Episodes

Aug. 19, 2026

2026 Football Preview for the 919 with Jonas Pope IV

The team was joined by HSOT contributor Jonas Pope IV (https://x.com/JEPopeIV) to discuss the major high school football stories in the 919 area code for the 2026 season.
Aug. 19, 2026

2026 Football Preview for the 704 with Richard Walker and Matt Morrow

HighSchoolOT contributor Richard Walker (https://carolinassportshub.com/) and Matt Morrow of Charlotte Football Insiders (https://x.com/pepman704) joined us for a detailed preview of 2026 high school football in the 704 area code.
Aug. 18, 2026

Press Box: 910 football preview with Tim Hower, Michael Cuneo, James Moore, Chris Miller, & more

In this episode of HighSchoolOT Press Box, we are joined by Tim Hower (https://www.coastalpreps.com/), Michael Cuneo (https://www.starnewsonline.com/staff/7625559001/michael-cuneo/), Chris Miller (https://www.jdnews.com/sports/), James F. Moore Jr. (https://www.fayobserver.com/staff/71227132007/james-f-moore-jr/), Jonathan Bym (https://www.thepilot.com/users/profile/jonathan%20bym/), and Chris Stiles (https://www.robesonian.com/) to talk all things football in the 910 area code.
Aug. 17, 2026

2026 Football Preview for the 336 with Deana King, Aikman Chambers, and Bryant Roche

Deana King from NC Preps (ncpreps.rivals.com), Aikman Chambers from the Blue Ridge Football Podcast (https://www.facebook.com/people/Blue-Ridge-Football-Podcast/61578273297727/), and Bryant Roche from the Greensboro News & Record (https://greensboro.com/users/profile/bryant%20roche/) joined us to talk all things 336 football before the 2026 regular season.
Aug. 17, 2026

2026 Football Preview for the 252 area code with Laieke Abebe and Zach Kaplan

Zach Kaplan of WNCT-TV (https://www.wnct.com/author/zach-kaplan/) and Laieke Abebe (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUOiZBlTj5-l-fgy1LtSDog) joined HSOT Press Box to preview every conference in the 252.
Aug. 15, 2026

2026 Football Preview for the 828 area code with Chris Womack, David Jones, and Jeff Link

Chris Womack of WLOS-TV (https://wlos.com/sports) and David Jones and Jeff Link of The Scoreboard Show (https://www.gofoothills.com/category/local-sports/) joined HSOT Press Box to preview their respective areas of North Carolina's 828 Area Code.
Aug. 13, 2026

Reactions from the first HSOT Jamboree, other football scrimmages

Get more coverage of North Carolina high school sports at HighSchoolOT.com on the free HighSchoolOT app -- available for all Apple and Android devices! Download the HighSchoolOT app here: https://www.highschoolot.com/story/download-the-all-new-highschoolot-app-today/22342871/ Download the HighSchoolOT app: https://www.highschoolot.com/story/download-the-all-new-highschoolot-app-today/22342871/ Subscribe to the HighSchoolOT newsletter: highschoolot.com/email Follow @HighSchoolOT on Instagram: in...
July 24, 2026

Hear from Brad Alford, the next Commissioner of the NCHSAA

Newly announced NCHSAA Commissioner Brad Alford joined Joel Bryant and Ben McCormick to discuss the hiring process and his early vision for the association as he begins to transition into the role. Alford is set to start his transition on Aug. 24 and will replace Que Tucker on Oct. 1. More on Alford's hiring: https://www.highschoolot.com/news/nch... Get more coverage of North Carolina high school sports at HighSchoolOT.com on the free HighSchoolOT app -- available for all Apple and Android devic...
July 8, 2026

Catching up on coach/player movement for 2026 football & basketball

Guest Laieke Abebe (https://x.com/StrikaNation24_), Ben McCormick, and Joel Bryant recapped some of the most attention-grabbing coaching changes and player transfer announcements ahead of the 2026 high school football and high school basketball seasons. Get more coverage of North Carolina high school sports at HighSchoolOT.com on the free HighSchoolOT app -- available for all Apple and Android devices! Download the HighSchoolOT app here: https://www.highschoolot.com/story/do...
June 30, 2026

NCHSAA Calendar for 2026-27, Wells Fargo Cup State Champions, Alums Drafted to NBA

The team discussed the NCHSAA's official calendar for the 2026-27 school year, including the first calendars for flag football and boys volleyball, the first eight-classification Wells Fargo Cup Awards, and the three former North Carolina high school basketball players who were drafted in the 2026 NBA Draft. Get more coverage of North Carolina high school sports at HighSchoolOT.com on the free HighSchoolOT app -- available for all Apple and Android devices! Download the HighSchoolOT app here: ht...
June 11, 2026

Mallard Creek reversal, spring championship recap

Appeals board overturns Mallard Creek track and field disqualification, naming the Mavericks co-champions with Jordan High School. You can read the full story here. Plus, the guys discuss the NCHSAA spring state championships after what was a crazy week with better than 30 championships decided in three days. For more stories, news, photos and videos, visit HighSchoolOT.com
May 19, 2026

Mallard Creek Elevates Nyan Brown Track DQ Appeal to State Board

The viral Mallard Creek track disqualification is now being appealed to the NC State Board of Education's Independent Interscholastic Athletic Appeals Board. Ben McCormick and Joel Bryant, who witnessed the moment in person, share their view of the events, and J. Mike Blake helps to provide the larger context of what makes this situation different from other sports.
May 6, 2026

John Paul II added to the NCHSAA, Girls Flag Football and Boys Volleyball sanctioned

The team discussed a busy week of NCHSAA Board of Directors meetings, which resulted in the sanctioning of girls flag football/boys volleyball, the addition of the first non-diocesan private school to the association, and the rejection of proposals to implement a shot clock in basketball and reduce the playoff brackets from 48 to 32 teams.
May 4, 2026

NCHSAA Board of Directors to discuss playoff tweaks, new sports, new commish

J. Mike Blake and Joel Bryant jumped inside the HighSchoolOT Press Box to preview this week's NCHSAA Board of Directors meeting, which could lead to playoff system changes, new sanctioned sports girls flag football and boys volleyball, and new details on the next commissioner after Que Tucker's retirement. Read more on HighSchoolOT.com
Oct. 19, 2025

New NCHSAA seeding rules and state championship venues

Step inside the HighSchoolOT Press Box this week as Evan Moesta, and J. Mike Blake discuss the NCHSAA's new seeding rules and their 2025 fall sports state championship venues.
Oct. 5, 2025

New NCHSAA playoff seeding, best area codes in each sport, Lejeune shutdown

Step inside the HighSchoolOT Press Box this week as Evan Moesta, and J. Mike Blake discuss how the government shutdown affects Lejeune High School, the impact that homeschool programs are having on the statewide scene, which area codes are the best in the state in each sport, what the new NCHSAA playoff seeding looks like, and what purpose conference tournaments now hold.
Sept. 28, 2025

How To Fix Midseason Transfers, Football Seeding Dates, One Year Post-Helene

Step inside the HighSchoolOT Press Box this week as Evan Moesta, and J. Mike Blake discuss solutions surrounding the increase in midseason high school transfers, how the NCHSAA can work around seeding date issues, and the impact that Hurricane Helene has had on Western NC over the last year.
Sept. 21, 2025

Millbrook vs. Rolesville Preview, 704 Boys Soccer, Volleyball Contenders

Step inside the HighSchoolOT Press Box this week as Evan Moesta, and J. Mike Blake discuss the success of North Carolina high school football alumni in college and the NFL, what people can look for in Friday's big Millbrook vs. Rolesville football game, why the 704 area code is so strong in boys soccer, and what volleyball teams have staked their claim as state title contenders.
Sept. 14, 2025

Dionte Neal to UNCG, Playoff Projections, Impact Athletes in NC

Step inside the HighSchoolOT Press Box this week as Evan Moesta, and J. Mike Blake discuss Dionte Neal's commitment to UNC-Greensboro, the state of fall playoff bracket projections, and the top impact athletes across NC through the first five weeks of the season.
Sept. 7, 2025

Shelby's 90-0 win, NCHSAA ejection issues, and state title contenders

Step inside the HighSchoolOT Press Box this week as Evan Moesta, and J. Mike Blake break down Shelby football's stunning 90-0 win over Highland Tech, what schools are surprise state title contenders this fall, and how to slow down the rise in ejections at NCHSAA athletic contests.
Sept. 1, 2025

Why NC is dominating out of state teams, playoff East/West lines, Week 2 surprises

Step inside the HighSchoolOT Press Box this week as Evan Moesta, Joel Bryant, and J. Mike Blake look back on the first two weeks of the high school football season, why NC teams have dominated out of state opponents, where East/West lines will fall for the postseason, and why soccer and volleyball players have opted out of playing at the high school level.
Aug. 3, 2025

2025 North Carolina High School Volleyball Preview

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