Columbus County — All four public high school football programs in Columbus County take the field Friday, Nov. 13, 2026, as the North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) state playoffs advance into the second round.
With fall volleyball and boys soccer postseason runs having wrapped up across the county over the past two weeks, the spotlight turns squarely to the gridiron. Undefeated Whiteville opens its postseason run at home after a first-round bye, while South Columbus, West Columbus, and East Columbus hit the road for survive-and-advance matchups across eastern and central North Carolina.
Friday, Nov. 13 Playoff Schedule at a Glance
| Classification | Matchup | Seeds | Location | Kickoff |
| NCHSAA 3A East | Northwood (6-5) at Whiteville (9-0) | No. 15 vs. No. 2 | Whiteville, NC | 7:00 p.m. |
| NCHSAA 3A East | South Columbus (7-4) at Martin County (7-3) | No. 12 vs. No. 5 | Williamston, NC | 7:00 p.m. |
| NCHSAA 2A East | West Columbus (5-5) at Southside (7-3) | No. 10 vs. No. 7 | Chocowinity, NC | 7:00 p.m. |
| NCHSAA 1A West | East Columbus (4-6) at Winston-Salem Prep (6-4) | No. 5 vs. No. 4 | Winston-Salem, NC | 7:00 p.m. |
Winners on Friday night advance to the third round of the state playoffs on Friday, Nov. 20, with higher-seeded teams continuing to host through the regional finals on Dec. 4.
Undefeated Whiteville Wolfpack Host Northwood Chargers in NCHSAA 3A Second-Round Showdown
WHITEVILLE — Fresh off a first-round bye and an unblemished regular season, the No. 2 seed Whiteville Wolfpack (9-0) return to action Friday night at 7:00 p.m. to host the No. 15 seed Northwood Chargers (6-5) in the second round of the NCHSAA 3A East football playoffs.
Whiteville enters the postseason as one of the most dominant squads in southeastern North Carolina. The Wolfpack captured the Southeastern Conference title with a 4-0 league mark, closing out the regular season with a 48-12 victory over county rival South Columbus after blanking Red Springs 40-0 the week prior. Offensively, Whiteville has been a model of consistency, putting up at least 31 points in every single contest this fall.
Northwood makes the trip down from Pittsboro carrying momentum from a first-round playoff victory over Kinston on Nov. 6. The Chargers rely on a balanced offensive attack led by running back Aiden Girard, who averages 72.1 rushing yards per game, and wide receiver Raje Torres, who averages 65.4 receiving yards per outing. Tight end and linebacker Campbell Parks adds another red-zone threat for Northwood, while linebacker Joshua Johnson anchors the Chargers’ defense at 7.5 tackles per game.
The winner of Friday night’s matchup advances to the third round on Nov. 20 to face the winner between No. 7 Hertford County and No. 10 Farmville Central.
South Columbus Stallions Hit the Road to Face High-Powered Martin County Ground Attack
TABOR CITY — Riding high from a 52-point playoff blowout last week, the No. 12 seed South Columbus Stallions (7-4) travel to Williamston on Friday night to take on the No. 5 seed Martin County Gators (7-3) in second-round NCHSAA 3A East playoff action. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
South Columbus exploded out of the gate in last Friday’s opening round in Tabor City, building a 28-0 first-quarter lead on the way to a 58-6 rout of McMichael. Running backs TJ McClure and Skeeter Phillips helped pace the Stallions’ offensive surge, which bounced back in emphatic fashion after a regular-season finale loss to Whiteville. On the season, South Columbus averages 266.4 total yards per game—including 178.7 yards on the ground and 87.7 through the air—while posting 44.0 tackles per contest defensively.
Standing in the Stallions’ path is a physical Martin County squad that thrives on controlling the line of scrimmage. The Gators average 299.1 total yards per game, fueled by a relentless rushing attack producing 244.1 yards per outing. Martin County amassed 334 rushing yards in its previous game and features dual-threat quarterback Jaylen Moore alongside versatile playmakers Jordan Matthewson and Chance Matthewson.
Friday’s winner moves on to the Nov. 20 third round against either No. 4 James Kenan or No. 13 Louisburg.
West Columbus Vikings Travel to Chocowinity for 2A Playoff Clash with Southside Seahawks
CERRO GORDO — The No. 10 seed West Columbus Vikings (5-5) hit the road Friday evening for an NCHSAA 2A East second-round playoff matchup against the No. 7 seed Southside Seahawks (7-3) in Chocowinity. Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m.
West Columbus enters the round of 32 looking to pull off a road upset and extend its season into late November. Playing out of the Carolina 1A/2A ranks, the Vikings will need disciplined gap control and timely stops against a Southside team that averages 247.9 total yards per game.
Southside leans heavily on its rushing game, generating 186.6 rushing yards per outing to complement 61.3 passing yards per game. Defensively, the Seahawks bring an aggressive front that averages 51.0 tackles per contest.
The winner of Friday’s 2A East contest advances to the third round on Nov. 20 to face the winner between No. 2 John A. Holmes and No. 15 Hobbton.
East Columbus Gators Head West to Battle Winston-Salem Prep in 1A Second Round
LAKE WACCAMAW — Facing the longest road trip of any Columbus County program this postseason, the No. 5 seed East Columbus Gators (4-6) travel to Winston-Salem on Friday night to challenge the No. 4 seed Winston-Salem Preparatory Academy Phoenix (6-4) in the second round of the NCHSAA 1A West playoffs. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
With the 1A bracket already trimmed to its final 16 teams statewide, East Columbus finds itself three wins away from a regional championship appearance. The Gators enter Friday’s matchup averaging 167.0 total yards per game—leaning on a ground-oriented attack that generates 112.9 rushing yards per contest—while averaging 49.4 tackles per game on defense.
Winston-Salem Prep presents a contrasting offensive style, averaging 347.9 total yards per game behind an explosive passing attack (197.5 yards per game) paired with 150.4 rushing yards per outing. Controlling time of possession and limiting big plays through the air will be top priorities for East Columbus as the Gators look to advance to a Nov. 20 quarterfinal matchup against either No. 1 Chatham Central or No. 8 College Prep & Leadership Academy.
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