Chapel Hill and Raleigh – All the recaps, stats, and photos from the 2024 NCHSAA Football Championships.
Tarboro wins ninth NCHSAA Championship, first since 2021
RALEIGH – The Tarboro Vikings made their eighth consecutive appearance in the North Carolina High School Association’s State Championship Game on Saturday afternoon at Carter-Finley Stadium and won 45-24, ending a three-year title game losing streak.
The Vikings built an early lead against the Corvian Community Cardinals and never relinquished. The Vikings led 18-3 at halftime thanks to rushing touchdowns from Caiden Everette, Kamerin McDowell-Moore and Mason Satterfield.
Corvian Community found the end zone first after halftime to pull within eight points at 18-10 thanks to a three-yard rush by Alan Jackson Jr. Satterfield added his second score later in the third but the Cardinals came right back with a Noah Best touchdown to make the score 24-17. Best was named the West Most Outstanding Offensive Player and finished the game with 60 rushing yards.
Kamerin McDowell-Moore took the game over from there, scoring three fourth-quarter touchdowns on runs of 60-, 7- and 40-yards. McDowell-Moore was named the Carolina Panthers Most Valuable Player for the game as he finished with 233 yards and four scores on 20 carries.
Satterfield ended the game with 146 yards on 13 carries and was named the East Most Outstanding Offensive player. Tarboro Senior Cole Craddock was the East Most Outstanding Defensive player as he had 8 solo tackles, two for a loss and nine assisted tackles.
Jackson was named the West Most Outstanding Defensive Player as he had 10 total tackles. He also threw for 213 yards going 18-for-28.
Tarboro finished the year 14-1 and is now 9-6 in NCHSAA Championship Games. The Cardinals ended 2024 15-1 and made their debut in the Championship Game this year.
The NCHSAA is committed to recognizing outstanding sportsmanship in each of our State Championship events. The Association has partnered with the North Carolina Farm Bureau to award a pair of Sportsmanship Awards at each championship event, recognizing players who have demonstrated the ideals of outstanding character and sportsmanship throughout the 2024 season. The winners of the 1A Football NC Farm Bureau Sportsmanship Awards were Chris Gunter from Tarboro and Jayden Summers from Corvian Community.
Monroe outlasts Northeastern for second title
CHAPEL HILL – The Monroe Redhawks topped the Northeastern Eagles 35-25 on Saturday night at Kenan Stadium to win the program’s second North Carolina High School Athletic Association State Championship.
Northeastern led 18-14 at the break thanks to two touchdown passes from Trevaris Jones and a 27-yard run from Carren Armstrong. Monroe quarterback Kaegan Chambers threw a 70-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter to Jordan Young and ran for a 32-yard score in the second.
After halftime, Monroe took the lead on a Nymir Kendall 24-yard run and extended it three minutes later on a 4-yard Nymir Kendall 4-yard run. The Eagles pulled within three points at the end of the third quarter as Jones threw a two-yard touchdown pass to Zion Demps.
But the Redhawks put things away with an 18-yard touchdown run from Zion Lindsey. Lindsey finished the game with 18 carries for 121 yards and earned the Carolina Panthers Most Valuable Player Award. Jordan Young had two impressive catches for 79 yards and a touchdown and was named the West Most Outstanding Offensive Player
Jesus Jarquin-Ambrosio had six total tackles and two pass breakups for Monroe and was named the West Most Outstanding Defensive Player.
For the Eagles, Tyell Saunders had seven catches for 107 yards and a touchdown and was named the East Most Outstanding Offensive Player. Khamani Bennett, who finished with two tackles and two interceptions was named the East Most Outstanding Defensive Player.
Monroe is now 2-3 all-time in NCHSAA Championship Games having last won the title in 2015. The Redhawks finished the 2024 season 15-0. Northeastern ended the year 15-1 and is now 0-4 in NCHSAA Championship Games.
The NCHSAA is committed to recognizing outstanding sportsmanship in each of our State Championship events. The Association has partnered with the North Carolina Farm Bureau to award a pair of Sportsmanship Awards at each championship event, recognizing players who have demonstrated the ideals of outstanding character and sportsmanship throughout the 2024 season. The winners of the 2A Football NC Farm Bureau Sportsmanship Awards were Dakari Adams from Northeastern and Jesus Jaquin-Ambrosio from Monroe.
West Charlotte holds off Seventy-First to win second title
Full Stats | Post-Game Press Conference
RALEIGH – The West Charlotte Lions held off the Seventy-First Falcons 14-7 on Saturday afternoon in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association’s 3A Football Championship Game at Carter-Finley Stadium.
The win marks the second NCHSAA Football Championship for the Lions, who last won in 1995. West Charlotte finished the season 13-2 and is now 2-6 in its eight Championship Game appearances.
West Charlotte took the lead in the first quarter with a six-yard pass from Jamouri Nichols to K.D. Cotton midway through the first quarter. Cotton, who also had 39 rushing yards, was named the West Most Outstanding Offensive Player of the Game.
Seventy-First tied the score just before the half with a 12-play, 75-yard drive that culminated in a five-yard touchdown run from Jayson Franklin. Falcon quarterback Deandre Nance, who was battling a knee injury suffered in the Regional Final, finished the game 10-for-20 for 142 yards and was named the East Most Outstanding Offensive Player of the Game.
The Lions nearly stole the lead back before the break as Davion Jones returned the ensuing kick-off for a touchdown, only for it to be nullified by a holding penalty.
West Charlotte eventually pulled back in front early in the fourth quarter as Nichols found Donte Nicholson for a 10-yard touchdown strike. Nichols finished the game 12-for-13 for 94 yards and a touchdown and was named the Carolina Panthers Most Valuable Player of the Game.
Seventy-First’s Nryus Moore was named the East Most Outstanding Defensive Player as he recorded a pair of sacks and West Charlotte’s Noah Collins was named the West Most Outstanding Defensive Player as he had a team-high 10 tackles including four for loss.
The loss ended Seventy-First’s season at 15-1 and is the second year in a row that the Falcons have finished as NCHSAA 3A Football State Runner-up. Seventy-First is now 2-2-1 in NCHSAA Championship Games.
The NCHSAA is committed to recognizing outstanding sportsmanship in each of our State Championship events. The Association has partnered with the North Carolina Farm Bureau to award a pair of Sportsmanship Awards at each championship event, recognizing players who have demonstrated the ideals of outstanding character and sportsmanship throughout the 2024 season. The winners of the 3A Football NC Farm Bureau Sportsmanship Awards were Jytavius Whitted from Seventy-First High School and Mike Kpuih from West Charlotte High School.
Grimsley completes perfect season, tops Rolesville 35-23
Full Stats | Post-Game Press Conferences
CHAPEL HILL – The Grimsley Whirlies completed a perfect season and claimed their second North Carolina High School Athletic Association Football State Championship with a 35-23 win against the Rolesville Rams on Friday night at Kenan Stadium.
The Whirlies struck first as Faizon Brandon connected with Khyan Battle for a 20-yard touchdown pass with four minutes left in the first quarter. Running back Mitchell Summer added a two-yard touchdown run in the final minute of the quarter to take a 14-0 lead into the second.
The Rams found the scoreboard in the second quarter as A.J. Roberts scored on a 43-yard pass from Baden Atkinson. Summer responded with a 44-yard touchdown run to push the lead back to 21-7. Summer was named the West Most Offensive Outstanding Player as he finished the game with 133 yards on 26 carries.
Rolesville took possession with 48 seconds left in the first half and marched down the field to score on a nine-yard touchdown pass from Atkinson to Jack McHugh, making the score 21-14 at the break. Rolesville kicker Riley Daniels added a 23-yard field goal in the third to pull within four points, but the Whirlies put things away in the fourth.
Brandon added a 1-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter, and the Whirlies shut down the Rams on the ensuing drive, capped by a huge third down sack by Jaiden Wardlaw. Three plays later, the Whirlies were in the end zone again, thanks to a 63-yard pass to Hudson Cooper. Faizon Brandon was named the Carolina Panthers Most Valuable Player of the game as he finished the night 9-of-13 passing for 182 yards and two scores.
The Rams scored a touchdown as time expired as Atkinson found Gavin Waddell in the front corner of the end zone.
For Rolesville, Atkinson was named the Most Outstanding Offensive Player as he went 21-for-39 for 298 yards and three touchdowns. The Most Outstanding Defensive Players were Rolesville’s Xavier Lewis, who tallied a game-high 12 tackles, and Grimsley’s Bryce Davis, who had three sacks.
The NCHSAA is committed to recognizing outstanding sportsmanship in each of our State Championship events. The Association has partnered with the North Carolina Farm Bureau to award a pair of Sportsmanship Awards at each championship event, recognizing players who have demonstrated the ideals of outstanding character and sportsmanship throughout the 2024 season. The winners of the 4A Football NC Farm Bureau Sportsmanship Awards were Gavin Marks from Rolesville High School and Will Rainwater from Grimsley High School.
