After 10 weeks of North Carolina high school football action, the regular season is finally coming to an end.
Week 11 of the NCHSAA season kicks off Friday, Oct. 30, capping a season of back-and-forth action in the Wilmington area.
From snapping losing streaks to shattering records, this fall has delivered plenty of special moments.
Regular-season finales feature Hoggard’s home showdown with Ashley as the Vikings chase a fourth straight league crown.
In Hampstead, Topsail aims to close out the season on a high note with a home victory over New Hanover. Find full schedules here.
After some strong and many poor predictions this fall, it's time to give our best four takes one final time this regular season. Here are four Wilmington-area high school
football predictions for Week 11.
Laney ends regular season on high note
After a whirlwind debut season for coach Coraey Houser, Laney football now has a shot to close the regular season riding a win streak.
The Buccaneers (4-5, 3-2 Carolina Coast) cruised past New Hanover 34-7 in Week 10, outscoring the Wildcats 28-0 in the first half to claim the team's first win at Legion Stadium since 2008.
That offensive production was spearheaded by senior quarterback Joseph Stough, who put together a season-best 19-of-27 for 287 yards through the air.
Despite a rocky 1-3 start, Laney has taken two of its last three and now eyes a second consecutive win in Week 11 against visiting North Brunswick (5-4, 2-3), which enters rested after an open date.
Hoggard glides to fourth straight title
Hoggard finally allowed first-half points to a conference opponent in Week 10 as North Brunswick tied things up 7-7 early.
The Vikings then went on to score 61 unanswered points.
That record-setting night underscored just how wide the gulf is between the Vikings (8-1, 5-0) and the rest of the Wilmington area this fall.
Hoggard averages 39.4 points per game this season and surrenders just 8.3. The Vikings' defense and special teams scored four times in Week 10, marking one of the team’s most complete performances in program history.
Hoggard looks to cap another perfect conference run with a fourth straight league crown at home in Week 11 against Ashley (6-3, 4-1).
The Screaming Eagles have never beaten Hoggard, falling in all 26 meetings since the schools began playing in 2001.
Riding a four-game winning streak, Ashley has put up 27 or more points in each of its last four outings. Toppling Hoggard would earn the team a share of the conference title for the first time ever.
While Ashley has shown genuine improvement since falling to 2-3 midway through the season, expect Hoggard to cruise to another perfect conference record.
Topsail finishes in style
After starting the season with a home win, Topsail (3-6, 2-3) can again bring a victory to Hampstead against New Hanover (2-7, 1-4) in Week 11.
The Pirates haven't had a picturesque season, but after a 28-0 win over West Brunswick in Week 9 and an open date last week, Topsail should have all the momentum heading into a game against a New Hanover side it hasn't beaten since 2021.
Currently hovering around No. 33 in the NCHSAA's 7A football RPI rankings, Topsail could move into more favorable postseason standings with a regular-season finale win. The Pirates have not won a playoff game since 2008.
Expect a big night from freshman running back Kyle Albert, who is tied for second-most rushing touchdowns in the Carolina Coast Conference (9) despite playing only five games.
Pender runs all over Trask
One of the few rivalry-flavored regular-season finales to survive reclassification, Pender travels to Trask for a Pender County showdown in Week 11.
The two smallest schools in the Wilmington area, Pender and Trask have both struggled throughout 2026 in an East Central Conference dominated by East Duplin and Clinton.
Still, Pender (3-6, 1-3 East Central) has shown sparks this fall, scoring 50 or more points three times.
The Titans (2-7, 1-3) have scored just 75 points in nine games (8.3 points per game) and have been outscored 160-0 over the past three weeks.
Expect Pender to roll past their county rivals in Week 11.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Can Ashley upset Hoggard? Week 11 Wilmington high school football picks
