Hough High opens atop Magnificent Seven football rankings

MATT LACZKO | THE CHARLOTTE POST

Hough High, which opened the 2025 season with a win in the Keep Pounding Classic and closed with the North Carolina 8A football title and No. 1 in the Magnificent Seven poll, will try to duplicate the feat in 2026.

Hough High starts the 2026 football season in the same spot 2025 ended. 

The Huskies, who swept to the North Carolina 8A title and a 14-0 record last year, will kick off 2026 at No. 1 in The Post’s Magnificent Seven of programs in public school conferences. Hough is the lone team from the Greater Charlotte Athletic Conference to make the rankings.

Behind the Huskies are a trio of Meck Power Six teams in Mallard Creek, Chambers and West Charlotte with conference rival Independence sliding in at No. 7. Palisades is the lone Southwestern Athletic Conference squad to make the cut in fifth while Charlotte Catholic from the Southern Carolina 6A/7A is sixth.

The Magnificent Seven going into the Aug. 21 opening week:

1. Hough. There’s no disputing who has the best chance to walk off with a state title when the season wraps. The Huskies don’t have a lock on Mecklenburg’s talent, but it feels that way. They certainly have its best coach in DeShawn Baker.  

2. Mallard Creek. The Mavericks have been slowly moving up the ranks of the county’s top teams and appear ready to grab the ring in the uber competitive Meck Power Six.

3. Chambers. Former West Charlotte quarterback Jamouri Nichols is now with the Cougars, which adds another level of intrigue to this rivalry. Second-year coach Captain Munnerlyn believes Chambers can do damage in 2026 with Nichols running the offense.

4. West Charlotte. The Lions, who started 2025 as No. 1 in the rankings, has undergone a radical transformation, starting at head coach. D.J. McFadden now leads a young group looking to establish a winning identity. How quickly will they mesh in what might be North Carolina’s toughest conference?

5. Palisades. The Pumas have come a long way for a program going into its fifth season. They went 8-4 to advance to the postseason but believe there’s enough experience and talent to push them to elite status in Mecklenburg.

6. Charlotte Catholic. The Cougars went 7-5 (3-3 in Southern Carolina 6A/7A) last season, which qualifies as a downer for a program with such a rich history. Catholic is retooled and eyeing a comeback.

7. Independence. The Patriots have a new coach in Robert Williams, who was a West Charlotte assistant last year. Can he get his new squad up to speed quickly in the Meck Power Six with a new direction?

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