PIEDMONT TRIAD, N.C. (WGHP) — The North Carolina High School Athletic Association Football Championships are about to begin and several Piedmont Triad high schools are matched up against one another.
These are all the matchups and key players to watch in those Triad games.
4A Matchups
No. 1 Grimsley Whirlies (10-0) vs. No. 32 Western Guilford Hornets (4-6)
Friday, Nov. 15, 7:30 p.m. @Jamieson Stadium
A pair of Guilford County and Metro 4A conference rivals will face off in a rematch in the first round of the state playoffs.
Grimsley defeated Western Guilford 48-0 when the two played each other last month on Oct. 4.
Players to watch
- Faizon Brandon, Grimsley quarterback
- 5-star recruit committed to Tennesse
- Threw for 20 touchdowns and 1 interception in 2024
- Bryce Davis, Grimsley defensive lineman
- Recorded 17 sacks in 2024
- 4-star recruit committed to Duke
- DJ Howerton, Grimsley tight end
- 3-star recruit
- Timothy Baker, Western Guilford running back
- Leads team with 922 yards rushing, 10 rushing touchdowns, 5.9 yards per carry
- Simeon Libby, Western Guilford
- Leads team with 6 sacks
No. 16 Reagan Raiders (6-4) vs. No. 17 Southeast Guilford Falcons (6-4)
Friday, Nov. 15, 7:30 p.m. @Reagan High School
This Triad matchup features two very evenly matched squads.
Reagan has shut out their opponent in two of their last three games and Southeast Guilford has won four of their last five games.
Players to watch
- Ian Mckinnon, Southeast Guilford running back/linebacker
- Leads team with 12 rushing touchdowns
- Leads team 56 total tackles
- John Evans Jr., Reagan running back
- Leads team with 922 yards rushing
3A Matchups
No. 5 Dudley Panthers (10-0) vs. No. 28 Asheboro Blue Comets (4-6)
Friday, Nov. 15 at 7 p.m. @Dudley High School
Greensboro’s Dudley Panthers will face off against the Asheboro Blue Comets in a round 1 contest on Friday night.
Dudley is looking to make another deep playoff run after making it to the Final Four last year and losing to the eventual 3A state champion Hickory Red Tornadoes in a 41-42 heartbreaker.
Asheboro is looking to continue to build on the leap they have made from going 1-9 in 2023 to making the playoffs this year.
Dudley brings with it a dominant defense that has only allowed a combined 15 points to all opponents during their undefeated 2024 campaign. The Panthers have held their opponent scoreless in eight of their 10 games.
Players to watch
- Nasir Newkirk, Dudley wide receiver
- 3-star recruit committed to Liberty
- Kordell Bartley, Dudley wide receiver
- 3-star recruit
- Quincey Lee, Asheboro running back
- Leads team with 13 rushing touchdowns
- Connor Britton, Asheboro running back
- Leads team with 1060 yards rushing
2A Matchups
No. 12 Walkertown Wolfpack (7-3) vs. No. 21 Surry Central Golden Eagles (6-4)
Friday, Nov. 15 at 7 p.m. @Walkertown High School
This exciting matchup features a Walkertown team that got off to an electric 6-1 start to the season versus a Surry Central team that also started hot at 4-2.
Surry Central has improved substantially from its 3-7 finish in 2023 and Walkertown as well has made a huge leap from their own 3-7 finish in 2023.
Players to watch
- Cam Kelly, Walkertown running back,
- Ran for 1,533 yards, and scored 20 touchdowns in 2024
- 8 games with over 100 yards
- Brian Williams, Surry Central running back
- 17 total touchdowns
No. 6 East Surry Cardinals (8-2) vs. No. 27 Southwestern Randolph Cougars (6-4)
Friday, Nov. 15 at 7 p.m. @East Surry High School
East Surry is one of the hottest teams in the state having won seven consecutive games after a 1-2 start to their season. Six of those wins have been in dominant fashion with margins of victory over 29 points.
Southwestern Randolph has won three of their last four games.
Players to watch
- Troy Watson, East Surry running back
- Ran for 759 yards and 11 touchdowns
- Noah Felts, East Surry running back
- Ran for 751 yards and 12 touchdowns
No. 11 West Stokes Wildcats (8-2) vs. No. 22 North Forsyth Vikings (5-5)
West Stokes comes into this game red hot winning seven of their last eight contests. Their only loss in that time was to the defending 2A champion and conference rival Reidsville Rams. They also defeated 12-seed Walkertown 14-12 in their most recent game.
The contest will be a rematch with their conference rival in North Forsyth.
West Stokes beat North Forsyth on Oct. 4 by a score of 30-21.
North Forsyth has won two games in a row heading into this thanks in large part to two dominant defensive efforts holding their opponents to a combined six points.
Players to watch
- Lindann Fleming, West Stokes running back
- Leads team with 921 yards rushing and 14 touchdowns
- Aydenn Cherry, West Stokes running back/outside linebacker/strong safety
- Leads team with six interceptions
- Second on team with 13 touchdowns
- Second on team with 649 rushing yards
