As the N.C. High School Athletic Association begins the first year of its eight-classification model, it’s sometimes hard to remember which schools are in which classes, and which programs might contend for state championships. HighSchoolOT is here to help.

With each of the eight classes, we’re going to project 10 title contenders in every sport.

The “new” 4A consists of about half of last year’s 2A classification, plus two schools moving up from 1A and 13 others moving in from 3A. Combined, these 59 schools won 12 championships last year.

It includes the state’s three largest charter schools (Uwharrie Charter, Lincoln Charter, Lake Norman Charter), and all the rest are public schools, which include powerhouse programs like Clinton soccer, Cummings girls track & field, West Stanly softball, Carrboro tennis, Randleman baseball, and Reidsville football and basketball.

Here’s a breakdown of classification as a whole:

4A by the numbers

59 total schools

13 that were 3A last year

44 that were 2A last year

2 that were 1A last year

56 public (PSU) schools

3 charter schools

12 defending state champions

8 in the 252 area code

5 in the 919 area code

5 in the 910 area code

17 in the 336 area code

12 in the 704 area code

12 in the 828 area code

Khiara Culliver (10) of Maiden. Maiden used a hot start to defeat Bandys in girls basketball on January 15, 2025 (Photo: Evan Moesta/HighSchoolOT)

There are a few 4A schools that play sports that are not currently NCHSAA sanctioned, like field hockey, girls flag football and boys volleyball. Those are listed below.

The only 4A sports likely to be combined with other classes this year are girls wrestling, girls lacrosse, and boys lacrosse.

In team sports, schools are listed with their W-L record from last season next to them, as well as if they made it to a state championship or regional final. Other sports, like golf and track, display where they finished in last year’s state championships if they finished in the top 10.

Non-NCHSAA sports

Field hockey

Carrboro (5-10)

Flag Football, Girls

West Craven T.W. Andrews North Pitt Mount Pleasant Washington Carver

Volleyball, Boys

Mount Pleasant (13-1, 3A/2A/1A runner-up) Lincoln Charter (12-4) Lexington (8-3) Jordan-Matthews (8-10) Pisgah (5-6) Carrboro (3-14) South Rowan (not listed) East Burke (not listed) West Craven (2-10)

Combined championship sports

Cole Kester (5) of Lake Norman Charter. The Croatan Cougars defeated the Lake Norman Charter Knights 13-12 during the NCHSAA 1A/2A/3A Men’s Lacrosse State Championship at Durham County Stadium on Friday, May 30, 2025. (Photo by Ray Black III)

Lacrosse, Boys

Note: will likely be combined with 1A, 2A, 3A, 5A, 6A

Lake Norman Charter (19-7, 3A/2A/1A runner-up) First Flight (17-4) Lincoln Charter (10-11) Carrboro (7-10) West Stokes (8-10)

Lacrosse, Girls

Note: will likely be combined with 1A, 2A, 3A, 5A, 6A

First Flight (8-8) Lake Norman Charter (12-7) Carrboro (9-10) West Stokes (3-9) Lincoln Charter (0-12)

Wrestling, Girls Tournament

Note: will likely be combined with 1A, 2A, 3A

East Henderson (15-4) Pisgah (11-4) Mount Pleasant (10-7) Central Davidson (5-1) Fred T. Foard (5-2) Bunn (13-6) First Flight (3-7, 18th in NCHSAA) Bandys (3-3, T22nd in NCHSAA) Anson (9-9) Lincoln Charter (10-9)

Standalone 4A championships

Baseball

Grat Dalton (6) and Jake Hunter (10) of Uwharrie Charter. Perquimans faced Uwharrie in the NCHSAA 1A Baseball State Championship game at Ting Stadium in Holly Springs on Saturday, May 31, 2025. (Photo By: Jerrell Jordan)

West Stanly (23-8, 2A West runner-up) Lincoln Charter (22-6) Randleman (20-6) Burns (24-5) Uwharrie Charter (20-12, 1A champ) Tuscola (21-6) Bunn (25-3) West Stokes (23-3) Ledford (15-12) R-S Central (18-7)

Basketball, Boys

Alex Bryson (12) of First Flight. Southern Durham went on a fourth quarter run to defeat First Flight in the third round of the state playoffs on March 4, 2025 (Photo: Evan Moesta/HighSchoolOT)

Washington (19-7) Reidsville (31-0, 2A champ) Salisbury (26-4) Lincoln Charter (20-10) Maiden (22-6) Bandys (22-8, 2A West runner-up) First Flight (20-9) East Henderson (27-1) Randleman (23-2) North Surry (24-5)

Basketball, Girls

Stuart Cramer head girls basketball coach Carey Pohlman. Western Alamance defeated Stuart Cramer in the 3A state championship on March 14, 2025 (Photo: Evan Moesta/HighSchoolOT)

T.W. Andrews (25-2) Stuart Cramer (29-3, 3A runner-up) Pisgah (24-4) East Burke (30-2) Maiden (23-6) Bandys (18-9) West Craven (19-4) Newton-Conover (18-7) Southwestern Randolph (26-2) Lincoln Charter (20-7)

Cross Country, Boys

Keaton Campbell (13) of Brevard. The NCHSAA 2A boys cross country state championships at the Ivey M. Redmon Sports Complex in Kernersville on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024. (Photo By: Andy McLean/HighSchoolOT)

First Flight (5th in 3A) South Rowan Lincoln Charter (7th in 2A) Carrboro West Stokes (4th in 2A) Central Academy Central Davidson Wilkes Central Brevard (2A champ) North Surry

Cross Country, Girls

Morgan Miller (1016) of First Flight. The NCHSAA 3A girls cross country state championships at the Ivey M. Redmon Sports Complex in Kernersville on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024. (Photo By: Andy McLean/HighSchoolOT)

First Flight (2nd in 3A) Lake Norman Charter (5th in 3A) West Stokes (4th in 2A) Lincoln Charter (5th in 2A) Brevard (7th in 2A) Carrboro Wilkes Central (6th in 2A) South Rowan West Stanly (8th in 2A) Tuscola

Football

Monroe defeated Brevard in the 2A west regional final on December 13, 2024 (Photo: Evan Moesta/HighSchoolOT)

Reidsville (11-1) Brevard (11-3, 2A West runner-up) Maiden (8-4) Bandys (7-4) East Duplin (6-6) West Stokes (10-3) Randleman (9-3) Eastern Wayne (10-3) Pisgah (8-3) Burns (8-4)

Golf, Boys

Stuart Cramer (3A champ) Fred T. Foard (T3rd in 3A) Ledford Salisbury (2A champ) Pisgah Lake Norman Charter (8th in 4A) Newton-Conover First Flight Bandys (7th in 2A) North Surry (6th in 2A)

Golf, Girls

Lake Norman Charter (2nd in 3A) Stuart Cramer (5th in 3A) Tuscola (6th in 3A) Carrboro (9th in 3A) Hibriten Central Davidson South Rowan North Surry Fred T. Foard Lincoln Charter

Soccer, Boys

Holden Spell (13) of Clinton. Clinton won the 2A boys soccer state championship over Southwestern Randolph on November 22, 2024 (Photo: Evan Moesta/HighSchoolOT)

Southwestern Randolph (25-3, 2A runner-up) Clinton (28-2, 2A champ) First Flight (21-1) Brevard (18-4-2) Carrboro (14-7-2) Newton-Conover (20-6-2) Salisbury (19-3-3) Hibriten (17-7-2) Forbush (21-4-2) Carver (16-4-1)

Soccer, Girls

First Flight defeated Swansboro at the 19th Annual Brittany Soccer Showcase in Wilson, NC on March 8, 2025 (Photo: Evan Moesta/HighSchoolOT)

Carrboro (21-1-1) Lake Norman Charter (20-3-2, 3A West runner-up) Brevard (17-4-1) First Flight (20-3) Lincoln Charter (11-10-1) Newton-Conover (19-6-3) Uwharrie Charter (16-4) Clinton (12-9-3) Roanoke Rapids (21-2, 2A East runner-up) Hibriten (17-5-2)

Softball

Kennedy Austin (18) of West Stanly. East Rowan softball shut out West Stanly on April 9, 2025 (Photo: Evan Moesta/HighSchoolOT)

West Stanly (21-5) Southwestern Randolph (17-4) North Lenoir (20-5, 2A runner-up) Randleman (20-7, 2A West runner-up) West Stokes (18-6) Forbush (20-8) Bunn (17-5) Uwharrie Charter (14-9) Bunker Hill (20-7) Washington (17-7)

Swimming, Boys

The 2025 NCHSAA 3A swimming state championship was held at Triangle Aquatic Center on February 7, 2025 (Photo: Joshua Chayer/HighSchoolOT)

Lake Norman Charter (3A champ) Carrboro (2nd in 3A) Central Academy (7th in 3A) First Flight East Gaston (9th in 2A/1A) Stuart Cramer Roanoke Rapids Brevard Nash Central Lincoln Charter

Swimming, Girls

The 2025 NCHSAA 3A swimming state championship was held at Triangle Aquatic Center on February 7, 2025 (Photo: Joshua Chayer/HighSchoolOT)

Lake Norman Charter (3A champ) Carrboro (3rd in 3A) Lincoln Charter (4th in 2A/1A) Brevard Burns Uwharrie Charter Fred T. Foard Washington Central Academy Nash Central

Tennis, Boys

Kai Spira of Carrboro at the 3A Dual Team Tennis Championships hosted by the Burlington Tennis Center on May 17, 2025 (Photo: Jerrell Jordan)

Carrboro (19-8, 3A runner-up) Lake Norman Charter (15-2) Lincoln Charter (14-7) Salisbury (19-2, 2A West runner-up) Newton-Conover (10-4) R-S Central (12-2) Central Academy (12-4) West Stokes (10-2) Central Davidson (14-3) Clinton (15-2)

Tennis, Girls

Luci Falls & Angle Falls of Lake Norman Charter. The N.C. High School Athletic Association 3A girls tennis individual state championships were held at the Burlington Tennis Center on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (Photo By: Andy McLean/HighSchoolOT)

Lake Norman Charter (21-1, 3A runner-up) Carrboro (13-7) Lincoln Charter (10-4) Salisbury (14-2) Newton-Conover (10-5) Central Davidson (11-5) First Flight (12-2) West Stanly (17-2) Pisgah (7-5) East Duplin (12-1)

Track & Field, Boys Indoor

Seaforth’s boys and Cummings’ girls won team titles at the N.C. High School Athletic Association 1A/2A indoor track & field state championships at the JDL Fast Track in Winston-Salem on Friday, Feb. 14, 2025. (Photo By: Andy McLean/HighSchoolOT)

Tuscola Salisbury West Iredell T.W. Andrews (T5th in 2A/1A) Pisgah Carver (T8th in 2A/1A) R-S Central Eastern Wayne (4th in 2A/1A) Central Academy Ashe County

Track & Field, Girls Indoor

Seaforth’s boys and Cummings’ girls won team titles at the N.C. High School Athletic Association 1A/2A indoor track & field state championships at the JDL Fast Track in Winston-Salem on Friday, Feb. 14, 2025. (Photo By: Andy McLean/HighSchoolOT)

Cummings (2A/1A champ) First Flight (8th in 3A) T.W. Andrews (7th in 2A/1A) West Stokes South Rowan Central Academy West Stanly Bandys Carver North Surry

Track & Field, Boys Outdoor

Ja’Neil Harris of T.W. Andrews. The NCHSAA 2A and 4A track and field state championships were hosted by North Carolina A&T on May 17, 2025 (Photo: Andy McLean/HighSchoolOT)

Eastern Wayne (3rd in 2A) Lake Norman Charter (5th in 3A) Carver (T2nd in 1A) West Craven T.W. Andrews (4th in 2A) Pisgah Brevard (2nd in 2A) Salisbury (9th in 2A) West Iredell Ashe County

Track & Field, Girls Outdoor

Cummings’ D’Anna Cotton. The NCHSAA 2A and 4A track and field state championships were hosted by North Carolina A&T on May 17, 2025 (Photo: Andy McLean/HighSchoolOT)

Cummings (2A champ) First Flight T.W. Andrews (2nd in 2A) North Lenoir Bandys (7th in 2A) Eastern Wayne Ashe County Lake Norman Charter R-S Central Tuscola

Volleyball, Girls

Kailei Shumate (11), Abby Sheets (12), and Lorali Overcash (7) of Ashe County. Ashe County swept Forbush in straight sets on September 9, 2024 (Photo: Evan Moesta/HighSchoolOT)

Brevard (18-5) Ashe County (19-3) Carrboro (23-5) Lake Norman Charter (22-3) Randleman (20-5) Forbush (17-8) Uwharrie Charter (28-4) Clinton (16-6) West Stanly (25-3) Southwestern Randolph (16-12)

Wrestling, Boys Tournament/Dual Team

The Union Pines Vikings won their first 3A dual team wrestling championship over the Pisgah Bears in Greensboro on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025. Union Pines won 47-17.