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

HighSchoolOT is entering its third year of doing both final rankings and all-state teams for every sport sponsored by the NC High School Athletic Association, a one-of-its-kind feat for a statewide media outlet.

In the 2021-22 year, 276 different schools ended the year in a HighSchoolOT ranking while 368 different schools were represented on all-state teams.

Sports that determine their state champions by a state meet have a top 25 statewide ranking. All others, like those determined by a 64-team bracket, have top 25 rankings for the eastern half of the state (East/West lines follow the NCHSAA’s county split 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’ve missed the preseason football rankings, here are links to the East preseason top 25, where Cardinal Gibbons is first, and the West preseason top 25, where Chambers is tops to start the year.

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

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

To see where teams stood in our final rankings of the 2021 season, click here.

Cross Country — Girls

Cuthbertson starts the year in first, no surprise given the Cavaliers’ recent dominance in the sport. HighSchoolOT will publish a final ranking 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. Hough
18. Broughton
19. Leesville Road
20. Apex
21. North Lincoln
22. West Henderson
23. Charlotte Latin
24. NCSSM
25. Corinth Holders

Cross Country — Boys

Weddington is our preseason No. 1 despite a strong case that can be made for Christ School. Last year’s No. 1, Mount Tabor, is fourth. HighSchoolOT will publish a final ranking 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. Cary Academy
18. Charlotte Catholic
19. Riverside (Durham)
20. TC Roberson
21. Reagan
22. Cleveland
23. Brevard
24. Covenant Day
25. Apex Friendship

Girls Golf

Until someone knocks them off, Reagan is our preseason No. 1 yet again. However, Cardinal Gibbons and Ardrey Kell and not far behind. HighSchoolOT will publish a final ranking at the end of the season.

1. Reagan
2. Ardrey Kell
3. Cardinal Gibbons
4. Durham Academy
5. Green Hope
6. Pinecrest
7. O’Neal 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’s

Girls Tennis — East

East Chapel Hill’s 4A runner-up finish gave the Wildcats the top spot last year after a 21-1 campaign, and that’s where they start again this year in a top-loaded East. HighSchoolOT will also publish a midseason ranking and a final ranking.

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. Cary Academy
14. Cape Fear Academy
15. Heritage
16. Arendell Parrott
17. Hoggard
18. Broughton
19. Enloe
20. Rocky Mount
21. Raleigh Charter
22. Terry Sanford
23. Chapel Hill
24. Orange
25. Fike

Girls Tennis — West

Marvin Ridge rolled through 4A last year and returns almost its entire lineup from an undefeated season. HighSchoolOT will also publish a midseason ranking and a final ranking.

1. Marvin Ridge
2. Myers Park
3. Ardrey Kell
4. Hough
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 ended last year as the top team in the East for the second season in a row, but Cardinal Gibbons starts this season in the top spot after a 4A East runner-up finish last year. HighSchoolOT will publish weekly rankings until the playoffs begin, then save the final ranking 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. Western Alamance
12. Middle Creek
13. Lee County
14. Durham Academy
15. Wakefield
16. First Flight
17. Wake Forest
18. Broughton
19. DH Conley
20. Rosewood
21. Williams
22. Lumberton
23. Fike
24. West Johnston
25. Clinton

Boys Soccer — West

Shelby ended last season in the top spot, but Providence takes over as a new season begins. HighSchoolOT will publish weekly rankings until the playoffs begin, then save the final ranking 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. Hough
10. Carmel Christian
11. TC Roberson
12. Weddington
13. Lake Norman
14. Hickory
15. Mount Airy
16. Hibriten
17. East Lincoln
18. Ardrey Kell
19. Stuart Cramer
20. Gaston Daya
21. North Henderson
22. Lincolnton
23. Southwest Guilford
24. Hendersonville
25. Calvary Day

Volleyball — East

Green Level starts this year where the 4A champs left off, but not far behind is reigning 3A champ Cedar Ridge. HighSchoolOT will publish weekly rankings until the playoffs begin, then save the final ranking for after the state championships.

1. Green Level
2. Cedar Ridge
3. Cardinal Gibbons
4. Green Hope
5. Millbrook
6. DH 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. Neuse Charter
21. Coastal Christian
22. Gray’s Creek
23. NCSSM
24. Carrboro
25. Perquimans

Volleyball — West

Ardrey Kell ended last season as the No. 1 team in the West, but the 4A runners-up start this year behind a 3A runner-up. North Iredell is returning everyone from last year’s team. HighSchoolOT will publish weekly rankings until the playoffs begin, then save the final ranking 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. Foard
10. Union Academy
11. Reagan
12. Hough
13. Southwestern Randolph
14. Crest
15. McMichael
16. Marvin Ridge
17. West Forsyth
18. West Henderson
19. Weddington
20. North Henderson
21. Bishop McGuinness
22. Kings Mountain
23. Mount Pleasant
24. East Surry
25. University Christian