Chapel Hill.
The Vikings (13-1) led at halftime thanks to a 39-yard field goal by Oscar Perez Gaspar and a goal-line stand that resulted in a missed field goal by the Granite Bears (16-0).
“Three-nothing at half, I thought we were playing as well as we could have,” Tarboro coach Jeff Craddock said. “But we knew they’re a second half team.”
Mount Airy proved to be exactly that, first getting a touchdown run by Tyler Mason — who finished with 133 yards — to take the lead. Quarterback Ian Gallimore and Mario Revels connected on an 89-yard shovel pass on the next drive to extend the lead to 14-3, and Gallimore got his second touchdown pass to finish off the scoring, hitting Blake Hawks to make it 21-3.
“These guys stayed the course and bounced back in the second half and played tremendous,” Mount Airy coach J.K. Adkins said. “I’m very proud of them and very proud for our community as well.”
Mount Airy, which topped Tarboro for the second consecutive year, won its ninth title in 14 championship game appearances.
2A: Reidville 28, Clinton 18
Reidsville rebounded from losing in last season’s title game and picked up its 10th state football championship, beating previously undefeated Clinton 28-18 in the 2A final Saturday at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh.
Rams quarterback Al Lee threw for 258 yards and four touchdowns on 17-of-27 passing, connecting for scores with three different receivers.
“Can’t say enough about the job he’s done,” said first-year Reidsville coach Erik Teague — who took over the program his father, Jimmy, led to eight state championships — told HighSchoolOT.com.
Jariel Cobb rushed for 145 yards on 24 carries for Reidsville (15-1).
Clinton (15-1) trailed 14-3 at the half but pulled within four points after a 1-yard touchdown run by Amaris Williams in the third quarter, but Reidsville quickly responded with one of Lee’s two touchdown passes to Kendre Harrison — who also had six tackles and a sack on defense — to push the lead back to 11.
The Dark Horses totaled 217 yards on 36 carries, led by Josiah Robinson’s 110 yards, and got 12 tackles from Jayden Williams.
“The kids fought hard all the way to the end, and I didn’t expect anything different,” Clinton coach Cory Johnson said.
3A: Hickory 33, Seventy-First 26
Hickory quarterback Brady Stober rushed for an 8-yard touchdown with 36 seconds remaining and Will Prince had an interception in the end zone as time expired to lift the Red Tornadoes to a 33-26 win over Seventy-First in the 3A championship game Friday at Kenan Memorial Stadium in Chapel Hill.
“I was very excited to get that moment,” Stober said of scoring the winning touchdown. “I mean, that’s what every kid could dream of. Just think about situations the night before, state championship’s on the line, that’s all you could wish for.”
Hickory (16-0) was led by running back Isaiah Lackey, who rushed for 113 yards and three touchdowns on 28 carries.
Seventy-First (15-1) dominated the time of possession (28:11-19:49) thanks to 335 yards on the ground. Both quarterback Deandre Nance (18 carries, 159 yards, two touchdowns) and running back Donavan Frederick (16 carries, 122 yards) eclipsed the 100-yard mark for the Falcons. Nance totaled four touchdowns in all, including throwing a 6-yard touchdown to Jadyn Surgeon with 2:42 left to tie the game at 26-26.
“We had another tremendous season,” Seventy-First coach Duran McLaurin said. “It didn’t end the way we wanted it to, but it gives us something to push for next season.”
It was Hickory’s second title in as many tries, while Seventy-First dropped to 2-2 all time in state championship games.
4A: Weddington 56, Hoggard 21
Weddington won its first 4A state football title and fourth overall, taking the lead in the first quarter and never looking back in a 56-21 win over Hoggard on Saturday at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh.
Quarterback Tyler Budge totaled three touchdowns (two through the air and one on the ground) while playing with a sprained throwing shoulder, and running back Nick Diamond and receiver Keenan Jackson both scored twice for the Warriors (14-2).
“A really special group from the get-go” Weddington coach Andy Capone said. “Ups and downs, but I didn’t have a doubt we could be here at the end. And man, they put on a show tonight.”
It is the Warriors’ fourth state title since 2016 and the first since 2019.
Hoggard (14-2), playing in its second state championship game and first since winning a title in 2007, scored first but allowed 42 straight points to the Warriors.
The Vikings got seven receptions for 125 yards from receiver Aniziyon Session and 13 tackles from Kamar Fulton in the loss.
“It was a little bit of a tough night, not the way we drew it up,” Weddington coach Craig Underwood said. “But, like I just told the team, (don’t) let it take away what they’ve done this year.”
