North Carolina High School Football Top 25 State Rankings - Oct. 9, 2025

East Lincoln climbs three spots to No. 17; South Mecklenberg and Lincolnton enter the Top 25

Mike Duprez | Oct 9, 2025

East Lincoln moved up three spots this week, to No. 17, after a 41-14 win over West Iredell. / Brad Arrowood

The top high school football teams in North Carolina continued to hold their positions while there was some movement lower in the poll this week Joining the rankings this week are South Mecklenburg and Lincolnton.

1. Grimsley (6-0)

Previous rank: 1

Defeated Varina (Va.) 21-14; next vs. Ragsdale

2. Providence Day (6-0)

Previous rank: 2

Idle; next at Christ School

3. Hough (6-0)

Previous rank: 3

Idle; next at Garinger

4. Cleveland (6-0)

Previous rank: 4

Defeated Fuquay-Varina 43-0; next vs. Garner

5. Cardinal Gibbons (5-1)

Previous rank: 5

Defeated Ambassador Christian 42-0; next vs. Holly Springs

6. Weddington (5-1)

Previous rank: 6

Defeated Marvin Ridge 47-0; next at Cuthbertson

7. Jacksonville (5-0)

Previous rank: 7

Defeated New Bern 67-34; next vs. J.H. Rose

8. Hoggard (6-0)

Previous rank: 8

Defeated New Hanover 34-0; next at Topsail

9. Tarboro (6-0)

Previous rank: 9

Defeated Greene Central 56-16; next vs. Farmville Central

10. Seventy-First (4-2)

Previous rank: 10

Defeated Douglas Byrd 63-0; next vs. St. Pauls

11. Ashbrook (6-0)

Previous rank: 13

Idle; vs. Kings Mountain

12. West Charlotte (4-2)

Previous rank: 14

Defeated then-No. 11 Independence 31-7

13. Myers Park (5-1)

Previous rank: 16

Defeated Garinger 58-0; next vs. Hopewell

14. Watauga (6-0)

Previous rank: 17

Defeated then-No. 12 Freedom 42-20; next vs. South Caldwell

15. Mallard Creek (5-2)

Previous rank: 18

Defeated North Mecklenburg 33-14l; next idle

16. Jordan (7-0)

Previous rank: 19

Defeated Green Hope 48-14; next idle

17. East Lincoln (7-0)

Prevous rank: 20

Defeated West Iredell 41-14; next at Foard

18. Crest (5-1)

Previous rank: 21

Defeated South Point 42-7; next at Huss

19. Hickory (6-1)

Previous rank: 22

Defeated Maiden 38-21; next at West Iredell

20. Millbrook (6-0)

Previous rank: 23

Defeated Leesvile Road 28-0; next at Broughton

21. Kings Mountain (5-1)

Previous rank: 25

Defeated North Gaston 65-0; next at Ashbrook

22. South Mecklenburg (6-1)

Previous rank: Not ranked

Defeated West Mecklenburg 45-20; next at No. 3 Hough

23. Lincolnton (6-1)

Previous rank: Not ranked

Defeated Bessemer City 37-0; next vs. Shelby

24. Freedom (5-1)

Previous rank: 12

Lost 42-20 to then-No. 17 Watauga; next at St. Stephens

25. Independence (4-2)

Previous rank: 11

Lost 31-7 to then-No. 14 West Charlotte; next vs. Chambers

Published Oct 9, 2025

MIKE DUPREZ

Mike Duprez became a freelance sports journalist for Scorebooklive.com several months after retiring from the newspaper business. A native of Oakland, California, Duprez moved around as a child due to his father’s service in the United States Marine Corps. He earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1981. Duprez, who lives in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, had 30 years of experience in newspapers as well as other endeavors before retiring at the end of 2021. He covers stories in both North Carolina and South Carolina for Scorebooklive.com.