As summer ends, it’s back to school season – and in North Carolina, back to school means high school football. Langston Wertz Jr., sports journalist for The Charlotte Observer, joins the Carolina Outdoors this week to talk new conferences, coaching changes, and top players and teams. Hear his take on the upcoming season and learn which matchups to keep an eye on this fall.
Segment Highlights:
- Langston Wertz, Jr. is a 30-year sports journalist at The Charlotte Observer, host of the Talking Preps podcast, and head of the high school sports coverage in the Charlotte area.
- The NCHSSA is realigning their conferences this year into 8 classifications ranging from 1A to 8A, which will affect what high school sports look like in North Carolina.
- Wertz, Jr. thinks that the conferences may readjust to 6 classifications in the next few years.
- For Wertz, Jr., the conference change will affect the playoffs, with more state championship games in more locations.
- Many coaching changes are also occurring in North Carolina as coaches are recruited for jobs in other states.
- One team to keep an eye on: West Charlotte High School, which will be an 8A school.
- Wertz, Jr. says that private school football in some of the best high school football in the state. In the Charlotte area, go watch Providence Day and Charlotte Christian. Charlotte Catholic will play as a 6A public school in Union County this season.
Things You’ll Learn by Listening:
Learn about the conference changes in North Carolina, coaching changes, and top players and teams. Hear about what high school football will look like this season from the state’s top high school sports journalist.
If you Missed This Story:
Hear more about the Back to School season from Granger Bartee, a student, athlete, and adventurer, on last week’s episode. .
Looking for more adventure? Macon Dunnagan, a Charlotte local & 52-time summiteer of Mt. Kilimanjaro, will be presenting at Jesse Brown’s on September 4th, 2025. Learn more about the event here!
