QC Sports Staff

We have our first controversy of the 2026-27 high school sports year, and it involves issues like money, rankings, and sportsmanship. And it involves one of Mecklenburg County’s iconic football programs – Independence High. What are the limits to completing a game? How much do we expect from our student-athletes and school athletic officials? Those are some of the questions in the wake of Independence’s storm-curtailed game last Friday against Byrnes High in Duncan, S.C., about halfway...

Hough’s defense looks strong enough to repeat as North Carolina’s Class 8A state football champion. The Huskies’ offense? Well, that will get there, head coach DeShawn Baker said Saturday, after his team won the “game of champions,” downing Northwestern 15-10. The contest, played at Rock Hill’s District 3 Stadium, matched North Carolina’s 8A champ against the defending South Carolina Class 5A/Division 2 state title-holder. Northwestern has most key pieces back from an offense that averaged...