LELAND — One Brunswick County high school football team remains standing as the North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) state playoffs enter the second round on Friday, Nov. 13, 2026.
The No. 18 seed North Brunswick Scorpions (6-5) carry the county’s postseason hopes on the road to Wake County on Friday evening, traveling to face the No. 2 seed Garner Trojans (8-2) in the second round of the NCHSAA Class 7A East bracket. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
North Brunswick earned its spot in the round of 32 after defeating Heritage 28-15 on the road in Wake Forest last week. Meanwhile, South Brunswick saw its Class 5A postseason run come to a close in a 31-29 first-round road loss at South Granville on Nov. 6, and West Brunswick wrapped up its 2026 season following regular-season play in the Carolina Coast 6A/7A/8A conference. County volleyball and boys soccer postseason campaigns also concluded earlier this month.
Brunswick County 2026 Football Postseason Status & Schedule
| Program | Record | Classification | Postseason Status | Next / Final Game |
| North Brunswick Scorpions | 6-5 | NCHSAA 7A East (No. 18) | Active — Round 2 | At No. 2 Garner (8-2) — Fri., Nov. 13 at 7:00 p.m. |
| South Brunswick Cougars | 5-6 | NCHSAA 5A East | Eliminated (Round 1) | Lost 31-29 at South Granville (Nov. 6) |
| West Brunswick Trojans | 2-8 | NCHSAA 6A/7A | Missed Playoffs | Closed season vs. Ashley (Oct. 23) |
Friday night’s winner between North Brunswick and Garner advances to the NCHSAA 7A third round on Friday, Nov. 20, with higher-seeded teams continuing to host through the regional championships on Dec. 4.
No. 18 North Brunswick Scorpions Travel to Challenge Second-Seeded Garner in NCHSAA 7A Second Round
LELAND — Fresh off a breakthrough road playoff victory, the No. 18 seed North Brunswick Scorpions (6-5) face a major test Friday night as they travel to Garner to battle the No. 2 seed Garner Trojans (8-2) in second-round NCHSAA Class 7A East playoff action. Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m.
North Brunswick enters Friday’s contest with renewed momentum after snapping a three-game late-season skid in emphatic fashion last Friday in Wake Forest. Behind a physical ground attack, the Scorpions jumped out to an early 7-0 first-quarter lead and pulled away in the second half to defeat Heritage 28-15.
Senior running back and outside linebacker Xavier Lendon paced the Scorpions’ offensive surge against Heritage, carrying the ball 19 times for 129 yards and a touchdown. Lendon leads North Brunswick on the season with 53.7 rushing yards per game and five total touchdowns, sharing backfield duties with senior Jaiden Cokeley-Pridgenn (36.2 rushing yards per game). Through the air, quarterbacks Eli Talley (10 touchdown passes on the season) and Ramere Jackson target a receiving corps led by seniors Marley Hertz (45.6 receiving yards per game, four touchdowns) and tight end Dean Ryals, alongside junior Landon Fuchs.
Defensively, North Brunswick relies on senior middle linebacker Amir Robbins, who leads the team with 7.0 tackles per game. Defensive backs Zymier Thomas (5.8 tackles per game) and MJ Smith (three interceptions), along with junior Talon Efaw (5.6 tackles per game), anchor a unit tasked with slowing down one of the state’s most productive rushing offenses.
Garner enters the second round following a first-round bye and a 5-1 conference championship run, having closed its regular season with a 51-28 victory over Fuquay-Varina on Oct. 30. The Trojans are powered by senior running back Amir Wallace, who averages 155.3 rushing yards per game with 18 rushing touchdowns and 19 total scores. Senior running back Ziyeir Leach (56.3 rushing yards per game) and dual-threat quarterback Christian Ormandy (52.6 rushing yards per game, 10 rushing touchdowns) add further depth to Garner’s ground game, while wide receivers Aidan Gore and Allen Davis II lead the passing attack.
On the other side of the ball, Garner boasts an aggressive front seven featuring senior outside linebacker Derek Taylor (11.0 sacks), Ahmed Sowe (8.0 sacks), and inside linebacker Tyler Hodges (9.8 tackles per game, 6.0 sacks), while Davis II anchors the secondary with seven interceptions.
The winner of Friday night’s matchup advances to the third round on Nov. 20 to face the winner between No. 7 Cardinal Gibbons and No. 10 Southeast Raleigh.
South Brunswick Cougars Cap 5-6 Campaign Following Narrow 31-29 NCHSAA 5A Playoff Loss
SOUTHPORT — The South Brunswick Cougars closed out their 2026 varsity football season following a hard-fought 31-29 road loss to South Granville in the opening round of the NCHSAA Class 5A state playoffs on Friday, Nov. 6.
South Brunswick finished the fall with a 5-6 overall record and a 2-2 mark in conference play, rebounding from an 0-2 start against county rivals West Brunswick and North Brunswick to secure a postseason berth.
Throughout the autumn, the Cougars demonstrated resilience on both sides of the ball. After dropping their opening two contests in August, South Brunswick strung together back-to-back home victories over Heide Trask (35-14) and Richlands (27-12) in September. In October, the Cougars delivered a 48-7 road win at Red Springs, edged South Columbus 20-18 in a dramatic Senior Night battle in Southport on Oct. 16, and capped the regular season with a dominant 40-0 shutout victory over North Wake Saints on Oct. 30.
In Friday’s playoff opener, South Brunswick traded scores with South Granville down to the final whistle before falling just two points shy of advancing to the second round.
The gridiron finale followed a similarly competitive postseason exit for South Brunswick’s boys soccer program, which pushed Eastern Alamance to the limit in a 3-2 Class 5A playoff match on Nov. 2 to conclude an 8-11-3 campaign.
West Brunswick Trojans Look Ahead to Offseason Building After Gritty 2026 Gridiron Campaign
SHALLOTTE — Despite missing out on the 2026 NCHSAA state football playoffs, the West Brunswick Trojans showed flashes of explosive offense and late-season grit while navigating one of southeastern North Carolina’s toughest schedules.
West Brunswick finished the 2026 season at 2-8 overall and 1-5 in the Carolina Coast 6A/7A/8A conference, opening the year on a high note with a 41-20 road victory over county rival South Brunswick on Aug. 21.
Following the season-opening win, the Trojans suffered three consecutive razor-thin non-conference defeats by a combined five points—falling 39-36 at Whiteville on Aug. 27, 42-41 against North Myrtle Beach on Sept. 4, and 22-21 in overtime at South Columbus on Sept. 11.
Competing against perennial powerhouse programs in league play, West Brunswick earned a signature conference road triumph on Oct. 9, defeating New Hanover 26-21 in Wilmington before closing its regular-season slate against Topsail and Ashley. With valuable varsity experience gained across its roster during the 10-game stretch, the Trojans shift focus toward offseason conditioning and preparation for the 2027 campaign.
© 2026 CoastalCarolinaNews.com | Jones Media Partners LLC
No content from this publication may be reproduced, republished, or repurposed without prior written authorization from Jones Media Partners LLC.
Be the first to comment