As the NCHSAA football playoffs head into the fourth round, anticipation is high for thrilling matchups and historic achievements. Among the standout narratives is Tarboro's remarkable 16th consecutive post-Thanksgiving appearance, the longest streak in North Carolina. The Vikings, eyeing an eighth straight fourth-round presence, have been dominant in the East Regional, clinching the title six years in a row.

In a clash of resilience and ambition, Tarboro faces East Bladen, the No. 13 seed, marking their deepest playoff run since 2009. Wilson Prep, making only its second playoff appearance, is set for a post-Thanksgiving debut, while West Columbus looks to build on last year's near miss, determined to break through the fourth round after a hiatus since 1985.

Robbinsville, a familiar face in the fourth round with six appearances in the last decade, seeks redemption after falling short in the third round last season. North Rowan, making its first fourth-round appearance since 1992, aims to recapture the glory of its 1992 state runner-up finish.

In the 2A bracket, Clinton and Nash Central are making significant playoff strides, with Clinton making its first fourth-round appearance since 2019, and Nash Central celebrating its inaugural entry into the round. Whiteville, back after a 1987 2A Championship, showcases their resilience in the 1A Classification, while Northeastern returns for the seventh time since 2010.

The 3A bracket sees perennial contenders Havelock and Crest making their mark once again, with Havelock on its 14th fourth-round appearance and Crest in its 15th. Southern Alamance is set for its fourth-round debut, adding an element of unpredictability to the mix.

In the 4A bracket, Rolesville continues its dominance with a fourth consecutive appearance, while Cardinal Gibbons looks for redemption after last year's second-round exit. Butler, making its seventh fourth-round appearance, faces Independence, marking the Patriots' return after a hiatus since 2009.

The excitement is further amplified by the notable high-scoring encounters in the third round, setting the stage for a gripping fourth round. Notably, the clash between Nash Central and Hertford County produced a record-breaking combined score, securing its place in the NCHSAA Football Record Book.

As fans gear up for the upcoming matchups, the stage is set for a weekend of thrilling football action, where history will be made, and teams will battle for a coveted spot in the Regional Finals.

4A West:

#1 Weddington vs. #32 Providence

#16 Julius L. Chambers vs. #17 Northwest Guilford

#8 T.C. Roberson vs. #25 Reagan

#9 Myers Park vs. #24 Charlotte Catholic

#5 Hough vs. #28 Asheville

#12 Porter Ridge vs. #21 Cuthbertson

#13 Sun Valley vs. #20 Cox Mill

#4 Grimsley vs. #29 North Mecklenburg

#3 Mooresville vs. #30 A.L. Brown

#14 Davie County vs. #19 Mount Tabor

#6 Butler vs. #27 Alexander Central

#11 West Forsyth vs. #22 Ardrey Kell

#7 East Forsyth vs. #26 Page

#10 Lake Norman vs. #23 Independence

#15 Marvin Ridge vs. #18 Mallard Creek

#2 Watauga vs. #31 Hickory Ridge

4A East:

#1 Rolesville vs. #32 Purnell Swett

#16 Garner vs. #17 Wake Forest

#8 Jack Britt vs. #25 Fuquay-Varina

#9 Pine Forest vs. #24 Ashley

#5 Cardinal Gibbons vs. #28 Overhills

#12 Millbrook vs. #21 Heritage

#13 Clayton vs. #20 South View

#4 Pinecrest vs. #29 South Garner

#3 Hoggard vs. #30 Chapel Hill

#14 Holly Springs vs. #19 Jordan

#6 Apex Friendship vs. #27 Southeast Raleigh

#11 Laney vs. #22 Middle Creek

#7 Hillside vs. #26 New Hanover

#10 New Bern vs. #23 Apex

#15 Leesville Road vs. #18 Richmond Senior

#2 Cleveland vs. #31 Gray's Creek

3A West:

#1 Crest vs. #32 Parkwood

#16 Statesville vs. #17 South Point

#8 West Charlotte vs. #25 Northeast Guilford

#9 Hibriten vs. #24 Tuscola

#5 Jay M. Robinson vs. #28 North Davidson

#12 Northwest Cabarrus vs. #21 West Rowan

#13 Eastern Guilford vs. #20 Central Davidson

#4 Dudley vs. #29 West Iredell

#3 West Henderson vs. #30 Erwin

#14 Ledford vs. #19 East Lincoln

#6 Oak Grove vs. #27 Ashbrook

#11 Pisgah vs. #22 North Henderson

#7 A.C. Reynolds vs. #26 North Gaston

#10 Kings Mountain vs. #23 Smoky Mountain

#15 North Lincoln vs. #18 Rockingham County

#2 Hickory vs. #31 Hunter Huss

3A East:

#1 Havelock vs. #32 Dixon

#16 Cape Fear vs. #17 Western Alamance

#8 White Oak vs. #25 J.H. Rose

#9 North Brunswick vs. #24 Person

#5 Scotland County vs. #28 Rocky Mount

#12 Eastern Alamance vs. #21 Southern Durham

#13 Northern Nash vs. #20 Richlands

#4 Southern Nash vs. #29 Croatan

#3 Southern Alamance vs. #30 Orange

#14 Jacksonville vs. #19 C.B. Aycock

#6 Vance County vs. #27 Terry Sanford

#11 Harnett Central vs. #22 West Carteret

#7 Fike vs. #26 Southern Lee

#10 Currituck County vs. #23 South Johnston

#15 Williams vs. #18 Hunt

#2 Seventy-First vs. #31 Triton

2A West:

#1 Reidsville vs. #32 Madison

#16 West Stokes vs. #17 Southwestern Randolph

#8 Brevard vs. #25 Trinity

#9 North Stanly vs. #24 T.W. Andrews

#5 Monroe vs. #28 Bandys

#12 West Lincoln vs. #21 CHASE

#13 Burns vs. #20 Pine Lake Prep

#4 Bunker Hill vs. #29 East Rutherford

#3 Community School of Davidson vs. #30 Lexington

#14 East Surry vs. #19 Providence Grove

#6 Randleman vs. #27 West Stanly

#11 Forest Hills vs. #22 Anson

#7 Shelby vs. #26 Mount Pleasant

#10 North Surry vs. #23 Lincolnton

#15 Maiden vs. #18 East Gaston

#2 Salisbury vs. #31 East Davidson

2A East:

#1 Clinton vs. #32 Kinston

#16 Beddingfield vs. #17 James Kenan

#8 Cummings vs. #25 Heide Trask

#9 Martin County vs. #24 Southeast Alamance

#5 Wallace-Rose Hill vs. #28 Greene Central

#12 Hertford County vs. #21 St. Pauls

#13 West Craven vs. #20 North Pitt

#4 Nash Central vs. #29 Roanoke Rapids

#3 SouthWest Edgecombe vs. #30 Red Springs

#14 Farmville Central vs. #19 Southwest Onslow

#6 Whiteville vs. #27 South Granville

#11 East Duplin vs. #22 Eastern Wayne

#7 Princeton vs. #26 Camden County

#10 Louisburg vs. #23 Northwood

#15 Midway vs. #18 Holmes

#2 Northeastern vs. #31 North Johnston

1A West:

#1 Robbinsville vs. #32 Thomas Jefferson

#16 Mountain Island Charter vs. #17 Alleghany

#8 Bessemer City vs. #25 South Stanly

#9 Swain County vs. #24 Avery County

#5 Mountain Heritage vs. #28 Carver

#12 Starmount vs. #21 Cherokee

#13 Draughn vs. #20 Corvian Community

#4 North Rowan vs. #29 Elkin

#3 Eastern Randolph vs. #30 Cherryville

#14 Hayesville vs. #19 Christ the King

#6 Albemarle vs. #27 South Davidson

#11 Thomasville vs. #22 Andrews

#7 Bishop McGuinness vs. #26 South Stokes

#10 Murphy vs. #23 Polk County

#15 Mitchell vs. #18 East Wilkes

#2 Mount Airy vs. #31 Union Academy

1A East:

#1 Tarboro BYE

#16 Hobbton vs. #17 Northampton

#8 North Duplin vs. #25 Pamlico County

#9 Southeast Halifax vs. #24 Union

#5 Bear Grass Charter BYE

#12 Rosewood vs. #21 Washington County

#13 East Bladen vs. #20 North Edgecombe

#4 Northside (Pinetown) BYE

#3 Wilson Prep BYE

#14 Gates County vs. #19 Weldon

#6 North Moore vs. #27 Chatham Central

#11 Bertie vs. #22 Southside

#7 Lakewood vs. #26 Northwest Halifax

#10 Perquimans vs. #23 East Columbus

#15 Warren County vs. #18 Pender

#2 West Columbus BYE

RALEIGH – The 3A state championship game, scheduled to be the last game of the 2022 North Carolina high school football season, featured two undefeated teams with dynamic offenses and stingy defenses. In the end, it was turnovers that seemed to make the biggest difference, with East Lincoln’s four turnovers leading the Mustangs to a 30-15 victory and the 3A state championship.

Northern Nash started the game with a bang, with Keno Jones hitting a streaking Randall King for a sixty-six-yard catch and run to get the Knights inside the five-yard line on the second play of the game. Jones scored on a keeper on the next play to put Northern Nash on the board less than a minute into the game. A fumble on East Lincoln’s first play from scrimmage looked like it would be a disaster for the Mustangs, but the East Lincoln defense stepped up and turned Northern Nash over on downs.

Energized by their team’s big defensive stops, the Mustangs offense started to hit their stride later in the quarter. Sophomore running back Christopher Daley II punished the Northern Nash defense, rumbling in from thirty-five yards out to give the Mustangs a 7-6 lead. Keno Jones went deep again on the next Northern Nash drive, hitting Trey Battle for forty-five yards to get the Knights in scoring position. The East Lincoln defense kept the Knights out of the end zone and forced a Bryson Jenkins field goal to end the quarter.

The second quarter belonged to quarterback Tyler Mizzell and the Mustangs. Mizzell threw two beautiful touchdown passes to give East Lincoln a commanding lead going into the half. The first score was a toss to Markell Clark, but it was the fade to Keandre Walker in the back corner of the end zone that had the Mustang faithful on their feet and feeling like they had overcome the costly miscues from earlier in the evening. A Christopher Mileta field goal with no time remaining in the half set the intermission score at 24-9. After a scoreless third quarter, Mileta would add the next points of the game with two fourth-quarter field goals. Keno Jones added a late touchdown pass to Ashton Rhodes to cap the scoring.

Defensively, East Lincoln teetered between giving up big passes to Northern Nash’s speedy outside receivers and making athletic plays to pick off passes. Defensive end Diego Neira picked off a screen pass to set up East Lincoln’s second touchdown of the night. Aiden Terrell and Keandre Walker picked off passes on consecutive drives in the third quarter and Marcel Johnson recovered a fumble early in the fourth quarter to keep Northern Nash off the board.

The win marked the third football state championship for East Lincoln, all within the last eleven seasons. Northern Nash suffered its first loss of the season and fell to 0-2 all-time in state title games.

RALEIGH – Mount Airy’s Tyler Mason came into Saturday’s game having scored forty-one touchdowns through fifteen games and needing one-hundred-thirty-seven yards to reach two-thousand yards on the season. The junior lived up to his billing, rushing for three touchdowns and 139 yards and leading his team to the NCHSAA 1A state championship with a 20-7 victory over Tarboro on Saturday afternoon.

The Mount Airy defense entered Saturday afternoon’s 1A state championship against Tarboro giving up less than ten points per game on average. The Granite Bears defense had pitched shutouts in four of its last five regular-season games and two more in the playoffs. Mount Airy was able to hold the Vikings off the scoreboard for the first twenty-seven minutes of the game, finally surrendering a score in the third quarter.

Tarboro finally found its way in the third quarter. After Omarion Lewis picked off a Mount Airy pass and returned it into Granite Bears territory, Vikings running back Mason Satterfield barely broke the goal line on a run around the right side of the formation to get Tarboro on the board for the first time on the afternoon, but it was not enough to dig out of the hold the Vikings found themselves in after surrendering three touchdowns first.

In a twist seen more in 1A football than in other classifications, both team’s quarterbacks made strong defensive efforts on the other side of the ball. Mount Airy’s Ian Gallimore led his team with fourteen tackles and Tarboro’s Omarion Lewis snagged an interception to go along with eight tackles.

The win was the Granite Bears’ seventh title and first since a 2008 win over Williamston. Tarboro, making its sixth straight title game appearance, drops just its second title game in that span.