After five weeks of action, we’ve reached the midpoint of the North Carolina high school football season.
From nonconference thrillers to relentless weather setbacks, the first half of 2026 has brought plenty of challenges across the state, and the Wilmington area has been no exception.
No local team remains unbeaten through five weeks, and only Hoggard and North Brunswick enter the second half above .500. But with conference play now taking center stage, there’s still plenty of time for the area’s pecking order to change.
As rivalry games intensify and the conference and playoff pictures begin to take shape, here’s where every Wilmington-area high school football team ranks at the midpoint of the 2026 NCHSAA season.
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Wilmington, NC high school football midseason rankings
1. Hoggard
- Record: 4-1 (.800)
- Points scored: 115
- Points allowed: 47
What we’ve learned: The Vikings have established themselves as Wilmington’s best team by a sizable margin, but they’ve also shown they aren’t invincible.
Hoggard’s Week 3 road loss to Clayton exposed some cracks, but the response was convincing. The Vikings turned in their best offensive performance of the season against Panther Creek in Week 4, with quarterback Matthew Boring throwing for a season-high 358 yards and receiver Desyn Durand catching 11 passes for 212 yards and a touchdown.
Where they stand: Hoggard’s toughest stretch of the regular season is likely behind it. The Vikings enter the heart of conference play as heavy favorites to claim a fourth consecutive league title.
Second half: Laney and Topsail appear to be Hoggard’s biggest remaining tests, but the Vikings should be favored comfortably in both. At this point, the bigger question is whether anyone in the conference can seriously challenge them before the postseason.
2. Topsail
- Record: 2-3 (.400)
- Points scored: 111
- Points allowed: 153
What we’ve learned: There’s a sizable gap between Hoggard and everyone else, leaving several teams with legitimate arguments for the No. 2 spot. For now, Topsail gets the nod.
The Pirates don’t have the prettiest record, but they navigated a challenging nonconference schedule before opening league play with an encouraging victory over Ashley.
Where they stand: Topsail has played its past three games without one of its biggest playmakers, freshman running back Kyle Albert. The son of first-year coach TJ Albert is expected to return in Week 6, giving the Pirates another weapon as conference play intensifies.
Second half: We’re about to find out how much Topsail has really improved. The Pirates face North Brunswick and Laney before meeting Hoggard in Week 8, with the Week 7 matchup against the Buccaneers in Hampstead particularly important in sorting out the area’s crowded second tier.
3. Laney
- Record: 2-3 (.400)
- Points scored: 135
- Points allowed: 155
What we’ve learned: Weather disruptions and facility issues have made Laney’s first half of 2026 unusually chaotic, but the Buccaneers have shown they can score enough to overcome some of those problems.
Laney outlasted South Central 45-42 on the road in Week 3 and followed that by dismantling West Brunswick 54-14 for its first win in Buctown this fall.
Where they stand: At 2-3, the Buccaneers haven’t separated themselves from the pack, but there’s still plenty of opportunity to do so. Their offensive ceiling gives them a chance against just about everyone remaining outside of Hoggard.
Second half: Laney has an opportunity to make its uneven start largely irrelevant. Beating Ashley in Week 6 would get the Buccaneers back to .500 before a pivotal trip to Topsail that could go a long way toward determining which team deserves the No. 2 spot.
4. North Brunswick
- Record: 3-2 (.600)
- Points scored: 95
- Points allowed: 78
What we’ve learned: North Brunswick’s 3-0 start has been tempered by consecutive losses, including a one-score defeat to New Hanover in Week 5. Still, the Scorpions have shown enough defensively to remain firmly in the conversation behind Hoggard.
Where they stand: Outside of a difficult Week 4 loss to St. Pauls, North Brunswick has allowed just 8.75 points per game. That defense has kept the Scorpions competitive even when the offense hasn’t produced much separation.
Second half: North Brunswick hosts Topsail in Week 6 in a game that should reveal plenty about both teams. With West Brunswick and Ashley following, the Scorpions have an opportunity to turn their 3-0 start into something more meaningful rather than letting the past two weeks define their season.
5. Ashley, New Hanover, West Brunswick and South Brunswick
There’s a reasonable case for separating these four teams, but none has done enough through the first half of the season to clearly distinguish itself from the group.
Ashley (2-3) started fast with consecutive wins before dropping three straight. The Screaming Eagles now face a much more difficult road back above .500, beginning with Laney in Week 6.
New Hanover (2-3) strengthened its case in Week 5 by holding off North Brunswick 21-14, giving the Wildcats some momentum entering the second half.
West Brunswick (1-4) and South Brunswick (2-3) have each watched competitive games slip away, leaving both with records that don’t necessarily tell the entire story.
6. Pender and Trask
Pender sits at 2-2 after consecutive losses following a 2-0 start. A favorable second-half schedule gives the Patriots an opportunity to quickly change the direction of their season.
Trask (1-4) has struggled to keep pace, being outscored 115-43 through five games. The Titans broke through in Week 4 with a 23-6 victory over West Bladen but still have considerable ground to make up.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Ranking Wilmington's best high school football teams midway through 2026
