After springing the biggest upset in NC Friday, Porter Ridge has rare opportunity
It was truly black Friday in the N.C. 4A football playoffs. Upsets — major upsets — were everywhere (kind of like last week).
But no team got as big a surprise win as Porter RIdge.
Seeded No. 18 in the playoffs, and coming off a 27-21 squeaker over Reagan in the first round, the Pirates beat previously unbeaten Greensboro Grimsley 41-27. Grimsley, which won the 4A championship in the spring, was finally back at full strength after welcoming back defensive tackle Travis Shaw, a North Carolina commit who is one of the nation’s five best players period.
Grimsley QB Alonza Barnett has been a candidate for the Mr. Football state player of the year award all season.
I don’t think anyone outside of Indian Trail saw this one coming.
And now Porter Ridge (8-2) gets a rare chance to beat two reigning state champions in back-to-back weeks.
The Pirates play at two-time N.C. 4AA champion Chambers Friday.
Back to the upsets
In the West 4A, No. 13 East Forsyth shut out No. 4 seeded Ardrey Kell 17-0 on the road. No. 25 seed Mallard Creek — which won its first playoff game in four years last week — continued its Cinderella run, rallying from 12 points down to beat No. 9 Asheville, 13-12.
The Mavericks will play conference rival and No. 1 overall seed Hough next week.
In the East 4A, the entire bracket nearly came apart.
No. 16 Leesville Road beat No. 1 Richmond Senior. No. 25 Knightdale beat No. 9 Pine Forest. No. 12 Millbrook beat No. 5 Hillside. No. 20 Rolesville beat No. 4 New Bern. And No. 18 Panther Creek beat No. 2 Wake Forest.
No. 3 Cleveland got seven touchdowns from UNC recruit Omarion Hampton and beat Wilmington Laney 62-20. Cleveland will host preseason state title favorite Cardinal Gibbons next week.
Say what you will about this new six-week playoff format and going back to four classes (I still wish it was five or six), but it’s produced one of the more entertaining playoffs we’ve had in awhile and we’re just two weeks in. There’s four more weekends left.
Quick Links
Friday’s NC scores, next week’s schedule
Chambers leaves no doubt in HIckory Ridge win3Hough routs South Meck to move to third round
Weddington wins battle of Union County, stops Marvin RIdge
Photos from Chambers-Hickory Ridge
Friday’s #BIG5 Top Performers
Parker Burke, Cuthbertson: 12-of-17 for 265 yards and a touchdown in a 31-14 win over Lake Norman. Burke ran for 20 yards and another score.
Myles Carroll, Porter Ridge: three touchdown passes, two rushing touchdowns in 41-27 win at Greensboro Grimsley,
Tad Hudson, Hough: 10-of-12 passing for 192 yards and three touchdowns in just one half of play in Friday’s 42-7 win over South Meck.
Kyle Parsons, Grady Brosterhous, Weddington: 27 carries, 260 yards, three touchdowns for Parsons in a 41-31 win over Marvin Ridge. Brosterhous had 467 yards total offense.
Daylan Smothers and Kevin Concepcion, Chambers: combined for more than 300 yards total offensive and six touchdowns — three each — in Friday’s 42-21 win at Hickory Ridge.
Scores and schedule
Here are scores from the NC High School Athletic Association and NC Independent Schools high school football playoffs Friday. Also, the schedule for next week.
NCHSAA Playoffs
Class 4A
Friday’s second round
West
Hough 42, South Mecklenburg 7
Mallard Creek 13, Asheville 12
Glenn 54, Myers Park 53
East Forsyth 17, Ardrey Kell 0
Weddington 41, Marvin Ridge 31
Cuthbertson 31, Lake Norman 14
Chambers 42, Hickory Ridge 21
Porter Ridge 41, Grimsley 27
East
Leesville Road 19, Richmond Senior 14
Knightdale 26, Pine Forest 14
Millbrook 14, Hillside 8
Rolesville 69, New Bern 49
Cleveland 62, Laney 20
Cardinal Gibbons 56, Heritage 24
Hoggard 6, South View 0
Panther Creek 14, Wake Forest 13
Next Friday’s third round
West
Mallard Creek (6-4) at Hough (12-0)
East Forsyth (10-1) at Glenn (9-2)
Cuthbertson (6-6) at Weddington (11-1)
Porter Ridge (8-2) at Chambers (11-1)
East
Knightdale (6-5) at Leesville Road (9-2)
Rolesville (7-5) at Millbrook (11-1)
Cardinal Gibbons (10-2) at Cleveland (11-0)
Panther Creek (9-3) at Hoggard (11-1)
Class 3A
Friday’s second round
West
South Point 27, Pisgah 24
Forestview 20, Parkwood 17
North Davidson 31, Hickory 28
Crest 28, West Rowan 15
Dudley 53, Ledford 10
Kings Mountain 27, West Charlotte 17
Hibriten 27, Concord 14
Statesville 42, East Lincoln 3
East
Eastern Alamance 21, Havelock 6
Westover 40, North Brunswick 21
Lee County 42, Southern Nash 24
Jacksonville 31, Hunt 20
Seventy-First 29, Williams 28 (OT)
J.R. Rose 34, Terry Sanford 28
Scotland County 41, West Carteret 21
Northern Nash 39, Smithfield-Selma 21
Next Friday’s third round
West
Forestview (7-5) at South Point (9-3)
North Davidson (8-3) at Crest (9-2)
Kings Mountain (10-2) at Dudley (11-1)
Hibriten (8-3) at Statesville (11-0)
East
Westover (10-1) at Eastern Alamance (9-1)
Jacksonville (9-2) at Lee County (9-3)
J.H. Rose (8-4) at Seventy-First (12-0)
Scotland County (7-4) at Northern Nash (11-1)
Class 2A
Thursday’s second round
East
Northeastern 50, J.A. Holmes 0
Friday’s second round
West
Shelby 42, Polk County 20
East Gaston 41, Forest Hills 21
Hendersonville 38, Burns 13
Reidsville 56, Chase 24
Maiden 47, West Lincoln 0
Salisbury 49, Bunker Hill 0
Monroe 60, Jay M. Robinson 29
East Surry 37, Forbush 20
East
Princeton 41, Kinston 31
Nash Central 13, South Granville 6
St. Pauls 44, Roanoke Rapids 36
Whiteville 56, James Kenan 0
Washington 48, Cummings 40
Wallace-Rose Hill 56, West Craven 21
East Duplin 39, Clinton 22
Next Friday’s third round
West
East Gaston (8-4) at Shelby (11-1)
Hendersonville (10-1) at Reidsville (11-0)
Salisbury (11-0) at Maiden (12-0)
Monroe (8-1) at East Surry (11-0)
East
Nash Central (7-5) at Princeton (11-0)
St. Pauls (10-0) at Whiteville (11-0)
Washington (11-0) at Northeastern (11-0)
Wallace-Rose Hill (10-2) at East Duplin (11-1)
Class 1A
Thursday’s second round
East
Pinetown Northside 69, Hobbton 20
Friday’s second round
West
Eastern Randolph 55, Draughn 20
Mountain Heritage 22, Murphy 10
North Rowan 34, Thomas Jefferson Academy 28
Robbinsville 46, Cherokee 18
Mitchell County 49, Swain County 14
Thomasville 34, South Stokes 0
Starmount 27, Andrews 20
Mount Airy 48, East Wilkes 0
East
Tarboro 48, Southeast Halifax 7
Perquimans 38, Martin Riverside 26
Rosewood 36, North Edgecombe 8
Northampton County 28, Warren County 0
North Moore 30, Gates County 8
Pender County 54, West Columbus 6
Southside 50, KIPP Pride 0
Next Friday’s third round
West
Murphy (8-4) at Eastern Randolph (10-0)
North Rowan (8-3) at Robbinsville (8-3)
Thomasville (9-2) at Mitchell County (10-2)
Starmount (8-4) at Mount Airy (12-0)
East
Perquimans (8-2) at Tarboro (10-0)
Rosewood (9-2) at Northampton County (9-2)
Pender County (8-3) at North Moore (10-1)
Southside (11-1) at Pinetown Northside (10-1)
NCISAA Playoffs
Division 1
Friday’s semifinals
Rabun Gap 38, Charlotte Latin 16
Providence Day 21, Charlotte Christian 17
Next Friday’s state championship
Rabun Gap (9-2) at Providence Day (7-3)
Division 2
Friday’s semifinals
Harrells Christian 40, Charlotte Country Day 0
Cabarrus Warriors 36, Metrolina Christian 29
Next Friday’s state championship
Cabarrus Warriors (9-2) at Harrells Christian (11-1)
8-man Division 1
Friday’s championship
Cary Christian 72, John Paul II Catholic 48
8-man Division 2
Last Saturday’s championship
Wayne Christian 28, Halifax Academy 8
This story was originally published November 13, 2021 at 8:00 AM with the headline "After springing the biggest upset in NC Friday, Porter Ridge has rare opportunity."
