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 — Aiden Smalls, junior, Clayton

• Smalls was remarkably efficient in Clayton’s 48-17 win over county rival Corinth Holders. He completed 18 of 23 passing attempts for 330 yards and five touchdowns. Smalls also had a rushing touchdown.

RB — Amareon Blue, senior, Jordan

• Blue has been doing this kind of thing on the varsity level for years, but the best playoff game of his career might have come on Friday. Blue rushed for 257 yards and five touchdowns on 23 carries in Jordan’s 42-14 win over Enloe.

RB — Brandon Pinkerton, junior, East Rutherford

• Pinkerton rushed for 327 yards and five touchdowns on 46 carries in East Rutherford’s road win at North Surry in the first round.

WR — Tyreek Copper, junior, Kinston

• The standout from Kinston had seven catches for 134 yards and two touchdowns in the Vikings’ first round overtime road win over South Columbus.

WR — Tayvon Evans, senior, Clayton

• Evans had seven receptions for 163 yards and three touchdowns in Clayton’s 48-point performance against Corinth Holders in round one.

FLEX — Evan Kennedy, senior, West Rowan

• In just one half of play, Kennedy caught six passes for 153 yards, and two touchdowns while also rushing for 42 yards and a touchdown.

OL — Jordan Shaw, senior, Mallard Creek

• At 6-foot-2, 265 pounds, Shaw is not the biggest left tackle in the state, but he is a really solid, aggressive player. He made multiple highlight blocks in Mallard Creek’s 34-9 dominant performance over Lake Norman.

OL — Noah Clark, junior, Jordan

• Clark and Jordan offensive line helped pave the way for the Falcons to rush for 316 yards and five touchdowns in their big win over Enloe. From his defensive tackle spot, Clark was dominant. He was credited with seven tackles, two tackles for a loss, and a sack.

OL — Gavin Marks, senior, Rolesville

• Marks was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma late in the regular season and he has braved the challenge with the level of fight that he took towards defensive linemen over his career. He has started chemotherapy and transitioned to a supportive role for the Rams. The HSOT All-State selection will be eligible for this year’s All-State team as well. We are sending our best wishes to Gavin and his family and keeping them in our prayers.

OL — Montgomery Edwards, senior, Marvin Ridge

• Edwards was fantastic in the first round of the playoffs, grading out at an 85% with nine knockdowns and no sacks allowed. Marvin Ridge rushed for 313 yards in their 24-10 win at Asheville.

OL — Nick Kashbubara, junior, Grimsley

• The 6-foot-4, 270-pound right tackle has had a strong season for the Whirlies. In Grimsley’s 63-0 first round win over Western Guilford, the offense put up 464 total yards and nine total touchdowns.

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

Defense

DL — KeShawn Stancil, junior, Clayton

• Stancil cemented himself as one of the best linemen in North Carolina this season. In Clayton’s first round win, Stancil had two tackles for a loss, one sack, two forced fumbles, and a pass deflection that was intercepted and returned for a touchdown.

DL — Zion O’Neal Brown, senior, Brevard

• The senior has really turned it on down the stretch and has multiple tackles for a loss in each of the last four games. In Brevard’s first round win over Anson, he has 10 total tackles and two tackles for a loss.

DL — Eli Willard, junior, North Johnston

• Willard was a bright spot in North Johnston’s opening round loss at Martin County. He had 12 total tackles, three tackles for a loss, 1.5 sacks, three quarterback hurries, and a batted down a pass.

DL — Kadence Pruitt, sophomore, Reidsville

• An emerging player, Pruitt registered 15 total tackles, two tackles for a loss, and a sack in Reidsville’s 56-22 first round win over R-S Central.

LB — Robert McCollum, junior, Dudley

• McCollum was all over the place in Dudley’s 55-0 shutout performance over Asheboro, registering 11 total tackles, four tackles for a loss, and two sacks.

LB — Terande Spencer, junior, Richmond

• One of this year’s breakout stars, Spencer had five tackles, two tackles for a loss, a sack, a pass breakup, and a 60-yard interception returned for a touchdown in Richmond’s blowout win over Topsail.

DB — Brandon Albert, senior, Community School of Davidson

• Albert posted a season-high 10 total tackles in CSD’s first round 42-6 romp over Bandys. On offense, Albert had 250 total yards and four touchdowns.

DB — Damien Gary, senior, Cape Fear

• In the Colts’ win over Southern Alamance in round one, Gary recorded 12 total tackles, including two tackles for a loss, and two interceptions.

DB —  Izeiah Oates, junior, Eastern Wayne

• Oates is having a tremendous season as Eastern Wayne’s quarterback and strong safety. In the first round, Oates had five tackles and a big pass breakup on defense. Offensively, he completed 12 of 20 attempts for 241 yards and four touchdowns while also rushing for 101 yards and a touchdown.

DB — Xavier Hasan, sophomore, Cardinal Gibbons

• This sophomore season from Hasan has been a really good one. In Gibbons’ large round one win over Willow Spring, he has two interceptions and an additional pass breakup.

FLEX — Josh Moses, senior, Mountain Island Charter

• The senior safety had a big game on both sides of the ball in Mountain Island’s win in a rematch against conference foe Bishop McGuinness. He had seven tackles and an interception that he returned for 64 yards. On offense, he rushed for 179 yards and three touchdowns on 20 carries.