By Chatham Journal staff
Pittsboro, NC – Seaforth delivered its strongest argument yet for the top position in the Chatham County high school football power rankings, overwhelming Orange 48-0 behind another extraordinary performance from quarterback Duncan Parker. Jordan-Matthews also moved up, climbing above Northwood after the Jets earned their second consecutive win while the Chargers suffered a 42-point shutout loss at Eastern Randolph. Undefeated Chatham Central remained No. 2 during an open week.
The updated rankings use last week’s order as the baseline and include games played through Oct. 2. Overall record matters, but the rankings also weigh opponent quality, margin and manner of victory, recent performance, common opponents and head-to-head results.
Chatham County football rankings at a glance
| Rank | Team | Record | Previous | Movement | Latest result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seaforth | 5-1 | 1 | – | Defeated Orange, 48-0 |
| 2 | Chatham Central | 6-0 | 2 | – | Idle |
| 3 | Jordan-Matthews | 4-3 | 4 | ▲ 1 | Defeated North Moore, 36-8 |
| 4 | Northwood | 2-4 | 3 | ▼ 1 | Lost to Eastern Randolph, 42-0 |
1. Seaforth Hawks – 5-1
Previous ranking: No. 1
Movement: No change
Week’s result: Defeated Orange 48-0
Conference record: 1-0
Seaforth did considerably more than protect the top ranking Friday night in Hillsborough. The Hawks strengthened it.
The 48-0 victory over Orange combined offensive explosiveness, defensive discipline and immediate control. Seaforth scored 20 points in the first quarter, added 12 in the second and never permitted Orange to create the kind of response that could alter the game’s direction.
The Hawks led 32-0 at halftime, then added touchdowns in both the third and fourth quarters. Orange entered the contest at 2-3 and was coming off a 43-22 victory over Northern Durham in which it rushed for 353 yards. Seaforth therefore was not facing an opponent entirely without demonstrated offensive capability. The Hawks still produced a shutout.
Quarterback Duncan Parker completed 14 of 20 passes for 404 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions. He also rushed twice for 86 yards and another score, giving him 490 yards of offense and six total touchdowns on just 22 passing attempts and carries.
That works out to more than 22 yards every time Parker either attempted a pass or carried the ball. His 404 passing yards were a season high, and the victory marked his fourth consecutive game with at least three touchdown passes.
Mason Pooley supplied one of the principal downfield threats, catching three passes for 93 yards and a touchdown. His average of 31 yards per reception illustrates how effectively Seaforth created explosive plays rather than merely assembling long, methodical drives. 10/02/2026
The defensive performance may have been equally meaningful. Orange running back Markus Thomas still gained 130 yards on 24 attempts, but the Hawks kept those yards from turning into points. Orange completed no passes, did not reach the end zone and was shut out in every quarter.
That detail matters when evaluating a 48-point margin. Seaforth did not simply turn a competitive game into a rout with late scores. The Hawks established their advantage immediately, maintained it and prevented a capable runner from giving Orange a foothold.
The victory was Seaforth’s fourth in a row. Across those four games, the Hawks have averaged 47.5 points while defeating Princeton, Northwood, North Moore and Orange. Two of the last three victories have been shutouts: 50-0 over North Moore and 48-0 over Orange.
The broader résumé still separates Seaforth from Chatham Central despite the Bears’ undefeated record. The Hawks own a head-to-head victory over Northwood, winning 22-15, and their only loss came against Southeast Alamance. Seaforth is ranked No. 132 statewide and No. 23 in the 5A classification. Chatham Central, by comparison, is No. 287 statewide, although the Bears are rated fourth in 1A.
Computer rankings are not treated as definitive, but a 155-place statewide difference is supporting evidence when considered alongside Seaforth’s schedule, scoring production and performance against common opponents.
Seaforth and Chatham Central have both played North Moore. Chatham Central won 54-28; Seaforth won 50-0. Jordan-Matthews beat the same North Moore team 36-8. Those comparisons are imperfect because teams evolve and individual matchups matter, but Seaforth’s defensive superiority against the shared opponent remains notable.
Ranking verdict: Seaforth remains a clear No. 1. The Hawks possess the county’s best combination of opponent-adjusted results, offensive ceiling and recent dominance. Parker’s passing gives Seaforth the ability to score from nearly anywhere, and consecutive conference shutout-level performances would make the Hawks difficult to displace.
2. Chatham Central Bears – 6-0
Previous ranking: No. 2
Movement: No change
Week’s result: Idle
Conference record: 2-0
Chatham Central did not play during the Oct. 2 weekend, leaving the Bears’ record at 6-0 and their ranking unchanged.
An open date should not automatically cause a team to fall, especially when the team is the county’s only remaining unbeaten squad. Chatham Central has earned its position by winning close games, winning high-scoring games and recording two shutouts.
The Bears entered the break after defeating North Stokes 35-0. Brooks Albright passed for 152 yards and two touchdowns in that victory, while Carson Jackson generated 129 total yards and a touchdown. Chatham Central also intercepted two passes, recorded three sacks and returned one of the interceptions for a score.
That performance followed a 30-24 victory over Winston-Salem Preparatory Academy, a 54-28 win over North Moore and a 14-0 shutout of East Columbus. The Bears have demonstrated more than one path to victory.
Their advantage over Jordan-Matthews is particularly firm because the teams have already met. Chatham Central beat the Jets 29-8 on Aug. 28, producing 276 yards of offense and holding Jordan-Matthews to eight points. maxpreps.com
That 21-point head-to-head victory prevents Jordan-Matthews’ recent surge from creating a serious debate over second place this week. Even if one prefers the Jets’ more recent offensive performance, Chatham Central has the undefeated record and the direct result.
The more complicated comparison remains between Chatham Central and Seaforth.
The Bears can make the simplest possible argument: They are 6-0, and Seaforth is 5-1. Chatham Central also is 2-0 in conference play and ranked fourth among North Carolina’s 1A teams.
The counterargument is that the Bears’ strength of schedule has not matched Seaforth’s. Chatham Central’s most recent opponent, North Stokes, was 0-6 after the loss. Its next opponent, The College Prep & Leadership Academy, is 1-5. The statewide rating also remains substantially lower than Seaforth’s.
The power rankings are intended to answer which team is playing the strongest football against the most meaningful competition-not merely to sort teams by winning percentage. On that measure, Seaforth continues to own the advantage.
Chatham Central nevertheless deserves credit for avoiding the inconsistency that frequently affects unbeaten starts built against lighter schedules. The Bears have not slipped against an opponent they were expected to beat. They have won all six games and have allowed 24 points or fewer in every contest.
The defense is the program’s most dependable foundation. Gavin Williams leads the team at 10.8 tackles per game and has seven total touchdowns. Wilson Hinshaw has four sacks, while Tyler Congrove has three interceptions. maxpreps.com
That combination of tackling production, backfield disruption and turnovers should translate as the Bears enter the more consequential portion of the conference schedule.
Ranking verdict: Chatham Central remains a strong No. 2. The Bears’ unbeaten record and decisive head-to-head victory over Jordan-Matthews protect the position. To overtake Seaforth, however, Chatham Central needs either a signature victory against a stronger opponent or a Seaforth loss.
3. Jordan-Matthews Jets – 4-3
Previous ranking: No. 4
Movement: ▲ 1
Week’s result: Defeated North Moore 36-8
Conference record: 1-0
Jordan-Matthews makes the week’s only upward move after producing its largest victory of the season and improving to 4-3.
The Jets defeated North Moore 36-8 behind a dramatically improved passing attack. Khalil Sherrod completed 85.7% of his passes for 241 yards and five touchdowns. JJ White caught two of those scoring passes while finishing with 91 receiving yards.
The result was expected. North Moore fell to 0-7 and has struggled throughout the season. Opponent strength therefore limits how much weight the victory can carry.
How Jordan-Matthews won, however, is still significant.
The Jets generated 244 passing yards and turned those yards into five touchdowns. Earlier in the season, Jordan-Matthews leaned more heavily on the running game. Against North Stokes, for example, the Jets rushed for 251 yards while passing for 106. The performance against North Moore showed that Jordan-Matthews can win through a more expansive passing attack when defenses commit resources to stopping the run.
Sherrod’s efficiency was the central development. Completing six of every seven attempts while producing five touchdowns is different from merely accumulating yardage against a struggling opponent. He consistently finished drives and avoided empty possessions.
White’s emergence as a vertical and scoring threat also gives the Jets another option alongside Lennox Mordecai and Jaden Fisher. Mordecai leads Jordan-Matthews with 85.2 rushing yards per game and five touchdown passes in the season totals, while Fisher has four receiving touchdowns and two interceptions.
The Jets have now won consecutive games, defeating East Chapel Hill 28-21 and North Moore 36-8. That represents a meaningful correction following consecutive lopsided losses to Wheatmore and Providence Grove, when Jordan-Matthews was outscored by a combined 103-26.
The recent progress does not erase those defeats. Nor does a win over an 0-7 opponent prove that Jordan-Matthews has solved every problem exposed earlier in the season. It does establish that the Jets are playing better football than Northwood entering their head-to-head meeting.
The MaxPreps recap described Jordan-Matthews as “fully in charge” against North Moore, an accurate summary of a game in which the Jets posted their largest winning margin of the year.
Jordan-Matthews’ four victories have come against Carrboro, North Stokes, East Chapel Hill and North Moore. None currently qualifies as a signature opponent-adjusted win. That is why the Jets move only one place rather than challenging Chatham Central for second.
Their losses also include the 29-8 defeat to Chatham Central, which remains the county’s most relevant head-to-head result involving the Jets.
Still, power rankings must account for direction. Jordan-Matthews is moving forward. Northwood is moving backward. The Jets have scored 64 points in their last two games; the Chargers have scored 21 in their last two and were shut out Friday.
Ranking verdict: Jordan-Matthews rises to No. 3 because of recent performance, improving offensive versatility and Northwood’s decisive loss. The Jets can remove any ambiguity by beating the Chargers on Friday.
4. Northwood Chargers – 2-4
Previous ranking: No. 3
Movement: ▼ 1
Week’s result: Lost to Eastern Randolph 42-0
Conference record: 0-1
Northwood faced the county’s strongest opponent of the week. That context matters-but it cannot entirely excuse a 42-0 defeat.
Eastern Randolph improved to 4-3 with the victory and was ranked No. 108 statewide following the game, compared with Northwood at No. 262. The Wildcats had also beaten West Stanly 43-15 one week earlier, making them a considerably more formidable opponent than either North Moore or Orange.
A competitive loss at Eastern Randolph would not necessarily have caused Northwood to fall. The Chargers previously earned a quality 21-14 victory over North Surry and played Seaforth within seven points. Those results gave Northwood a defensible argument for remaining third despite Jordan-Matthews’ better record.
The manner of Friday’s defeat changed the calculation.
Northwood was shut out for the first time this season and fell behind an opponent that controlled the game sufficiently to produce a six-touchdown margin. The Chargers recorded 52 tackles, one sack and one interception, but those defensive plays were not enough to prevent Eastern Randolph from scoring 42 points.
Northwood has now been held to seven points or fewer in three of six games. The Chargers lost 49-7 to Harnett Central and 35-7 to Asheboro before the shutout at Eastern Randolph. Their two victories-42-0 over Bartlett Yancey and 21-14 over North Surry-show that the team has a competitive ceiling, but the difference between its wins and losses has become stark.
That inconsistency is the principal reason for the drop.
Northwood can run the ball effectively when playing from a favorable position. In the North Surry victory, the Chargers rushed for 268 yards and added 160 passing yards. Against Bartlett Yancey, they produced 237 rushing yards in another balanced performance. maxpreps.com
When the Chargers fall behind against a stronger defense, however, the offense has struggled to create the explosive passing plays needed to change the game. That was evident against Eastern Randolph and earlier against Harnett Central.
Northwood still ranks ahead of Jordan-Matthews in the statewide computer ratings, No. 262 to No. 364. That gap reflects the Chargers’ more demanding schedule and their earlier victory over North Surry.
Power rankings, however, are not season-long computer ratings. They intentionally give added weight to recent performance. Jordan-Matthews has won two consecutive games; Northwood has followed its best victory with an open week and a 42-point loss.
That trend justifies the change while leaving open a straightforward route back to third place.
Ranking verdict: Northwood falls to No. 4 because the Eastern Randolph loss was too decisive to overlook. The Chargers can reverse the movement immediately by winning Friday’s head-to-head game at Jordan-Matthews.
Chatham County Player of the Week
Duncan Parker, senior quarterback, Seaforth
Parker is the clear selection after accounting for 490 yards and six touchdowns in Seaforth’s 48-0 victory at Orange.
His complete line:
- 14-of-20 passing
- 404 passing yards
- Five passing touchdowns
- No interceptions
- Two rushing attempts
- 86 rushing yards
- One rushing touchdown
Parker averaged 28.9 yards per completion and 20.2 yards per passing attempt. He also averaged 43 yards on his two carries. 10/02/2026
The statistics were not accumulated in a shootout that required Seaforth to throw on nearly every possession. Parker produced them in a shutout, helping the Hawks build a 32-point halftime lead before completing the 48-point victory.
He also spread the impact across the offense. Pooley finished with 93 receiving yards, and Seaforth recorded 404 passing yards as a team. Parker has now thrown for 1,789 yards this season, while Noah Fuller leads the Hawks with 629 receiving yards.
Parker previously produced 486 total yards and nine touchdowns in a 70-56 victory over Princeton, completing 21 of 26 passes for 408 yards and six scores while adding 78 rushing yards and three touchdowns. His Orange performance was less frantic but more complete because it occurred alongside a defensive shutout.
The result illustrates why Seaforth occupies the top ranking. No other county offense has shown the same ability to turn a handful of possessions into a large early advantage.
Honorable mentions
Khalil Sherrod, Jordan-Matthews: Passed for 241 yards and five touchdowns while completing 85.7% of his attempts in the 36-8 win over North Moore.
JJ White, Jordan-Matthews: Recorded 91 receiving yards and two touchdown catches.
Mason Pooley, Seaforth: Caught three passes for 93 yards and a touchdown, averaging 31 yards per reception.
What changed this week
The county’s top two positions grew more stable, while the bottom two changed places.
Seaforth and Chatham Central have separated themselves through different types of résumés. Seaforth has the county’s most explosive offense, the higher statewide rating and stronger comparative performances. Chatham Central has the only perfect record, two shutouts and a decisive win over Jordan-Matthews.
The Bears remain close enough that one Seaforth loss could reopen the No. 1 debate. This week, however, the Hawks did the opposite of creating doubt. They went on the road and defeated a 2-3 team by 48 points.
Jordan-Matthews’ rise is more provisional. The Jets have earned it through consecutive wins, but their opponents in those games are a combined 1-10. Northwood’s recent opponent was much stronger, and that distinction cannot be ignored.
The 42-0 score is the counterweight. Strength of schedule can explain why Northwood was an underdog; it cannot make a noncompetitive result irrelevant. Friday’s county matchup provides the ideal solution because the Jets and Chargers will settle third place on the field.
Next key matchups
1. Northwood at Jordan-Matthews
Friday, Oct. 9, 7 p.m., at Jordan-Matthews
This is the week’s most consequential county matchup and a direct test of the ranking change.
Jordan-Matthews enters 4-3, 1-0 in conference play and riding a two-game winning streak. Northwood is 2-4, 0-1 and trying to respond to its first shutout loss of the season. maxpreps.com
The tactical question is whether Northwood can control the ball with its rushing attack and keep Sherrod from recreating the passing rhythm he found against North Moore. Northwood’s best performance came when it rushed for 268 yards against North Surry. Jordan-Matthews’ best recent performance came when Sherrod threw five touchdown passes.
A Jordan-Matthews victory would validate the Jets’ move to No. 3 and give them three consecutive wins. A Northwood victory would provide the Chargers with a meaningful conference road result and probably return them to third.
2. Cedar Ridge at Seaforth
Friday, Oct. 9, 7 p.m., at Seaforth
Seaforth should be a substantial favorite. Cedar Ridge is 0-4, ranked No. 412 statewide and coming off a 54-0 loss to South Granville. The Fighting Red Wolves have been outscored 148-38 in four reported games. maxpreps.com
The challenge for Seaforth is maintaining focus after a 48-point road victory. The Hawks have averaged 47.5 points over their four-game winning streak and have recorded two shutouts in their last three games.
This matchup is less about whether Seaforth can win than whether the Hawks can continue playing at a standard that supports championship expectations. Avoiding turnovers, protecting Parker and getting younger or less-experienced contributors meaningful snaps would all represent productive outcomes.
3. College Prep & Leadership Academy at Chatham Central
Friday, Oct. 9, 7 p.m., at Chatham Central
Chatham Central returns from its open date against a 1-5 College Prep & Leadership Academy team.
The Royals lost 31-6 to South Davidson in their most recent game, finishing with 29 passing yards and 141 rushing yards. They are ranked No. 385 statewide and No. 19 in the 1A classification.
Chatham Central should expect to win, but the matchup gives the Bears an opportunity to sharpen the offense before more difficult conference tests. A seventh victory would extend the best start among the county’s four football programs and preserve pressure on Seaforth at the top.
The result will be judged partly by execution. Chatham Central needs to establish control early, protect the football and avoid allowing an overmatched opponent to remain within one possession into the second half.
Final takeaway
Seaforth remains the standard in Chatham County after combining 490 yards and six touchdowns from Parker with a complete defensive shutout. Chatham Central remains the strongest challenger, protected by its undefeated record and its head-to-head win over Jordan-Matthews.
The principal movement belongs to the Jets, who climb to third after consecutive victories and their most convincing offensive performance of the season. Northwood falls one position after a difficult matchup turned into a 42-point defeat.
The encouraging part for both teams is that the debate has an immediate answer coming. When Northwood travels to Jordan-Matthews on Friday, the county’s new No. 3 will defend that position against the team it replaced.
At the top, the question is no longer whether Seaforth deserves No. 1. After a 48-0 road victory, the question is what Chatham Central-or anyone else-must do to take it away.