The N.C. High School Athletic Association’s 2A state championship game between 2A West champion Monroe and 2A East champion Northeastern kicked off at 6:36 p.m.

It is being played at UNC’s Kenan Stadium.

This is a live blog that will have regular updates over the course of the night. Make sure to regularly refresh the page to see the latest updates.

Pregame Notes

J. Mike Blake here before Joel Bryant subs me out around halftime. Greetings from Kenan Stadium! These two undefeated teams are almost mirror images of the other, so we should have a great one in store.

1st Quarter

• Northeastern starting off with good field position, near midfield.
• A few quick plays get the Eagles down to the 29.
• Northeastern took a shot at the end zone on 3rd-and-10 from the 29.
• TOUCHDOWN. Northeastern strikes first on a 4th-and-10 with a 29-yard pass from Trevaris Jones to Tyell Saunders. A great move after the catch got him the final 15 yards. PAT no good, it’s 6-0 with 9:38 left in the first quarter.
• Monroe takes over its next drive on its own 28.
• TOUCHDOWN. A two-play drive ends in an amazing 70-yard bomb from Kaegan Chambers to Michigan recruit Jordan Young! Young got the jump ball, fended off a tackler, then weaved his way through the remaining guys who had an angle. XP good. Redhawks up 7-6 with 8:43 to play first quarter.
• Can barely keep up with these big plays, which is about what I figured. Northeastern has a second and short from the 47.
• Saunders again with a big catch-and-run, that time on third-and-2. They’re across midfield.
• BIG TURNOVER. Jeremiah Lindsey picks up a mishandled snap by Jones and Monroe will take over, 5:57 to go in the first quarter, at their own 40. Snap looked good but Jones just didn’t grasp it before trying for the mesh.
• Monroe goes backwards for one yard in two plays but gets a third-and-11 to keep the drive alive.
• Monroe has now marched it to the 24, 1st-and-10.
• 4th-and-8 at the 22 and Monroe goes to the end zone but incomplete! Jordan Young boxed out the defensive back but Ty’jae Simpson somehow made a play. TV timeout with 2:02 left.
• No gain on the first play of that drive as the pocket collapsed.
• On 3rd-and-10 from the 22 it’s a wheel route to Simpson! 50 yards!
• TOUCHDOWN Northeastern! A 23-yard pass from Jones to Unique Blount on a dime. Dropped it in the bucket after Blount beat his man. Eagles are up 12-7 with 1:07 as the two-point run gets stuffed.
• Monroe has a first down at the Northeastern 43 when we pick up the second quarter

2nd Quarter

• Chambers has to try to scramble on a 3rd-and-10 but only gets six. Ball on the 37. Fourth down coming up. Monroe takes a timeout after getting a look at how both sides lined up.
• Oh back-breaking penalty for Northeastern. Chambers had no good options as Monroe’s wideouts were downfield on go routes. Northeastern sacked him for a big loss but there was a facemask and Monroe gets a first down at the 32.
• TOUCHDOWN Monroe! Very next play after the penalty extends the drive on a fourth down sack, Chambers has no one open and takes off, shaking off a tackler in the last five minutes and keeps his balance to leap into the end zone. 32 yards and Monroe leads 14-12 with 10:44 until halftime.