High school football gameday: Your guide to Thursday’s opening-night games
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
With a wave of possibly severe thunderstorms heading for the state Friday, many NC teams are moving games to Thursday, including some in the Charlotte area.
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We’ve got previews for key games in the region Thursday and Friday, plus a full schedule.
Be sure to check back Thursday night for live scores and a full game report.
West Charlotte at Grimsley, Thursday, 7 p.m.: This is a rematch of one of the best games of the 2025 season, when Grimsley held off West Charlotte at Bank of America Stadium. Both teams, each nationally ranked in preseason, will look a lot different. Grimsley QB Faizon Brandon is now battling for the starting job at Tennessee and the Whirlies lost 22 seniors from the 7A state champion. West Charlotte reached the 8A state semifinals with a young team last season, but 12 returnees are now at new schools and the Lions will debut a new QB. Grimsley sophomore Brody Lowe, who started nine games last season, when Brandon was injured, is the new QB1 for the Whirlies.
Hough at Northwestern, Friday, 7 p.m.: Nationally ranked Hough is the reigning N.C. 8A state champion and has the best team, at least on paper, in school history. Northwestern is the reigning S.C. 5A Division II state champion. Both teams return elite QBs. Hough’s Ethan Royal, a Marshall recruit and first-team preseason All-Observer, had 2,993 yards total offensive and 43 touchdowns last season. Northwestern’s Xavier Means had 4,112 yards total and 52 scores. This is one of USA Today’s national games of the week. Four its six experts picked Hough to win.
Lake Wylie (SC) at Ballantyne Ridge, Thursday, 6 p.m.: Lake Wylie kicks off its inaugural season at home against what could become a cross-state rival. Ballantyne Ridge kicks off Year 3 looking for its third win overall and its first on opening night.
Mallard Creek at Rolesville, Thursday, 7 p.m.: Mallard Creek beat Rolesville, 36-21, at home to start the 2025 season and hopes for similar success on the road. Both teams have lots of size and lots of D1 recruits. Success running the ball, and stopping the run, could decide this battle of NC heavyweights.
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Myers Park at Providence Day, Friday, 7 p.m.: The Chargers are normally one of the state’s most prolific teams, but Providence Day will debut a new QB, senior Cole Cater, and have some questions on that side of the ball. On defense, 10 starters return and all 10 have Division I scholarships. Add to that 4-star cornerback Nate Dollard, who transferred from Country Day. Myers Park’s new coach, Duke Howell, makes his debut and returns five starters from a 9-3 team.
South Mecklenburg at Charlotte Catholic, Friday, 7 p.m.: The schools are literally across the street from each other in south Charlotte. Catholic returns five-time state championship coach Mike Brodowicz and has some confidence it can challenge for a 6A title this winter. South Meck comes off a seven-win season, its most since 2021, and returns a confident team hungry to keep the momentum going. This game has become one of the better rivalries in the region in recent years.
Weddington at Mooresville, Friday, 7 p.m.: Two teams that expect to make 7A playoff runs hook up. Mooresville has 10 starters back from a 9-3 team and picked up former Ambassador Christian QB Weston Michalak, who threw for 2,321 yards and 21 scores as a freshman. Weddington, coming off a state semifinals appearance, added former Independence star QB Jared Street, who committed to Western Carolina after throwing for 2,317 yards and 19 touchdowns as a junior last fall.
West Mecklenburg at Berry, Thursday, 7 p.m.: It’s the debut game for Hawks first-year head coach Randall Ingram, who was once a major CMS football star. His job now? Turn around a Hawks team that hasn’t won an opening-day game since 2022. Berry returns three all-conference talents — DB Saron Cooper and multi-position stars Noah Brown and KJ Ellis. The Cardinals think they have a great chance to snap a 12-game losing streak on opening night.
Here are this week’s picks from The Observer’s panel.
AL Brown at Porter Ridge, 7 p.m.
Bradford Prep at Thomas Jefferson, 7 p.m.
Charlotte Christian at Page, 7:30 p.m.
Concord at Mount Pleasant, 7:30 p.m.
East Gaston at North Gaston, 7 p.m.
East Surry at Statesville, 7 p.m.
Forest Hills at Salisbury, 7 p.m.
Garinger at Winston-Salem Prep, 7 p.m.
Harding at Indian Land, 7:30 p.m.
Highland Tech at Langtree Charter, 7 p.m.
Hoke County at Monroe, 7:30 p.m.
Lake Norman at Sun Valley, 7 p.m.
Lake Wylie (S.C.) at Ballantyne Ridge, 6:30 p.m.
Mallard Creek at Rolesville, 7 p.m.
Marvin Ridge at Cox Mill, 7 p.m.
Montgomery Central at Central Cabarrus, 7:30 p.m.
North Iredell at Wilkes Central, 7:30 p.m.
Northwest Cabarrus at West Cabarrus, 7 p.m.
North Stokes at Cherryville, 7 p.m.
Pine Lake Prep at Bessemer City, 7 p.m.
Providence at Hickory Ridge, 7 p.m.
South Point at Hickory, 7:30 p.m.
South Rowan at Union Academy, 7 p.m.
Stuart Cramer at Forestview, 7:30 p.m.
TC Roberson at Hunter Huss, 7:30 p.m.
West Charlotte at Grimsley, 7 p.m.
West Mecklenburg at Berry, 7 p.m.
Note: All games kick off at 7 p.m., unless listed
Ambassador Christian at Mountain View Prep (S.C.) (at North Greenville University), 7:30 p.m.
Read more High school football gameday: Your guide to Thursday’s opening-night games
Bonnie Cone at Hickory Grove
Butler at Olympic
Cuthbertson at Ardrey Kell
East Lincoln at South Iredell
Gray’s Collegiate at Chambers
Hopewell at East Mecklenburg
Hough at Northwestern (SC)
Jay M. Robinson at Charlotte Country Day
Mitchell at Charlotte Latin
Mountain Island Charter at Lincoln Charter
Myers Park at Providence Day
North Stanly at Community School of Davidson
Palisades at Ashbrook
Rocky River at North Mecklenburg
South Mecklenburg at Charlotte Catholic
SouthLake Christian at Lake Norman Charter
Weddington at Mooresville
West Lincoln at North Lincoln, 7:30 p.m.
SATURDAY
Covenant Day at Trinity Christian
