FINAL Seeding/Brackets for NCHSAA 2016 Football State Championships

*****FINALS are in….This is the FINAL EXAM from the NCHSAA….*****

NCHSAA 2016 Football State Championship
Final Seeding…

4A Seeding
3A Seeding
2A Seeding
1A Seeding

+++++Conversation and thoughts on the Preliminaries below and now time to move on, as we have the Final Seedings Above for you….+++++

On the 4-AA level, all the looks the same as it did earlier this morning for our locals, with the exception of we now see Charlotte Olympic(5-6) at Page, instead of the previous mentioned Ardrey Kell(6-4) at Page(10-0)….

Looks like Northwest Guilford(on road vs. Myers Park), Southwest Guilford(at Davie County) and Southwest Guilford(at Watauga) are still facing the same foes…
Seems to being staying the same with Alexander Central at Dudley for Round One….

On the 2-AA level High Point Andrews still looking at the same opponent(North Brunswick) that we saw in Early Voting….

Back on the 3-AA and 3-A tables, Northern Guilford has had the same opening playoff matchup listed for over 10 days(West Brunswick) and it has not changed, looking at same blood for Eastern Guilford and with NEG and Southern, the polls will not close until later on this afternoon….NEG has seen the most changes and Southern looks to be a winner with both the Public and Electoral voters….Not much changing as of late with the exception of NEG and they have been going back and forth, but doing that in the Eastern part of the state….NEG back to their original opponent, West Craven….


CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The North Carolina High School Athletic Association has finalized the brackets for the 2016 State Football Championships. There are 64 teams across each of the four classifications of play that have qualified for the playoffs, those 64 teams are sub-divided into two 32 team brackets based on each school’s ADM (Average Daily Membership). The largest schools in a classification go into the AA division while the smallest 32 comprise the A division of a given classification.

First round games will begin Friday, November 18th at the site of the higher seed. The eight Championship games will be conducted at UNC, NC State and Wake Forest on December 16th and 17th.

2016 First Round Pairings
1A Bracket
E1 – Plymouth (8-3) vs. ME8 – Weldon (1-9)
ME4 – Jones (5-6) vs. E5 – Manteo (5-6)
E3 – Northside-Pinetown (7-4) vs. ME6 – Rocky Mount Prep (3-8)
ME2 – Columbia (3-8) vs. E7 – North Edgecombe (9-1)
ME1 – Southeast Halifax (6-5) vs. E8 – Pamlico (2-9)
E4 – Perquimans (6-5) vs. ME5 – Northampton County (5-6)
ME3 – KIPP Pride (6-5) vs. E6 – Mattamuskeet (5-6)
E2 – Southside (7-4) vs. ME7 – South Creek (2-9)
W1 – Murphy (10-1) vs. MW8 – South Robeson (2-9)
MW4 – Winston-Salem Prep (4-6) vs. W5 – Robbinsville (4-6)
W3 – Thomas Jefferson (9-2) vs. MW6 – Bishop McGuinness (4-7)
MW2 – Mountain Island Charter (8-3) vs. W7 – Andrews (2-9)
MW1 – North Duplin (7-4) vs. W8 – Rosman (2-9)
W4 – Cherokee (7-4) vs. MW5 –Union Academy (4-7)
MW3 – Alleghany (5-6) vs. W6 – Alleghany (5-6)
W2 – Mitchell (10-1) vs. MW7 – Andrews (2-9)

1AA Bracket
E1 – East Carteret (10-1) vs. ME8 – Rosewood (3-8)
ME4 – Louisburg (6-4) vs. E5 – Gates County (7-4)
E3 – Tarboro (9-2) vs. ME6 – James Kenan (4-6)
ME2 – Granville Central (5-6) vs. E7 – Camden County (5-6)
ME1 – Lakewood (8-3) vs. E8 – Spring Creek (3-8)
E4 – Riverside-Martin (8-3) vs. ME5 – Princeton (6-5)
ME3 – Union (7-4) vs. E6 – Heide Trask (7-4)
E2 – Wallace-Rose Hill (10-1) vs. ME7 – Pender (4-7)
W1 – Mount Airy (10-1) vs. MW8 – South Stanly (4-7)
MW4 – East Surry (8-3) vs. W5 – Pine Lake Prep (5-6)
W3 – Bessemer City (8-3) vs. MW6 – North Moore (7-4)
MW2 – Whiteville (6-5) vs. W7 – Cherryville (3-8)
MW1 – West Montgomery (11-0) vs. W8 – Starmount (2-9)
W4 – Swain County (5-6) vs. MW5 – North Stanly (7-4)
MW3 – East Montgomery (10-1) vs. W6 – Avery County (3-8)
W2 – East Wilkes (8-3) vs. MW7 – Walkertown (6-5)

2A Bracket
E1 – Northeastern (9-2) vs. ME8 – Midway (5-6)
ME4 – North Johnston (7-4) vs. E5 –Southwest Onslow (6-5)
E3 – John A. Holmes (9-2) vs. ME6 – Beddingfield (6-5)
ME2 – Greene Central (8-3) vs. E7 – Kinston (6-5)
ME1 – South Columbus (9-2) vs. E8 – Bertie (5-6)
E4 – First Flight (6-4) vs. ME5 – Fairmont (7-4)
ME3 – East Bladen (7-4) vs. E6 – Farmville Central (6-5)
E2 – Ayden-Grifton (8-3) vs. ME7 – Red Springs (6-5)
W1 – Lincolnton (10-1) vs. MW8 – Thomasville (5-6)
MW4 – Eastern Randolph (8-3) vs. W5 – West Wilkes (8-3)
W3 – Hendersonville (8-3) vs. MW6 – Lexington (5-5)
MW2 – Surry Central (10-1) vs. W7 – Polk County (5-6)
MW1 – Reidsville (11-0) vs. W8 – Madison (5-6)
W4 – Mountain Heritage (10-1) vs. MW5 – West Stanly (7-4)
MW3 – North Rowan (9-2) vs. W6 – North Wilkes (7-4)
W2 – Brevard (9-2) vs. MW7 – Carver (5-6)

2AA Bracket
E1 – East Duplin (10-1) vs. ME8 – Graham (5-5)
ME4 – East Davidson (8-3) vs. E5 – Roanoke Rapids (10-1)
E3 – Hertford County (7-4) vs. ME6 – Franklinton (6-5)
ME2 – T.W. Andrews (7-4) vs. E7 – North Brunswick (7-4)
ME1 – Clinton (11-0) vs. E8 – North Lenoir (6-5)
E4 – SouthWest Edgecombe (5-6) vs. ME5 – South Granville (7-4)
ME3 – Randleman (8-3) vs. E6 – Northside-Jacksonville (8-3)
E2 – Bunn (10-1) vs. ME7 – St. Pauls (6-5)
W1 – Shelby (11-0) vs. MW8 – North Surry (5-6)
MW4 – Stuart Cramer (7-4) vs. W5 – Franklin (6-5)
W3 – Hunter Huss (8-3) vs. MW6 – Parkwood (6-5)
MW2 –Wilkes Central (9-2) vs. W7 – R-S Central (5-6)
MW1 – Monroe (9-2) vs. W8 – West Lincoln (5-6)
W4 – Maiden (8-3) vs. MW5 – Mount Pleasant (6-5)
MW3 – East Lincoln (9-2) vs. W6 – Smoky Mountain (7-4)
W2 – West Caldwell (9-2) vs. MW7 – West Stokes (6-5)

3A Bracket
E1 – West Craven (10-0) vs. ME8 – Northeast Guilford (4-7)
ME4 – Eastern Alamance (9-2) vs. E5 – Nash Central (7-4)
E3 – Havelock (10-1) vs. ME6 – Walter M. Williams (6-5)
ME2 – Orange (11-0) vs. E7 – Fike (6-5)
ME1 – Southern Nash (11-0) vs. E8 – Northern Nash (5-6)
E4 – Rocky Mount (9-2) vs. ME5 – Southern Lee (8-3)
ME3 – Southern Guilford (9-2) vs. E6 – West Carteret (7-4)
E2 – Eastern Wayne (4-6) vs. ME7 – South Johnston (5-6)
W1 – Hibriten (11-0) vs. MW8 – McMichael (3-8)
MW4 – North Forsyth (5-6) vs. W5 – Burns (9-2)
W3 – Crest (8-3) vs. MW6 – East Rowan (4-7)
MW2 – West Rowan (8-3) vs. W7 – Freedom (6-5)
MW1 – South Point (7-4) vs. W8 – West Henderson (4-7)
W4 – Tuscola (10-1) vs. MW5 – Anson (4-7)
MW3 – Forestview (7-4) vs. W6 – Patton (7-4)
W2 – Pisgah (10-1) vs. MW7 – Jesse Carson (4-7)

3AA Bracket
E1 – West Brunswick (8-3) vs. ME8 – Northern Guilford (4-7)
ME4 – Westover (8-3) vs. E5 – Jacksonville (7-4)
E3 – Terry Sanford (8-3) vs. ME6 – Northwood (6-5)
ME2 – Lee County (10-1) vs. E7 – Topsail (4-7)
ME1 – Eastern Guilford (11-0) vs. E8 – Corinth Holders (3-8)
E4 –Triton (8-3) vs. ME5 – Asheboro (8-3)
ME3 – Western Alamance (9-2) vs. E6 – Southern Durham (7-4)
E2 – Cleveland (8-3) vs. ME7 – Union Pines (6-5)
W1 – A.C. Reynolds (9-2) vs. MW8 – Central Cabarrus (5-6)
MW4 – Sun Valley (8-3) vs. W5 – Erwin (6-5)
W3 – Kings Mountain (8-3) vs. MW6 – Ledford (8-3)
MW2 – Weddington (8-3) vs. W7 – Statesville (5-6)
MW1 – Jay M. Robinson (9-2) vs. W8 – Ashbrook (4-7)
W4 – Marvin Ridge (6-5) vs. MW5 – Concord (8-3)
MW3 – Hickory Ridge (9-2) vs. W6 – Asheville (6-5)
W2 – South Iredell (8-3) vs. MW7 – Cuthbertson (6-5)

4A Bracket
E1 – New Hanover (7-4) vs. ME8 – Northern Durham (5-6)
ME4 – Cardinal Gibbons (10-1) vs. E5 – D.H. Conley (8-3)
E3 – West Johnston (9-1) vs. ME6 – Pine Forest (7-4)
ME2 – Cape Fear (11-0) vs. E7 – Clayton (6-5)
ME1 – Scotland (11-) vs. E8 – New Bern (5-5)
E4 – Southeast Raleigh (8-3) vs. ME5 – Seventy-First (9-2)
ME3 – Hillside (9-1) vs. E6 – Hoggard (6-5)
E2 – J.H. Rose (6-4) vs. ME7 – Person (7-4)
W1 – Davie County (10-1) vs. MW8 – Southeast Guilford (6-5)
MW4 – Glenn (8-3) vs. W5 – A.L. Brown (8-3)
W3 – Watauga (8-3) vs. MW6 – Southwest Guilford (7-4)
MW2 – Dudley (10-1) vs. W7 – Alexander Central (7-4)
MW1 – East Forsyth (10-1) vs. W8 – Harding (5-6)
W4 – T.C. Roberson (8-3) vs. MW5 – North Davidson (7-4)
MW3 – Mount Tabor (8-3) vs. W6 – Porter Ridge (7-4)
W2 – Charlotte Catholic (10-1) vs. MW7 – Parkland (7-4)

4AA Bracket
E1 – Wake Forest (11-0) vs. ME8 – Panther Creek (5-6)
ME4 – Fuquay-Varina (8-3) vs. E5 – E.A. Laney (7-4)
E3 – Heritage (9-2) vs. ME6 – Holly Springs (7-4)
ME2 – Pinecrest (9-2) vs. E7 – Leesville Road (6-5)
ME1 – Middle Creek (11-0) vs. E8 – Wakefield (6-5)
E4 – Sanderson (8-3) vs. ME5 – South View (7-4)
ME3 – Richmond (8-3) vs. E6 – Millbrook (7-4)
E2 – Garner (10-1) vs. ME7 – Green Hope (6-5)
W1 – Lake Norman (11-0) vs. MW8 – East Mecklenburg (5-6)
MW4 – West Forsyth (9-2) vs. W5 – South Mecklenburg (6-5)
W3 – West Mecklenburg (8-3) vs. MW6 – Mooresville (8-3)
MW2 – Page (10-1) vs. W7 – Olympic (5-6)
MW1 – Butler (10-1) vs. W8 – McDowell (5-6)
W4 – Hough (7-4) vs. MW5 – Mallard Creek (8-2)
MW3 – Zebulon B. Vance (10-1) vs. W6 – Ardrey Kell (6-5)
W2 – Myers Park (10-1) vs. MW7 – Northwest Guilford (7-4)

2015 CHAMPIONSHIP RETROSPECTIVES

1A – PLYMOUTH DOWNS ROBBINSVILLE 28-20
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The Plymouth Vikings jumped out to a 21-0 lead in the opening quarter and held off Robbinsville 28-20 to win the school’s third football championship.

Chad Dance opened the scoring on a 54-yard touchdown run to give the Vikings a lead they would not relinquish. Chris Kelly tacked on a one-yard touchdown run to put Plymouth up 14-0 before Dion McDonald recovered a fumble and rumbled 17 yards for a score to give the Vikings their largest lead of the day at 21-0 with 4:53 to play in the first.

Dance accounted for 113 yards on the ground with 15 carries. He was only out performed by teammate Chris Kelly who rushed for 150 yards on 27 attempts, including two touchdowns on his way to being named the game’s M.V.P.

Robbinsville responded with Colby Hemphill crossing the plane from 3 yards out with 1:41 to go in the first and adding a two-point conversion to trim the lead to 21-8. Hemphill also scored in the fourth quarter, but the conversion failed and kept the Knights down 28-14 with six minutes to play. Hemphill accounted for 60 yards rushing with two touchdowns on the afternoon.

Lane Millsaps, who rushed for 132 yards on 16 carries to lead Robbinsville, caught a 9-yard pass for a score from Colton Millsaps trimming the lead to 28-20 with 2:17 to go, but the conversion again failed and Plymouth hung on to secure the victory and wrap up a 14-2 season.

1AA – WALLACE-ROSE HILL BAGS BACK-TO-BACK TITLES WITH 48-28 TRIMUPH OVER MITCHELL
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Wallace-Rose Hill rode running back Johnnie Glaspie’s five touchdown performance to a 48-28 victory over Mitchell, claiming the school’s fifth football state championship.

The Bulldogs out rushed the Mountaineers 423-169, largely thanks to Glaspie’s efforts, as he compiled 261 yards on 25 carries, averaging better than 10 yards per carry. He was named the game’s M.V.P.

Glaspie opened the scoring with an 11-yard run just 4:17 into the game. He also scored from 4, 3, 59 and 76 yards on the afternoon. The Bulldogs also got 117 yards from Johnta Wilson who carried the ball 16 times.

Mitchell’s Tre Carson caught three touchdown passes among his 8 receptions for 139 yards. His third touchdown catch, his longest reception of the day at 57 yards, cut the Wallace-Rose Hill lead to 10 at 38-28 with just 33 seconds to go in the third quarter. However, that would be the final score for Mitchell in the game, as the Bulldog defense stiffened in the fourth while the WRH offense tacked on 10 more points, a Yahir Cano 28 yard field goal and the icing 76-yard run by Glaspie with 3:17 to play.

Turnovers were the Mountaineers undoing as the Bulldogs picked off three Ben Young passes. The Bulldogs only had one turnover as Mitchell pounced on a single fumble on the day.

Wallace-Rose Hill finished the season 15-1, winning back-to-back state championships and capturing the school’s fifth title.

2A – SHELBY RIPS OFF THIRD STRAIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP BEATING KINSTON 57-21
RALEIGH, N.C. – Shelby’s Darquez Lee threw five touchdown passes, two to Jayden Borders, as the Golden Lions secured their eighth, and third consecutive, state football championship beating Kinston 57-21.

Lee’s five touchdown passes came on 15-31 passing for 256 yards and included an 80-yard bomb to Borders to open the scoring just 20 seconds into the contest. Borders caught six passes for 135 yards on the afternoon, the other score coming from just one yard out.

The Shelby defense stifled the Viking rushing attack all day, bottling Kinston backs up for just 9 yards on the ground on 21 attempts. The Golden Lions also forced four turnovers, three interceptions and a fumble recovery, to go along with a safety.

Meanwhile, Shelby’s offense racked up 214 yards on 41 carries helping the Golden Lions jump out to a 36-0 lead before Kinston cracked the scoreboard with 47 seconds to play in the first half on a 15-yard touchdown pass from Thomas Vermillion to Kam’ryn Webster cutting the lead to 36-6 at the half.

Vermillion opened the second half scoring on a 1-yard run to trim the lead to 36-13 before Shelby squashed any momentum the Vikings had managed with an 8-yard touchdown run by Xavier Brooks that put the Lions up 43-13 with 2:03 to go in the third. Brooks tallied 178 yards on 29 carries including two scores in the win.

2AA – Monroe’s first title, Wall’s four touchdown passes carry Monroe past Bunn 38-19
RALEIGH, N.C. – Zephaniah Wall was simply unstoppable as he led the Monroe offense, racking up 283 yards through the air on 16-25 passing, including four touchdowns as Monroe won the school’s first state championship beating Bunn 38-19.

Wall opened the scoring finding Desmen Robinson in the end zone from two yards out giving the Redhawks an early 7-0 lead with 7:32 to go in the first. He added two more touchdown passes in the second quarter, one of 26 yards to Braxton Knotts and another from 23 yards away to Jadarious McManus, to give Monroe a 21-0 halftime advantage.

McManus then busted the second play of the second half 60 yards on another Wall pass to give the Redhawks a 28-0 lead in the early third. McManus accounted for 171 yards on seven receptions.

Knotts took Monroe’s next play 51 yards to the house on a handoff to extend the lead to 35-0 with 8:13 to go in the third. He racked up 111 yards on 12 carries including the 51 yard touchdown run.

Bunn finally got on the board on a 1-yard Chris Bumpers run with 1:19 to play in the third, trimming the Redhawks lead to 35-7. The Redhawks kept Bunn star running back Tevin Perry in check for much of the game. Perry had 158 yards on 28 carries, but just had one score. The Wildcats only completed one pass on the day for 44 yards.

3A – ROCKY MOUNT STORMS BACK TO WIN OT THRILLER OVER SOUTH POINT 24-21
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Excitement was the word right from the opening kickoff as Rocky Mount’s B.J. Sanders streaked 81 yards on the opening kickoff for a touchdown to give the Gryphons the early 7-0 lead. The opening play a precursor to one of the most intense games of the 2015 football season in the 3A State Championship game that eventually found its way to overtime where Rocky Mount prevailed over South Point 24-21.

On the first offensive drive of the game, South Point methodically moved the ball down the field, 8 plays, 59 yards leading to a 2-yard touchdown scamper by Ryland Etherton to tie the game at 7. Both defenses settled in at that point, and the two teams headed into the locker rooms all square.

Rocky Mount again snagged the lead in the early third quarter as Nick Bynum sauntered in from 15 yards out giving the Gryphons a 14-7 lead. South Point again responding on the ensuing possession when Etherton scored from five yards out to tie the game at 14 with 4:45 to go in the third.

South Point took their first lead of the game in the early fourth when quarterback Diontre King kept the ball around the end for a 27-yard touchdown and a 21-14 lead. Things began to look grim for the Gryphons then, but senior quarterback Forest Bell converted on a third down and 16 in his own end of the field with about 5 minutes to play, giving the Rocky Mount side some life.

That conversion kept alive a drive that went a total of 18 plays, 89 yards and chewed up 7:23 off the fourth quarter clock. The Gryphons capped that drive with another Bynum touchdown run, this one from four yards, tying the game at 21.

In overtime the Rocky Mount defense was able to hold the Raiders out of the end zone, forcing a field goal attempt that missed wide. The Gryphon offense went to work with the school’s third state championship hanging in the balance. They gained seven yards on their first two plays, then electing to send the field goal team onto the field.

That’s when Chase Miller walked on the field, booting a 20-yard field goal through the south endzone uprights at Kenan Stadium and lifting Rocky Mount to a 24-21 victory.

South Point got 139 yards on 25 carries from King with a touchdown and Etherton added 99 yards on 21 carries with two scores.
Bell finished the night 15-21 for 210 yards through the air and rushed for 33 yards on the night including the big third down conversion that kept the late drive alive. Nick Bynum’s two touchdown night included 83 yards on 21 carries. The Gryphons finished the season at 14-2, winning the school’s first title since the 70’s.

3AA – HARBISON’S 7 TD’S LIFT CREST PAST SOUTHERN DURHAM 55-21
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Tre Harbison rushed for 295 yards on just 24 carries, scoring seven times to lift his Crest Chargers to their sixth state championship in school history, 55-21 over Southern Durham. The championship was their third in a row.

The Spartans were without their starting quarterback Jalen Greene, sidelined with an injury, so starting running back Jordon Brown sliding in to the signal caller role. Brown gave the Spartans a brief lead with their first drive as he hit Jermaine Russell for a 15-yard touchdown pass capping off a 12 play, 60 yard drive and making the score 7-3 with 4:48 to go. That was Southern Durham’s only lead of the game.

Harbison answered with a 28-yard touchdown run just three plays later giving Crest a lead they did not give up. Harbison actually scored the next three touchdowns, all in the second quarter, helping the Chargers expand the lead from three points to 31-7 at the 1:37 remaining mark in the first half.

Brown tacked on two rushing touchdowns for the Spartans and threw for 225 yards on the day, but it wasn’t enough to stem the tide of the Crest rushing attack. Crest rolled up 305 yards on the ground to just 40 for Southern Durham.

Crest finished the season a perfect 16-0. Harbison’s mark of 7 touchdowns tied him for second all-time for single game rushing touchdowns, just a single touchdown behind T.J. Logan’s eight score night in the 3AA State Championship Game in 2012.

4A – CHARLOTTE CATHOLIC HOLDS OFF J.H. ROSE 27-20
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Fireworks exploded early in the 4A State Title Game as J.H. Rose’s Cornell Powell returned the opening kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown giving the Rampants an early 7-0 lead over Charlotte Catholic.

The next two scores went to the Cougars, and Charlotte Catholic as Jonathan Newman found John Walton for a 16-yard touchdown pass and Jaret Anderson cashed in from 32 yards out to take a 13-7 lead after one quarter.

Rose sustained an 11 play, 80 yard drive in the second quarter, capped off by a Powell touchdown pass to Mydron Vines that gave Rose a halftime lead 14-13.

The Catholic defense was the story of the second half, as they held an explosive Rose offense to just a single second half score. Rose’s Dontavies Harris knotted the game up at 20 with a 16-yard run with 3:28 to go in the third quarter, the point after no good.

The Cougars took advantage of great field position late in the game, as they took over at the Rose 31 with 3:56 to play. Six plays later, Anderson carried 14 yards into the end zone, his second touchdown of the second half, giving Charlotte Catholic the winning margin at 27-20.

The Cougars finished the season 15-0, winning the school’s fourth state championship and first since 2015.

4AA – MALLARD CREEK ROLLS TO THIRD STRAIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
RALEIGH, N.C. – The Mavericks of Mallard Creek are no strangers to the 4AA Championship Game and it showed as they blew out Page 49-6. They claimed their third consecutive state title with the victory.

Thaddeus Mekhi provided the lone score of the first quarter as he hauled in a 6-yard touchdown catch from Jason Smith with 8:25 to go in the first quarter to give Mallard Creek a 7-0 lead.

The second quarter was all Mavericks as things got out of control quickly for Page. Smith found Ryan Jones for a 14 yard passing score on the first play of the quarter giving the Mavericks a 14-0 lead. A Page turnover inside their own 10 set up Mallard Creek with a short field and Chauncery Bowman capitalized on the first play of the drive scoring from four yards out and making it 21-0.

The next two scores were Bowman 1 yard runs, extending the Mallard Creek advantage to 35-0. Smith added a 1-yard rushing score of his own with 2:27 to play in the first half to make it 42-0 where things stood at the half.

Mallard Creek got the opening kick to start the second half and it only took 6 plays for Smith to find Corey Sutton for a 24-yard touchdown pass stretching the lead to 49-0. Smith threw for 172 yards and three scores adding 65 yards and touchdown via the ground.

Page’s lone score of the game came in the fourth quarter as Will Jones hit Javon Leake for a 71-yard touchdown pass. The Pirates were held to -29 yards rushing in the game.

Mallard Creek finished the season 16-0, winning the school’s third state championship.