I’ve been neglecting this site far too much in recent days, so I wanted to drop a weekend update.
Sorting out the new normal
The NCHSAA has decided on the number of teams that will populate playoff brackets for the 2025-2029 realignment.
There will be 48-team brackets for playoff competitions in the 1A-7A classifications, while the 8A classification will have a 24-team bracket. This is because the 8A classification has only 32 schools, while the other classifications are 64.
This will mean byes in the 48-team fields for the top 16, which is going to be new territory for many of our local schools.
What we don’t know yet is how teams will actually qualify for these brackets — a detail that some would argue should have been done before any other part of this process.
Stay tuned.
Clayton Clovers set for 2025
We don’t stray from preps too often in these pages, but it’s worth pointing out that the Clayton Clovers are gearing up for their 2025 campaign.
Around the horn
Speaking of baseball, let’s look at the county teams and how they’re faring so far this spring:
Greater Neuse River 4A
Willow Spring is off to a spotless start in league play, but all three county squads are well positioned to make a run as the campaign nears the midway point.
Quad County 3A
West Johnston, Hunt and South Johnston have been the class of the Quad County 3A so far, and that race figures to be tight all the way to the wire.
Neuse 6
Princeton and North Johnston are hoping to close out the Neuse 6 chapter of their respective histories with a conference title, and both teams look to be the class of this group.
Carolina 1A
Tuesday’s games
Rosewood is showing the way so far in the Carolina 1A, sitting at 5-0 halfway through the league slate.
Patriot games
American Leadership Academy is playing its last season as an NCHSAA independent, and is 10-1 so far this season.
