The penultimate week of the 2026 North Carolina high school football regular season has arrived.
After two months of hard-fought battles, the stakes are rising across the Wilmington area as conference races tighten ahead of the postseason.
The temperatures are falling, the air is getting crisper and the margin for error is shrinking. It's the kind of atmosphere that makes late-season high school football special.
In the Port City, the fight for positioning in the Carolina Coast Conference continues Friday, Oct. 23, as Ashley looks to protect its hold on second place against a visiting West Brunswick squad in Week 10.
Across town at Legion Stadium, New Hanover welcomes Laney in a matchup between two teams looking to bounce back after being shut out
in Week 9.
Here are five bold predictions for Week 10 of the North Carolina high school football season in the Wilmington area.
Pender stuns East Duplin
We start outside Wilmington in an East Central Conference showdown. Pender (3-5, 1-2 East Central) faces a tall task Friday as the Patriots travel to Beulaville for a showdown with one-loss East Duplin (7-1, 3-0).
The Panthers sit atop the conference standings with a one-game cushion, but a Pender squad fresh off a 60-14 demolition of South Lenoir might have just enough moxie to shake up the league race.
Patriots senior running back Jamison Brown needed just four carries to rack up 111 rushing yards and a touchdown in last week's rout. Quarterback Austin Deal was somehow even more explosive, turning five carries into 137 yards and two scores.
Those eye-popping numbers won't come nearly as easily against an East Duplin defense surrendering fewer than 18 points per game. But after watching its offense run wild a week ago, Pender has reason to believe it can give the conference leaders a serious scare.
Laney sprints past New Hanover
Laney (3-5, 2-2 Carolina Coast) and New Hanover (2-6, 1-3) enter Week 10 looking to erase the memory of two equally frustrating performances.
Neither team managed to find the end zone in Week 9, with the Buccaneers suffering a 36-0 drubbing at the hands of Hoggard while the Wildcats were blanked 27-0 by Ashley.
But despite last week's struggles, Laney has shown considerably more offensive firepower this season, averaging 23.2 points per game and flashing its potential in a 34-6 win at Topsail just two weeks ago.
New Hanover, meanwhile, has struggled to find an offensive rhythm, averaging just 12.2 points per game while surrendering 29.8.
History favors the Wildcats, who own a commanding 35-16 advantage in the all-time series. But neither program has managed consecutive victories in this rivalry over the past six years.
Even with New Hanover enjoying home-field advantage at Legion Stadium, expect Laney to bounce back in convincing fashion.
Ashley holds off West Brunswick
Another Week 10 showdown featuring two teams coming off shutouts awaits at the Nest, where Ashley (5-3, 3-1) hosts West Brunswick (2-7, 1-4).
The Trojans were on the wrong end of a 28-0 thumping against Topsail last week, while the Screaming Eagles enjoyed the opposite experience, blanking New Hanover 27-0 for their second straight victory.
But despite West Brunswick's lopsided loss and underwhelming record, the Trojans could put up more of a fight Friday than the numbers suggest.
After missing several weeks, West Brunswick quarterback Josiah Borton returned to action in Week 9. His 5-for-13 passing performance for 79 yards wasn't exactly a dazzling comeback, but simply having Borton back under center is a step in the right direction for an offense desperate for a spark.
Ashley has found its footing at the right time and should have enough momentum to secure a third consecutive victory. But don't be surprised if West Brunswick makes things interesting and finds the end zone a few times before the night is over.
Hoggard keeps rolling
There's little mystery surrounding the favorite in this Week 10 showdown. Hoggard (7-1, 4-0) has established itself as one of the East's top powers, averaging 36 points per game while steamrolling nearly every Wilmington-area opponent in its path.
The Vikings have outscored local competition 173-21 across four games and enter Friday ranked No. 34 in the state, according to MaxPreps.
North Brunswick, meanwhile, has shown flashes of its own this fall. The Scorpions opened the season with three straight victories and, despite some midseason turbulence, still boast the Wilmington area's second-best overall record at 5-3.
But slowing down Hoggard's high-powered offense is a tall order for just about anyone. Expect the Vikings to strike early, pile up points before halftime and cruise to another convincing victory in Leland.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: A Week 10 shocker tops our Wilmington high school football picks
