So who do you guys have as the top teams coming out of the East next season. I hear on some other boards there is supposed to be allot of movement with realignments.
Top Teams in East 2017
- Thread starter Footballaholic3232
- Start date
My VERY early opinion on the 3AA East list of likely contenders. In ALPHABETICAL ORDER (along with MY QUICK CHECK of their 5 year overall records, 5 year playoff records, and deepest playoff runs in the last 5 years):
Cape Fear 41-21 overall; 6-4 playoffs; 4A State Championship Game 2016
Cardinal Gibbons 45-18 overall; 4-5 playoffs; 4A East Third Round 2016
Cleveland 50-17 overall; 7-5 playoffs; 3AA East Third Round 2012 and 2015
Conley 45-19 overall; 4-5 playoffs; 4A East Third Round 2015
E.E. Smith 35-25 overall; 1-4 playoffs; 4A East Second Round 2012
Hillside 46-15 overall; 5-5 playoffs; 4A East Third Round 2014
Jacksonville 40-24 overall; 5-5 playoffs; 3AA East Final 2016
Lee County 47-16 overall; 3-5 playoffs; 3AA East Third Round 2016
New Hanover 47-19 overall; 7-5 playoffs; 4A East Final 2015
Rose 44-21 overall; 9-4 playoffs; 4A State Championship Game 2015
Southern Durham 52-17 overall; 11-4 playoffs; 3AA State Champions 2013
Terry Sanford 41-23 overall; 4-5 playoffs; 3AA Third Round 2015
West Johnston 32-26 overall; 2-3 playoffs; 4A Second Round 2016 and 2015
NOTE – This was a quick check and I probably made a mistake or two but it demonstrates the point that there are plenty of accomplished programs who will be throwing their hat into the 3AA East ring.
That means the potential 3AA East bracket could have teams that have the following accomplishments over the last 5 seasons:
1. 1 3AA State Championship Team
2. 2 4A State Runner-Up Teams
3. 3 4A East Final Teams
4. 2 3AA East Final Teams
5. 6 4A East Third Round Teams
6. 3 3AA East Third Round Teams
7. 11 40 Win Teams
8. 7 45 Win Teams
9. 4 7 Playoff Win Teams
This list does NOT include extremely athletic teams that have made deep runs in the recent past like Northern Durham or some teams that are enjoying a lot of success over the past one or two seasons like West Brunswick and Westover. The list does not include some teams that have gone east recently but who are likely to go west in 2017 like Eastern Guilford, Western Alamance, and Asheboro.
The bottom line is the 2017 3AA East could be as competitive as any bracket I can recall in my long time of following North Carolina high school football. I truly think that right now there are at least 8-10 teams that have a legitimate shot at winning the 3AA East. Home field advantage and seeding will be huge.
Cape Fear 41-21 overall; 6-4 playoffs; 4A State Championship Game 2016
Cardinal Gibbons 45-18 overall; 4-5 playoffs; 4A East Third Round 2016
Cleveland 50-17 overall; 7-5 playoffs; 3AA East Third Round 2012 and 2015
Conley 45-19 overall; 4-5 playoffs; 4A East Third Round 2015
E.E. Smith 35-25 overall; 1-4 playoffs; 4A East Second Round 2012
Hillside 46-15 overall; 5-5 playoffs; 4A East Third Round 2014
Jacksonville 40-24 overall; 5-5 playoffs; 3AA East Final 2016
Lee County 47-16 overall; 3-5 playoffs; 3AA East Third Round 2016
New Hanover 47-19 overall; 7-5 playoffs; 4A East Final 2015
Rose 44-21 overall; 9-4 playoffs; 4A State Championship Game 2015
Southern Durham 52-17 overall; 11-4 playoffs; 3AA State Champions 2013
Terry Sanford 41-23 overall; 4-5 playoffs; 3AA Third Round 2015
West Johnston 32-26 overall; 2-3 playoffs; 4A Second Round 2016 and 2015
NOTE – This was a quick check and I probably made a mistake or two but it demonstrates the point that there are plenty of accomplished programs who will be throwing their hat into the 3AA East ring.
That means the potential 3AA East bracket could have teams that have the following accomplishments over the last 5 seasons:
1. 1 3AA State Championship Team
2. 2 4A State Runner-Up Teams
3. 3 4A East Final Teams
4. 2 3AA East Final Teams
5. 6 4A East Third Round Teams
6. 3 3AA East Third Round Teams
7. 11 40 Win Teams
8. 7 45 Win Teams
9. 4 7 Playoff Win Teams
This list does NOT include extremely athletic teams that have made deep runs in the recent past like Northern Durham or some teams that are enjoying a lot of success over the past one or two seasons like West Brunswick and Westover. The list does not include some teams that have gone east recently but who are likely to go west in 2017 like Eastern Guilford, Western Alamance, and Asheboro.
The bottom line is the 2017 3AA East could be as competitive as any bracket I can recall in my long time of following North Carolina high school football. I truly think that right now there are at least 8-10 teams that have a legitimate shot at winning the 3AA East. Home field advantage and seeding will be huge.
