volleyball, boys soccer, girls tennis, girls golf and cross country

HighSchoolOT is entering its third year of making both final rankings and all-state teams for every NC High School Athletic Association-sponsored sport, a first-of-its-kind achievement for a state media outlet.

In 2021-22, 276 different schools finished the year in the HighSchoolOT rankings, while 368 different schools were represented on All-State teams.

Sports that determine their state champions through a state meet have a top 25 state ranking. All others, such as those determined by a pool of 64 teams, have top 25 rankings for the eastern half of the state (the East/West lines follow the NCHSAA’s district division, which groups Caswell, Alamance, Chatham, Moore and Richmond in the east, while Rockingham , Guilford, Randolph, Montgomery and Anson are in the west) and one for the western half of the state.

If you missed the preseason football rankings, here are links to the East’s preseason Top 25, where Cardinal Gibbons is first, and the West’s preseason Top 25, where Chambers is on top to start the year.

Below you will find our preseason standings in cross country, girls golf, girls tennis (East/West), boys soccer (East/West) and volleyball (East/West).

All of the No. 1 teams in our final rankings are honored at the end of the 2022-23 HSOT Honors track and field season.

To see where teams stand in our final rankings for the 2021 season, click here.

Cross Country — Girls

Cuthbertson starts the year first, which is no surprise given the Cavaliers’ recent dominance of the sport. HighSchoolOT will post final rankings at the end of the season.

1. Cuthbertson
2. Cardinal Gibbons
3. Weddington
4. Hoggard
5. Marvin Ridge
6. Ardrey Kell
7. Laney
8. Chapel Hill
9. Reagan
10. Mount Tabor
11. Charlotte Country Day
12. Providence day
13. Myers Park
14. Watauga
15. East Chapel Hill
16. Panther Creek
17. Half
18. Broughton
19. Leesville Road
20. Apex
21. North Lincoln
22. West Henderson
23. Charlotte Latin
24. NCSSM
25. The holders of Corinth

Cross Country — Boys

Weddington is our pre-season No.1, despite the strong case that can be made for Christ School. Last year’s No. 1, Mount Tabor, is fourth. HighSchoolOT will post final rankings at the end of the season.

1. Weddington
2. Christ School
3. Green hope
4. Mount Tabor
5. Marvin Ridge
6. Millbrook
7. Broughton
8. Chapel Hill
9. Cardinal Gibbons
10. Ardrey Kell
11. Durham Academy
12. Lake Norman
13. Hoggard
14. Croatian
15. Coastal Christian
16. North Lincoln
17. Curry Academy
18. Charlotte Catholic
19. Riverside (Durham)
20. TC Roberson
21. Reagan
22. Cleveland
23. Brevard
24. Covenant Day
25. Apex Friendship

Golf for girls

Until someone unseats them, Reagan is once again our preseason No. 1. However, Cardinal Gibbons and Ardrey Kell are not far behind. HighSchoolOT will post final rankings at the end of the season.

1. Reagan
2. Ardrey Kell
3. Cardinal Gibbons
4. Durham Academy
5. Green hope
6. Pinecrest
7. O’Neill School
8. North Raleigh Christian
9. Northwest Guilford
10. West Forsyth
11. Wayne Country Day
12. Jordan
13. Marvin Ridge
14. Newton-Conover
15. Weddington
16. Green level
17. Cox Mill
18. Hoggard
19. Pine Lake Prep
20. Carmel Christian
21. Holly Springs
22. Fike
23. Millbrook
24. Myers Park
25. Saint Mary

Girls Tennis — East

East Chapel Hill 4A’s second-place finish gave the Wildcats first place last year after a 21-1 campaign, and that’s where they start again this year in the top-heavy East. HighSchoolOT will also post mid-season standings and final standings.

1. East Chapel Hill
2. Leesville Road
3. Cardinal Gibbons
4. Apex Friendship
5. Green hope
6. New Hanover
7. Cape Fear
8. Green level
9. Panther Creek
10. Jordan
11. Millbrook
12. Durham Academy
13. Curry Academy
14. Cape Fear Academy
15. Legacy
16. Arendelle The Couple
17. Hoggard
18. Broughton
19. Enlow
20. Rocky Mount
21. Raleigh Charter
22. Terry Sanford
23. Chapel Hill
24. an orange
25. Fike

Girls Tennis — West

Marvin Ridge moved through 4A last year and returns nearly its entire lineup from an undefeated season. HighSchoolOT will also post mid-season standings and final standings.

1. Marvin Ridge
2. Myers Park
3. Ardrey Kell
4. Half
5. Charlotte Catholic
6. Weddington
7. Charlotte Country Day
8. Charlotte Latin
9. Page
10. Asheville Trailblazers (Homeschool)
11. Forestview
12. Lake Norman Charter
13. Lake Norman
14. North Lincoln
15. Charlotte Christian
16. Hendersonville
17. Gaston Day
18. Mount Airy
19. Salisbury
20. Watauga
21. Shelby
22. Hickory
23. Grimsley
24. Davie County
25. Bishop McGuinness

Boys Soccer — East

New Hanover finished last year as the top team in the East for the second straight season, but Cardinal Gibbons begins this season in first place after last year’s 4A East runner-up finish. HighSchoolOT will post weekly rankings until the playoffs begin, then save the final rankings for after the state championships.

1. Cardinal Gibbons
2. Green hope
3. Green level
4. New Hanover
5. Jacksonville
6. Apex
7. Croatian
8. Chapel Hill
9. Greene Central
10. Leesville Road
11. West Alamance
12. Middle Creek
13. Lee County
14. Durham Academy
15. Wakefield
16. First flight
17. Wake Forest
18. Broughton
19. D. H. Conley
20. Rosewood
21. Williams
22. Lumberton
23. Fike
24. West Johnston
25. Clinton

Boys Soccer — West

Shelby finished last season in first place, but Providence took over as the new season began. HighSchoolOT will post weekly rankings until the playoffs begin, then save the final rankings for after the state championships.

1. Providence
2. Christ the King
3. Myers Park
4. AC Reynolds
5. Concord
6. Cox Mill
7. South Mecklenburg
8. Shelby
9. Half
10. Carmel Christian
11. TC Roberson
12. Weddington
13. Lake Norman
14. Hickory
15. Mount Airy
16. hybrid
17. East Lincoln
18. Ardrey Kell
19. Stuart Kramer
20. Gaston Power
21. North Henderson
22. Lincolnton
23. Southwest Guilford
24. Hendersonville
25. Golgotha ​​Day

Volleyball — East

The Green Tier picks up this year where the 4A champions left off, but not far behind is reigning 3A champion Cedar Ridge. HighSchoolOT will post weekly rankings until the playoffs begin, then save the final rankings for after the state championships.

1. Green level
2. Cedar Ridge
3. Cardinal Gibbons
4. Green hope
5. Millbrook
6. D. H. Conley
7. JH Rose
8. North Raleigh Christian
9. Chapel Hill
10. Camden County
11. Middle Creek
12. Hunt
13. Apex Friendship
14. Ashley
15. Holly Springs
16. Hoggard
17. Cape Fear
18. Broughton
19. Bartlett Yancey
20. Cape Charter
21. Coastal Christian
22. Grace Creek
23. NCSSM
24. Carrboro
25. Persistence

Volleyball — West

Ardrey Kell finished last season as the No. 1 team in the West, but the 4A runners-up start this year behind the 3A runners-up. North Iredell returns everyone from last year’s team. HighSchoolOT will post weekly rankings until the playoffs begin, then save the final rankings for after the state championships.

1. North Iredell
2. Providence
3. Watauga
4. Ardrey Kell
5. West Rowan
6. Gaston Day
7. Asheville Christian
8. TC Roberson
9. Fred T. Ford
10. Union Academy
11. Reagan
12. Half
13. Southwest Randolph
14. comb
15. McMichael
16. Marvin Ridge
17. West Forsyth
18. West Henderson
19. Weddington
20. North Henderson
21. Bishop McGuinness
22. Tsar’s mountain
23. Mount Pleasant
24. East Surrey
25. University Christian