Applying this year’s final fall sports rankings to next year’s expanded classifications

Even if you follow N.C. High School Athletic Association realignment as closely as we do at HighSchoolOT, it can still be hard to remember who’s in each of the eight classifications that begin next fall (by the way, if you’ve missed any of our coverage, make sure to click here).

This is an imperfect science, but one that helps visualize next year’s classifications as well as any other exercise: applying this year’s final fall sports rankings to next year’s eight classes.

For football, boys soccer, and volleyball, we listed the top 10 teams by their final MaxPreps rating.

For girls tennis, girls golf, and boys and girls cross country, we went by our own final rankings and only listed the top five.

These are not preseason rankings by any stretch, but it does give some clue as to which names might contend for next year’s titles. All state champions have their championship stories linked to their names below.

We’ll update this as the year progresses through winter sports championships in February and March and again once all the spring championships conclude in early June.

8A

Football: 1-Hough, 2-Rolesville, 3-Mallard Creek, 4-West Charlotte, 5-Hoggard, 6-Millbrook, 7-West Forsyth, 8-Northwest Guilford, 9-Leesville Road, 10-Jordan
Boys Soccer: 1-Wakefield, 2-Green Hope, 3-Myers Park, 4-Broughton, 5-West Forsyth, 6-Hoggard, 7-Garinger, 8-Enloe, 9-Rolesville, 10-Millbrook
Volleyball: 1-Green Level, 2-Green Hope, 3-Millbrook, 4-Apex, 5-Hoggard, 6-Pinecrest, 7-West Forsyth, 8-Myers Park, 9-Leesville Road, 10-Hough
Girls Tennis: 1-Providence, 2-Myers Park, 3-Green Hope, 4-Broughton, 5-Leesville Road
Girls Golf: 1-Pinecrest, 2-Northwest Guilford, 3-Myers Park, 4-Green Hope, 5-Hoggard
Boys Cross Country: 1-Broughton, 2-Hoggard, 3-Enloe, 4-Myers Park, 5-Apex Friendship
Girls Cross Country: 1-Broughton, 2-Green Level, 3-Laney, 4-Hoggard, 5-Panther Creek

Reminder: MaxPreps ratings are used for football, boys soccer, and volleyball top 10s; HSOT rankings are used for top 5s in all other fall sports.

7A

Football: 1-Grimsley, 2-Weddington, 3-East Forsyth, 4-Independence, 5-Mooresville, 6-Richmond, 7-Cleveland, 8-Clayton, 9-Cape Fear, 10-Lake Norman
Boys Soccer: 1-Holly Springs, 2-Marvin Ridge, 3-Lake Norman, 4-Cox Mill, 5-Southern Durham, 6-Grimsley, 7-Hickory Ridge, 8-New Hanover, 9-Topsail, 10-Weddington
Volleyball: 1-Marvin Ridge, 2-D.H. Conley, 3-Chapel Hill, 4-Reagan, 5-Lake Norman, 6-Cox Mill, 7-Cuthbertson, 8-Grimsley, 9-Topsail, 10-Weddington
Girls Tennis: 1-Marvin Ridge, 2-New Hanover, 3-Cuthbertson, 4-Page, 5-Weddington
Girls Golf: 1-Marvin Ridge 2-Weddington, 3-Reagan, 4-South Central, 5-Heritage
Boys Cross Country: 1-Marvin Ridge, 2-Holly Springs, 3-Riverside, 4-Cuthbertson, 5-Reagan
Girls Cross Country: 1-Cuthbertson, 2-Weddington, 3-Marvin Ridge, 4-Holly Springs, 5-Riverside

Reminder: MaxPreps ratings are used for football, boys soccer, and volleyball top 10s; HSOT rankings are used for top 5s in all other fall sports.

6A

Football: 1-Cardinal Gibbons, 2-Seventy-First, 3-Dudley, 4-Charlotte Catholic, 5-Northern Guilford, 6-Jacksonville, 7-Mount Tabor, 8-Watauga, 9-Sun Valley, 10-Ashbrook
Boys Soccer: 1-Charlotte Catholic, 2-Asheboro, 3-Middle Creek, 4-Ragsdale, 5-Watauga, 6-Asheville, 7-Cardinal Gibbons, 8-J.H. Rose, 9-Jacksonville, 10-Mount Tabor
Volleyball: 1-Cardinal Gibbons, 2-North Iredell, 3-J.H. Rose, 4-Kings Mountain, 5-Northern Guilford, 6-East Chapel Hill, 7-Gray’s Creek, 8-Sun Valley, 9-Watauga, 10-Asheboro
Girls Tennis: 1-Cardinal Gibbons, 2-Terry Sanford, 3-Charlotte Catholic, 3-East Chapel Hill, 4-Williams, 5-Watauga
Girls Golf: 1-Charlotte Catholic, 2-T.C. Roberson, 3-Southern Alamance, 4-Cardinal Gibbons, 5-Lee County
Boys Cross Country: 1-Asheville, 2-Cardinal Gibbons, 3-Mount Tabor, 4-Watauga, 5-A.C. Reynolds
Girls Cross Country: 1-Cardinal Gibbons, 2-Chapel Hill, 3-Watauga, 4-Asheville, 5-A.C. Reynolds

Reminder: MaxPreps ratings are used for football, boys soccer, and volleyball top 10s; HSOT rankings are used for top 5s in all other fall sports.

5A

Football: 1-Hickory, 2-Monroe, 3-Jay M. Robinson, 4-Havelock, 5-Crest, 6-North Lincoln, 7-Erwin, 8-South Point, 9-Oak Grove, 10-Forest Hills
Boys Soccer: 1-Western Alamance, 2-Enka, 3-Southern Nash, 4-East Lincoln, 5-Southeast Alamance, 6-Hickory, 7-C.B. Aycocok, 8-South Point, 9-Croatan, 10-Dixon
Volleyball: 1-West Henderson, 2-West Carteret, 3-Seaforth, 4-Jesse Carson, 5-Orange, 6-Hickory, 7-Cedar Ridge, 8-Western Alamance, 9-Oak Grove, 10-Franklin
Girls Tennis: 1-East Lincoln, 2-Seaforth, 3-Fike, 4-Atkins, 5-Franklin
Girls Golf: 1-South Point, 2-Croatan, 3-Fike, 4-East Rowan, 5-South Brunswick
Boys Cross Country: 1-Orange, 2-North Lincoln, 3-North Buncombe, 4-West Henderson, 5-Seaforth
Girls Cross Country: 1-North Lincoln, 2-West Henderson, 3-Seaforth, 4-Croatan, 5-Cedar Ridge

Reminder: MaxPreps ratings are used for football, boys soccer, and volleyball top 10s; HSOT rankings are used for top 5s in all other fall sports.

4A

Football: 1-Brevard, 2-Reidsville, 3-West Stokes, 4-Burns, 5-Bunker Hill, 6-Salisbury, 7-Maiden, 8-Randleman, 9-Pisgah, 10-Mount Pleasant
Boys Soccer: 1-Clinton, 2-First Flight, 3-Southwestern Randolph, 4-Newton-Conover, 5-Hibriten, 6-Washington, 7-Brevard, 8-East Duplin, 9-Forbush, 10-Bunn
Volleyball: 1-Brevard, 2-Lake Norman Charter, 3-Randleman, 4-Ashe County, 5-West Stanly, 6-Uwharrie Charter, 7-Carrboro, 8-Southwestern Randolph, 9-Maiden, 10-North Lenoir
Girls Tennis: 1-Lake Norman Charter, 2-Carrboro, 3-Salisbury, 4-Ashe County, 5-First Flight
Girls Golf: 1-Lake Norman Charter, 2-Stuart Cramer, 3-Hibriten, 4-Tuscola, 5-Carrboro
Boys Cross Country: 1-Brevard, 2-First Flight, 3-West Stokes, 4-Central Academy, 5-Wilkes Central
Girls Cross Country: 1-First Flight, 2-Lake Norman Charter, 3-West Stokes, 4-Wilkes Central, 5-Brevard

Reminder: MaxPreps ratings are used for football, boys soccer, and volleyball top 10s; HSOT rankings are used for top 5s in all other fall sports.

3A

Football: 1-Northeastern, 2-Shelby, 3-Whiteville, 4-Mountain Heritage, 5-Eastern Randolph, 6-James Kenan, 7-Mount Airy, 8-East Rutherford, 9-Wallace-Rose Hill, 10-Walkertown
Boys Soccer: 1-Greene Central, 2-Mount Airy, 3-Wallace-Rose Hill, 4-James Kenan, 5-West Caldwell, 6-Lincolnton, 7-Pine Lake Prep, 8-Patton, 9-Owen, 10-Piedmont Community
Volleyball: 1-Polk County, 2-Ayden-Grifton, 3-McMichael, 4-North Stanly, 5-East Surry, 6-Pine Lake Prep, 7-Midway, 8-Wallace-Rose Hill, 9-North Moore, 10-Farmville Central
Girls Tennis: 1-Pine Lake Prep, 2-Mount Airy, 3-Hendersonville, 4-NCSSM-Durham, 5-Greene Central
Girls Golf: 1-Pine Lake Prep, 2-East Rutherford, 3-East Surry, 4-West Lincoln, 5-NCSSM-Durham
Boys Cross Country: 1-Owen, 2-NCSSM-Durham, 3-Lincoln Charter, 4-East Davidson, 5-Shelby
Girls Cross Country: 1-NCSSM-Durham, 2-Pine Lake Prep, 3-Lincoln Charter, 4-Northwood, 5-Union Academy

Reminder: MaxPreps ratings are used for football, boys soccer, and volleyball top 10s; HSOT rankings are used for top 5s in all other fall sports.

2A

Football: 1-Tarboro, 2-Corvian Community, 3-Murphy, 4-CSD, 5-Starmount, 6-East Wilkes, 7-Warren County, 8-Mountain Island Charter, 9-Mitchell, 10-North Rowan
Boys Soccer: 1-Bradford Prep, 2-Franklin Academy, 3-Voyager, 4-Highland Tech, 5-Christ the King, 6-Hobbton, 7-Bishop McGuinness, 8-Elkin, 9-Avery County, 10-CSD
Volleyball: 1-Cherokee, 2-Perquimans, 3-Manteo, 4-CSD, 5-Holmes, 6-Highland Tech, 7-Cornerstone Charter, 8-Camden County, 9-East Wake Academy, 10-Christ the King
Girls Tennis: 1-Research Triangle, 2-Bishop McGuinness, 3-East Wilkes, 4-Highland Tech, 5-Roxboro Community
Girls Golf: 1-Avery County, 2-Christ the King, 3-Gray Stone Day, 4-Bishop McGuinness, 5-South Stokes
Boys Cross Country: 1-Lejeune, 2-Franklin Academy, 3-Corvian Community, 4-Research Triangle, 5-Manteo
Girls Cross Country: 1-Swain County, 2-Christ the King, 3-CSD, 4-Elkin, 5-Eno River

Reminder: MaxPreps ratings are used for football, boys soccer, and volleyball top 10s; HSOT rankings are used for top 5s in all other fall sports.

1A

Football: 1-Wilson Prep, 2-Robbinsville, 3-Andrews, 4-Northside of Beaufort County, 5-KIPP-Pride, 6-Weldon, 7-Southeast Halifax, 8-Thomas Jefferson, 9-Washington County, 10-Winston-Salem Prep
Boys Soccer: 1-Excelsior Classical, 2-Thomas Jefferson, 3-Vance Charter, 4-NC Leadership Academy, 5-Falls Lake, 6-NCSSM-Morganton, 7-Jackson Day, 8-Oxford Prep, 9-Jones, 10-Cape Hatteras
Volleyball: 1-Falls Lake, 2-Northside of Beaufort County, 3-Robbinsville, 4-Bear Grass Charter, 5-Vance Charter, 6-NC Leadership Academy, 7-Woods Charter, 8-Cape Hatteras, 9-East Columbus, 10-Hobgood Charter
Girls Tennis: 1-NCSSM-Morganton, 2-Chatham Charter, 3-North Stokes, 4-Hobgood Charter, 5-Thomas Jefferson
Girls Golf: 1-Northside of Beaufort County, 2-Falls Lake, 3-Thomas Jefferson, 4-Oxford Prep, 5-River Mill
Boys Cross Country: 1-Hiwassee Dam, 2-NC Leadership Academy, 3-South Davidson, 4-Northside of Beaufort County, 5-Woods Charter
Girls Cross Country: 1-NCSSM-Morganton, 2-Thomas Jefferson, 3-Woods Charter, 4-Tri-County Early College, 5-Northside of Beaufort County

Reminder: MaxPreps ratings are used for football, boys soccer, and volleyball top 10s; HSOT rankings are used for top 5s in all other fall sports.