Ben McCormick, Laieke Abebe, and Joel Bryant broke down the matchups, pathways, and favorites in the eight NCHSAA girls volleyball brackets for the 2026 playoffs.

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/!

On this episode of HighSchoolOT Press Box, Ben McCormick, Laieke Abebe, and Joel Bryant discussed some of the big results in week eight, the biggest games coming up in week nine, and the new NCHSAA state championship venues.

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 complete 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/

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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/

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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/

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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

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Like @HighSchoolOT on Facebook: facebook.com/highschoolot

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

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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.

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.