State Finals Scores

[ObserveAndReport]

3A boys
Weddington 56, Northwood 47–Weddington is very good. Northwood’s core of freshman is going to be special so shouldn’t hang their heads too much.

4A Girls
Vance 74, Garner 38. Vance High goes out on top in last year as Vance.

 

[Griddie]

Congrats to coach Brown and that young Chargers team. And to coach Vernon and the Northwood girls as well who are also young and had a great season. Both are class acts and the future is bright and their days will come imo.
Hats off to Weddington, super team and well coached as well. Congrats on the state title. Might see these two again in the future.

 

[ObserveAndReport]

Murphy and Princeton girls starting a little late. Traffic issues. Starting now.

 

[mbdfan]

Murphy up 45 - 23 at the half

 

[ObserveAndReport]

Murphy up 45 - 23 at the half

Murphy is more talented than Princeton, but them sitting back in that zone so long while Murphy rained 3s didn’t help matters either. Princeton actually shooting well just can’t take care of the ball.

 

[mbdfan]

Murphy is more talented than Princeton, but them sitting back in that zone so long while Murphy rained 3s didn’t help matters either.

As soon as Pickens started heating up they should've pulled the plug on the zone.

 

[murphydawg4life]

Murphy is just having their way.. Murphy up 68-27 end of the 3rd quarter. Princeton seems like they don’t know what hit them.. that full court press is something else. Looks like back to back state championships for Murphy.

 

[mbdfan]

74-29 6 minutes to go in 4th, starters pulled

 

[murphydawg4life]

Who’d thought. Murphy called timeout after they scored to get the starters out with 6 mins to go in the 4th in a state championship game. The playoff tear this Murphy team has been on has been something special. Congrats to the Murphy Lady Bulldogs. Running clock now with a 40 Pt threshold. Murphy up 74-30.. 4:40 to go

 

[Mhsneer]

Murphy is more talented than Princeton, but them sitting back in that zone so long while Murphy rained 3s didn’t help matters either. Princeton actually shooting well just can’t take care of the ball.

It’s a good idea to guard Murphy closely as my mountaineers figured out

 

[Pantherdad13]

Back to Back!

 

[Lion Attack]

The Shelby Lady Lions are state champs! They defeated FarmVille Central, 77-62.

 

[murphydawg4life]

Interesting note: Princeton left their starters in and the Murphy subs played them even the rest of the game. Perhaps another good team next year for Murphy. Rogers only a junior and only two seniors on this team. Congrats Murphy Lady Bulldogs. 2021 State 1A Champions

 

[ObserveAndReport]

Murphy is just having their way.. Murphy up 68-27 end of the 3rd quarter. Princeton seems like they don’t know what hit them.. that full court press is something else. Looks like back to back state championships for Murphy.

Seemed like that 30 footer Rogers hit at halftime buzzer deflated them. Second half you could tell from body language that their fight was pretty much gone. Princeton coach in a pregame HighSchoolOT interview mentioned they had not seen man defense much this year...that showed and Murphy’s was great.

 

[mbdfan]

HighSchoolOT interview mentioned they had not seen man defense much this year...that showed and Murphy’s was great.

Yeah I watched that yesterday afternoon, knew then it was going to be a rough one for them lol.

 

[mbdfan]

Great 5 year run for Murphy, they been the best 1A team in the state the last 3 seasons in my opinion, so I'm glad they were able to get at least 2 titles out if it.

 

[wncbowhunter]

Congratulations to Murphy, Vance and Shelby women as well as Weddington men.

Go Mountaineers

 

[ObserveAndReport]

2A Boys
Farmville Central 113, Hendersonville 98.
Hendersonville was scrappy and kept it interesting but Farmville just with too much length, athleticism, and T Smith. Highest scoring finals game in history. Two underclassmen guards had close to 30 each for Hendersonville, so seems possible they could be back next year.

 

[mbdfan]

2A Boys
Farmville Central 113, Hendersonville 98.
Hendersonville was scrappy and kept it interesting but Farmville just with too much length, athleticism, and T Smith. Highest scoring finals game in history. Two underclassmen guards had close to 30 each for Hendersonville, so seems possible they could be back next year.

I didn't watch but based on the final score I got to hand it to Hendo, thought they would get blown out. For them to stay within 20 is impressive.

 

[NCprepbball]

The west teams were tough in the first four games.
The west region probably had 8 other 1A girl teams that could’ve beaten Princeton. Murphy looked pretty good. Congrats to Princeton on a good year.
Weddington guys had a balanced team. Northwood will be good in years to come.
I honestly thought FarmVille Cent would beat Shelby girls. FC pummeled teams in the east. Shelby had a tougher road.
also, shocked that Vance beat Garner so bad.

 

[NCprepbball]

Watching Asheboro and Carson 3A girls not overly impressed as compared to some of the other girl teams.

 

[Vik-Val 86]

Millbrook n Ardrey Kell game is turning out to be a good one. Millbrook up 34-33 at this point in the 3rd.

 

[Vik-Val 86]

Congratulations to Carson girls as they won the 3A State Championship game over Asheboro 51-40. Way to represent the NPC 3A.

 

[PisgahBear9975]

I didn't watch but based on the final score I got to hand it to Hendo, thought they would get blown out. For them to stay within 20 is impressive.

I saw Hendo three times this year, and their guards are the real deal. Just couldn’t match FC’s length and overall athleticism today.

 

[Vik-Val 86]

Wow what a game. Millbrook with a win 67-65 in OT

 

[wncbowhunter]

Wow what a game. Millbrook with a win 67-65 in OT

Great high school game, heck just great game. That and the FC/Hendo game were both outstanding. 2 very different games but both were very enjoyable to watch. Some high caliber ball teams in public ball in NC. Not even taking in the private schools. It is great to live in a state with this kind of talent.

Go Mountaineers

 

[bralpa]

Got to see Weddington defeat Crest in Western Regional Final and then Northwood today in the 3A State Championship...if there is a better coached team anywhere I'd be surprised. They play great zone defense, pass the ball extremely well, have great shot selection, good overall depth, and shoot it lights-out. Northwood has a 6'8" and 6'5" Freshman that are outstanding - Wedding with only one Senior...could be a rematch next year.

Shelby girls used great Guard play to beat a much taller FC team...Shelby has no Senior starters - look out for them again next two years.

Finally ended with FC boys vs Hendo - Hendo gave up a lot of size and length, but played with no fear and very disciplined. In the end, FC was probably the biggest, most athletic, and deepest boys team that played today at Providence Grove - and all 4 teams were very good and well-coached.

 

[Griddie]

Seemed like that 30 footer Rogers hit at halftime buzzer deflated them. Second half you could tell from body language that their fight was pretty much gone. Princeton coach in a pregame HighSchoolOT interview mentioned they had not seen man defense much this year...that showed and Murphy’s was great.

Final nail maybe. But it was over by then

 

[ObserveAndReport]

Final nail maybe. But it was over by then

Oh they definitely weren’t coming back from 19 down if that shot hadn’t gone in but they played with a little more life first half. Then they pretty much just looked like they wanted to be anywhere else after that shot...23-4 third quarter was just brutal to watch.

 

[BlackCat93]

The west teams were tough in the first four games.
The west region probably had 8 other 1A girl teams that could’ve beaten Princeton. Murphy looked pretty good. Congrats to Princeton on a good year.
Weddington guys had a balanced team. Northwood will be good in years to come.
I honestly thought FarmVille Cent would beat Shelby girls. FC pummeled teams in the east. Shelby had a tougher road.
also, shocked that Vance beat Garner so bad.

I don’t think Princeton finishes in the top 5 in the SMC. Honestly, the only team they would have no trouble with is Andrews.

 

[Mhsneer]

Farmville Central 113, Hendersonville 98.
Hendersonville was scrappy and kept it interesting but Farmville just with too much length, athleticism, and T Smith. Highest scoring finals game in history. Two underclassmen guards had close to 30 each for Hendersonville, so seems possible they could be back next year.
[/QUOTE]
Marvin featherstone is the best hs coach in wnc. It really isn’t close anymore

 

[ObserveAndReport]

I don’t think Princeton finishes in the top 5 in the SMC. Honestly, the only team they would have no trouble with is Andrews.

I think they got blindsided by a level of play they hadn’t seen before, but if they were actually in the SMC night in and night out they’d be better than what we saw today. But definitely wouldn’t have been in the top 3.

 

[recycled2]

90% or more the state championship is the Western final.

 

[wncbowhunter]

When you have a team competing for a state championship that isn't capable of breaking a 22 press, and no type of man offense then someone has failed somewhere. It shows how far down 1a girls division is across the board, with the exception of two or three elite teams in the west

West will get a little deeper this fall with the addition of Mountain Heritage. But the western finals will still produce the champ most years.

Go Mountaineers

 

[Mhsneer]

With all the talented athletes in the East you wonder why 1a football and girls basketball is that way usually

 

[No Mercy]

The addition of the charter schools pushed a lot of the best football/basketball programs in the east up to 2A. The 1A in those sports is actually worse than it used to be.
Rocky mount Prep deemphasized hoops somewhat, and in the past 15-20 years, all these schools that were 1A went 2A;
James Kenan
Wallce Rose hill
Farmville Central
Ayden Grifton
Goldsboro
Whiteville

thats a BUNCH of basketball talent gone.

Another issue this year is that the pandemic disproportionally hurt the poorer school districts. A BUNCH of kids who normally play sports are not playing, from transportation to grades to jobs. This lowered the level of play quite a bit too.

 

[ObserveAndReport]

The addition of the charter schools pushed a lot of the best football/basketball programs in the east up to 2A. The 1A in those sports is actually worse than it used to be.
Rocky mount Prep deemphasized hoops somewhat, and in the past 15-20 years, all these schools that were 1A went 2A;
James Kenan
Wallce Rose hill
Farmville Central
Ayden Grifton
Goldsboro
Whiteville

thats a BUNCH of basketball talent gone.

I agree that charters have pushed a lot of good "traditional school" teams out of 1A, but if we're talking girls side, the east wasn't winning titles even before that. By my count, the east has won 3 in the last 35 years (Pamlico in '19, Union in '98, and Lakewood in '94...and a 4th if you count the 2020 Murphy/Weldon co-champ situation). I think that what has replaced the the larger traditional schools has made 1A boys tougher while watering down 1A girls.

 

[No Mercy]

The boys arent tougher. there are a few good teams. But overall they have declined. The depth is no longer there

 

[ObserveAndReport]

Other than W-RH in '06, the East wasn't winning the 1A boys title before school choice exploded, either. Early-mid 2000s was all west (Thomasville, Cummings, Hayesville, Mt. Airy). East actually has more boys titles (four) the last decade than the decade before that (1). I think you're probably right that it's more top heavy now, but the top teams now are a completely different animal--just look at Wilson Prep's roster. 8 kids 6-4 or taller including 3 6-8 and up.

 

[No Mercy]

The only East 1A titles since 1997 are Wallace once, East carteret, and voyager, except for last year's co champs, which likely would have been won by WSP honestly.

There are still solid charters, but the public 1A powers are almost nonexistent now.
Also, even with all those west titles, in many years the depth of the east was much greater despite not winning the titile. but now the depth is gone.

Wilson prep this year is no better than EC was or Rocky Mt Prep was in their good run. they are big but no better. But in general the top is still ok but its almost all charters. the public east 1A is gone.