Here’s Your Week 1 Prep Football Package: Preview, Schedule and More
Didn’t we know this is how the 2026 high school football season would start?
After weeks of torrid heat, high humidity and only spotty rainfall, the opening weekend of the ’26 campaign is threatened by heavy showers and thunderstorms Friday night.
As a result, we now have a stretched-out opening weekend, with dozens of area games moved from Friday night to Thursday night. The problem is, thunderstorms are in the Thursday evening forecast too.
So we probably can count on more rescheduling of games, a number of lightning delays, and probably a few contests that won’t get played until Saturday.
It’s a shame, because the opening weekend schedule is really nice.
Here is a look at some of the weekend’s top games, followed by the complete schedule:
(won-loss records are from last season)
THURSDAY NIGHT
Mallard Creek (7-4) at Rolesville (9-4), 7 p.m. – This is the first of two straight games for Rolesville against Charlotte-area powers. Next week, the Rams face Providence Day. Facing Rolesville early in the season might be to Mallard Creek’s advantage, as the Rams are young and playing under new head coach Kevin Riddick (a former UNC standout and NFL player). But Rolesville has several highly-regarded young players, including RB Amir Brown and DB Marquis Bryant.
Mallard Creek has huge offensive and defensive lines. Austin Ballou, at 6-8 and 340 pounds, is a potential all-state player. In recent years, the Mavericks’ problem has been finding a consistent passing attack. That will be the question mark again this season.
West Charlotte (10-3) at Grimsley (15-0), 7 p.m. – Grimsley’s closest call last season was a season-opening 28-27 victory over West Charlotte. But this is a different West Charlotte team, missing many of the key players from 2025. New head coach D.J. McFadden is confident that his team is good enough to challenge for an 8A state title, however.
Grimsley’s 2025 leader, QB Faizon Brandon, is a Tennessee Volunteer now, but Whirlies’ sophomore Brody Lowe threw for 2,500-plus yards last season when Brandon was injured. Grimsley has FBS-level talent across the lineup, and this will be a tough spot for McFadden and the Lions.
South Point (10-3) at Hickory (12-2), 7:30 p.m. – It’s a meeting of two perennial powers, and a contrast in styles. South Point runs the ball more than 90 percent of the time, and the Raiders should be strong on the ground again, behind QB Cayden Rumph and RB Kaveaun Pless.
RB Jaheem Jenkins (nearly 1,700 rushing yards in 2025) returns for Hickory, but the Tornadoes must replace their QB and several WR’s.
FRIDAY NIGHT
Butler (5-7) at Olympic (9-3), 7 p.m. – It’s the head coaching debut for Butler’s Donald Littlejohn, who was a highly-regarded assistant for more than a decade. RB Damourion Thomas Wright provides a powerful boost for the offense, and the Bulldogs have several returning defensive starters.
Olympic is always strong under head coach Brandon Thompson, and the Trojans have several returning all-conference defenders. It could be tough to score on Olympic this season.
Hough (14-0) at Northwestern-SC (13-1), 7:30 p.m. – It’s a meeting of defending state champions at Rock Hill’s District 3 Stadium, and this could be one of the Carolinas’ top games of the season. Northwestern’s talent starts with QB Xavier Means, who threw for more than 2,800 yards and rushing for more than 1,200 last season.
Means and Northwestern’s high-scoring offense faces a powerful Hough defense, featuring five-star DB Josh Dobson. QB Ethan Royal returns to lead the Huskies’ offense.
Independence (10-3) at Duncan-SC Byrnes (8-4), 7:30 p.m. – This could be a tough spot for an Independence team with new faces at many key positions and playing for the first time under new head coach Robert Williams. Only three starters return from 2025.
Byrnes, a perennial S.C. power, has a powerful running game, featuring LSU commit Tre Segarra (nearly 1,500 rushing yards in 2025) and East Tennessee-bound Jacobi Fuller. WR Chu Harris is a Syracuse commit.
Myers Park (9-3) at Providence Day (13-0), 7 p.m. – New head coach Duke Howell and his Mustangs will have their hands full against the defending N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association’s state champion. Most of Myers Park’s key performers are sophomores and juniors, so there’ll be a learning curve this season.
Providence Day will have new faces at several offensive skilled positions, but nine starters return on defense. The defensive line – with Charles Ibe, Griff Galloway and Jace Goodwin – is especially strong.
South Mecklenburg (7-4) at Charlotte Catholic (7-5), 7 p.m. – Mixed in with all the matchups of big-name teams this week is an old-fashioned neighborhood rivalry. Of particular interest here is the return of Mike Brodowicz as Charlotte Catholic’s head coach. Brodowicz coached the Cougars to five state titles in his first tenure as coach, from 2014 to 2022.
Weddington (12-2) at Mooresville (9-3), 7 p.m. – Mooresville lost several key offensive performers from a year ago but landed a pair of standout transfers in QB Weston Michalak (from Ambassador Christian) and RB Zy Pharr (from Garinger).
Weddington suffered graduation losses, but the Warriors also benefited from several transfers, including QB Jared Street, who led Independence’s offense a year ago.
THE SCHEDULE
(all kickoffs at 7 pm, unless listed otherwise)
(won-loss records are from 2025)
Thursday, Aug. 20
Mecklenburg nonconference
Garinger (1-9) at Winston-Salem Prep (3-9)
Gray Collegiate-SC (11-3) at Chambers (5-7)
Lake Wylie-SC (0-0) at Ballantyne Ridge (2-8)
Mallard Creek (7-4) at Rolesville (9-4)
Providence (8-4) at Hickory Ridge (4-6)
West Charlotte (10-3) at Grimsley (15-0)
West Mecklenburg (1-10) at Berry Academy (0-10)
Area nonconference
A.L. Brown (8-4) at Porter Ridge (7-5)
Bandys (6-6) at St. Stephens (6-6), 7:30 pm
Bradford Prep (0-0) at Thomas Jefferson Academy (5-7)
Bunker Hill (1-9) at Draughn (1-9), 7:30 pm
Concord (7-5) at Mount Pleasant (8-4), 7:30 pm
Davie County (7-5) at West Forsyth (10-3)
East Gaston (2-8) at North Gaston (1-9)
Forest Hills (9-3) at Salisbury (2-9)
Harding (2-8) at Indian Land-SC (11-2), 7:30 pm
Highland Tech (2-9) at Langtree Charter (1-10)
Hoke County (2-7) at Monroe (7-4)
Marvin Ridge (6-6) at Cox Mill (3-7)
Montgomery Central (5-7) at Central Cabarrus (5-7)
North Iredell (1-9) at Wilkes Central (5-6)
North Stokes (4-7) at Cherryville (6-6)
Northwest Cabarrus (7-4) at West Cabarrus (6-6)
Parkwood (2-8) at Piedmont (2-8)
Pine Lake Prep (2-8) at Bessemer City (1-9), 7:30 pm
Red Springs (5-7) at Anson County (2-8)
South Point (10-3) at Hickory (12-2), 7:30 pm
South Rowan (3-8) at Union Academy (5-7)
Stuart Cramer (9-3) at Forestview (3-8), 7:30 pm
T.C. Roberson (7-4) at Hunter Huss (5-6)
West Rowan (7-5) at North Rowan (7-5)
West Wilkes (7-4) at Fred T. Foard (5-7), 7:30 pm
Friday, Aug. 21
Mecklenburg nonconference
Ambassador Christian (5-4-1) vs. Mountain View Prep-SC (10-2), at North Greenville Univ., 7:30 p.m.
Asheville School (7-3-1) at Corvian Community (10-2)
Bonnie Cone Academy (0-11) at Hickory Grove Christian (6-4)
Butler (5-7) at Olympic (9-3)
Charlotte Christian (7-6) at Greensboro Page (8-4)
Christ the King (7-4) at Metrolina Christian (3-7)
Cuthbertson (3-8) at Ardrey Kell (6-5)
Hopewell (4-7) at East Mecklenburg (3-7)
Hough (14-0) at Northwestern-SC (13-1), 7:30 pm
Independence (10-3) at Duncan Byrnes-SC (8-4), 7:30 pm
Jay M. Robinson (11-2) at Charlotte Country Day (6-4)
Lake Norman (8-4) at Sun Valley (9-4)
Mitchell County (9-5) at Charlotte Latin (7-4)
Myers Park (9-3) at Providence Day (13-0)
North Stanly (9-3) vs. Community School of Davidson (7-5), at Spartan Park in Huntersville
Palisades (8-4) at Ashbrook (12-1), 7:30 pm
Rocky River (3-7) at North Mecklenburg (3-7)
South Mecklenburg (7-4) at Charlotte Catholic (7-5)
SouthLake Christian (3-8) at Lake Norman Charter (5-6)
Area nonconference
Alexander Central (3-8) at Newton-Conover (9-3), 7:30 pm
Burns (7-5) at Crest (13-2), 7:30 pm
College Prep & Leadership (1-9) at Albemarle (5-7)
East Burke (4-7) at West Iredell (6-6)
East Lincoln (10-2) at South Iredell (3-8)
East Rowan (4-7) at Wheatmore (3-9)
East Surry (5-7) at Statesville (8-4)
High Point Christian (12-0) at Cannon School (7-5)
Jesse Carson (5-6) at Central Davidson (11-2)
Kings Mountain (8-5) at Shelby (13-3), 7:30 pm
Lincolnton (11-2) at Maiden (9-5), 7:30 pm
Mountain Island Charter (7-6) at Lincoln Charter (3-7)
North Lincoln (2-9) at West Lincoln (6-6)
Weddington (12-2) at Mooresville (9-3)
West Stanly (2-10) at South Stanly (9-3)
Saturday, Aug. 22
Mecklenburg nonconference
Trinity Christian (8-3) at Covenant Day (2-8), 6 pm
