HighSchoolOT Press Box
Step inside the HighSchoolOT Press Box for the latest high school sports news and analysis across North Carolina with HSOT's Joel Bryant, Ben McCormick and J. Mike Blake. They are also joined my other members of the press from across the state.
Most Recent Episode
Midseason thoughts on Football, Boys Soccer, Girls Volleyball, & other fall sports
The team gave some thoughts on the biggest developments in fall sports through the midway point of the regular season.
HighSchoolOT Press Box is presented by Wake Orthopaedics. https://www.wakemed.org/wakemed-wake-orthopaedics
HighSchoolOT covers all varsity sports in North Carolina. Follow our news stories, scores, standings, rankings, feature stories, All-State Teams, and more at https://www.highschoolot.com/! 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/
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More Episodes
Drafting the fall sports teams most likely to win a 2026 state championship
On this episode of HighSchoolOT Press Box, Ben McCormick, Laieke Abebe, and Joel Bryant each picked 10 teams they think are most likely to win a state championship game. Each drafter had a slot for 1A-8A football and two flex spots for any sport, any classification.
HighSchoolOT Press Box is presented by Wake Orthopaedics. https://www.wakemed.org/wakemed-wake-orthopaedics
HighSchoolOT covers all varsity sports in North Carolina. Follow our news stories, scores, standings, rankings, feature stories, All-State Teams, and more at https://www.highschoolot.com/!
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: instagram.com/highschoolot
Follow @HighSchoolOT on Twitter: twitter.com/highschoolot
Like @HighSchoolOT on Facebook: facebook.com/highschoolot
A look at the biggest football games in Week 3; Soccer and volleyball breakout teams
In this episode of the HighSchoolOT Press Box, the team broke down some of the biggest football games coming up in week three of the 2026 season and named some soccer and volleyball programs that have broken out so far this fall.
HighSchoolOT Press Box is presented by Wake Orthopaedics. https://www.wakemed.org/wakemed-wake-orthopaedics
HighSchoolOT covers all varsity sports in North Carolina. Follow our news stories, scores, standings, rankings, feature stories, All-State Teams, and more at https://www.highschoolot.com/!
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: instagram.com/highschoolot
Follow @HighSchoolOT on Twitter: twitter.com/highschoolot
Like @HighSchoolOT on Facebook: facebook.com/highschoolot
Recapping the first two weeks of 2026 NC high school football
HighSchoolOT Press Box is presented by Wake Orthopaedics. https://www.wakemed.org/wakemed-wake-orthopaedics
HighSchoolOT covers all varsity sports in North Carolina. Follow our news stories, scores, standings, rankings, feature stories, All-State Teams, and more at https://www.highschoolot.com/!
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: instagram.com/highschoolot
Follow @HighSchoolOT on Twitter: twitter.com/highschoolot
Like @HighSchoolOT on Facebook: facebook.com/highschoolot
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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: instagram.com/highschoolot
Follow @HighSchoolOT on Twitter: twitter.com/highschoolot
Like @HighSchoolOT on Facebook: facebook.com/highschoolot
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 devices! Download the HighSchoolOT app here: https://www.highschoolot.com/story/do...
Download the HighSchoolOT app: https://www.highschoolot.com/story/do...
Subscribe to the HighSchoolOT newsletter: highschoolot.com/email
Follow @HighSchoolOT on Instagram: instagram.com/highschoolot
Follow @HighSchoolOT on Twitter: twitter.com/highschoolot
Like @HighSchoolOT on Facebook: facebook.com/highschoolot
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...
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: https://www.highschoolot.com/story/do... Download the
HighSchoolOT app: https://www.highschoolot.com/story/do...
Subscribe to the HighSchoolOT newsletter: highschoolot.com/email Follow @HighSchoolOT on Instagram: instagram.com/highschoolot Follow @HighSchoolOT on Twitter: twitter.com/highschoolot Like @HighSchoolOT on Facebook: facebook.com/highschoolot
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
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
