For each week of the 2024 high school football season, HighSchoolOT will release the Starting 22. It lists the best performances from every position across North Carolina.

Coaches should send in performance nominations to [email protected] for consideration each week. Now that we are in the playoffs, players can receive a repeat selection if they made one of the regular season lists.

See the Starting 22 from this season’s previous weeks:

Offense

QB — Zach Dillowrth, senior, Forest Hills

• In his first and only season at Forest Hills, Dillworth has led the Yellow Jackets to the third round. Forest Hills went on the road and beat 4-seed Randleman 38-21 as Dillowrth completed 24 of 34 passing attempts for 388 yards and four touchdowns.

RB — Brandon Powell, senior, North Moore

• Powell had 260 yards of total offense and four touchdowns in North Moore’s 46-22 win over Bertie in the second round.

RB — Tyjurian White, junior, Scotland

• White had a great night as Scotland beat Terry Sanford in a 38-35 shootout. He had 30 carries for 221 yards and three touchdowns while adding a reception for 10 yards.

WR — Tyreek Copper, junior, Kinston

• Copper is back on the Starting 22 after posting four receptions for 188 yards and two touchdowns as the Vikings went on the road and ended the undefeated season of 3-seed Southeast Alamance.

WR — Tyran Evans, junior, Hough

• Evans is back on the Starting 22 with his three-catch, 115-yard, two-touchdown performance against a good Independence secondary. Hough blasted the Patriots, 47-3.

FLEX — Jaylin Murry, senior, East Forsyth

• Murry posted insane stats in East Forsyth’s blowout 56-19 win over West Forsyth in the second round. He had 11 receptions for 169 yards, and two touchdowns as well as five rushes for 69 yards and two touchdowns. He also had a tackle and a fumble recovery on defense. It was one of the most dominant performances by any individual this season in North Carolina.

OL — Jhaden Bethea, senior, Cape Fear

• The 6-foot-1, 280-pound left tackle has been such a solid player for the Colts. He had a strong game in terms of pass protection and getting downhill as a run blocker in Cape Fear’s road win over 4-seed C.B. Aycock.

OL — Isaiah Locklear, senior, Scotland

• A long-time favorite of HighSchoolOT editors, Locklear helped Scotland road grade Terry Sanford’s defense to the tune of 277 rushing yards and four touchdowns. Scotland also had 106 yards passing. Locklear is 6-foot-3, 300 pounds, and as physical as any lineman in N.C.

OL — Omari Graham, sophomore, West Stokes

• In West Stokes’ rematch win over East Surry, Graham had an overall blocking grade of 92%. He is a 6-foot-3, 265-pound left tackle. He is a part of what could be the best offensive line in 2A.

OL — Eric Gant, junior, Dudley

• The 6-foot, 260-pound Gant was credited with two pancake blocks in Dudley’s 42-0 win over A.C. Reynolds, raising his season total to 35.

OL — Cody Luther, senior, Erwin

• Luther is one of the best right tackles in North Carolina. He plays a huge role as the blindside blocker for lefty phenom sophomore quarterback Caden Ingle. The 6-foot-2, 280-pound Luther helped Erwin to a 35-14 win over Smoky Mountain.

Check out the Great 58 Statewide Standouts, which does something like this for all of the other fall sports:

Defense

DL — Jordyn Ratliff, senior, Dudley

• Ratliff continued his destructive ways in the Panthers’ shutout win over A.C. Reynolds in the second round. Ratliff had eight total tackles, four of which went for a loss, and 1.5 sacks.

DL — Domani Edwards, junior, J.H. Rose

• The big 6-foot-2, 275-pound defensive tackle produced awesome tape in 30-seed Rose’s upset win over Southern Nash. Edwards lived in the backfield and was credited with 12 total tackles, multiple tackles for a loss, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery.

DEF — Pretty much the entire Cleveland front seven

• Cleveland’s defense came to play after avoiding an upset in the first round. The Rams held Ashely to a measly three points. Daniel Lugo had 12 tackles, seven tackles for a loss, three sacks; Cameron Melvin had 12 tackles, six tackles for a loss, one sack, two forced fumbles, Darrell Herriott had nine tackles, four tackles for a loss, two sacks; Jaylen King had nine tackles, four tackles for a loss, and three sacks.

LB — Zion Burden, senior, Mallard Creek

• The explosive edge rusher had 10 total tackles and three sacks in Mallard Creek’s shutout win at Watauga, which was the first and only loss of the season for the Pioneers.

LB — Carren Armstrong, senior, Northeastern

• Armstrong was credited with eight total tackles, two sacks, and a 36-yard interception return for a touchdown as top-seeded Northeastern blasted Greene Central, 50-6.

LB — Quinton Cypher, sophomore, Millbrook

• The sophomore dominated New Bern with 21 total tackles, three sacks, and two pass breakups. Millbrook won 32-13.

DB — Reginald Lancaster, senior, West Craven

• Lancaster had as dominant of a performance as you can have on Friday. The defensive back had two interceptions, one of which was returned for a 37-yard touchdown, and three receptions for 33 yards and a touchdown on offense.

FLEX — JJ Arrowood, senior, East Rutherford

• An edge defender, Arrowood had a team-high 11 total tackles, a huge interception in the end zone, and a blocked field goal in East Rutherford’s stunning upset over top-seeded Reidsville in the 2A West playoffs.