Marvin Ridge, First Flight, Seaforth, Mount Airy, Thomas Jefferson lead Wells Fargo State Cup race after fall season

There are five teams atop the N.C. High School Athletic Association Wells Fargo State Cup standings after the completion of fall sports with a two-way tie for first place in the 1A classification.

Mount Airy and Thomas Jefferson are tied for first in the 1A class, each with 157.5 points.

The football and girls dual-team tennis teams won state championships for Mount Airy, while the boys soccer team advanced to the fourth round of the playoffs. Thomas Jefferson enjoyed runner-up finishes in girls cross country and girls golf, while advancing to the state semifinals in boys soccer.

A second-place finish in the boys cross country state championship propelled Seaforth to a lead in the 2A Wells Fargo State Cup standings with 145 points. The Hawks also had a fifth place finish in girls cross country, and advanced to the regional semifinals in girls dual-team tennis and volleyball.

First Flight leads the 3A race in the State Cup standings after winning the boys soccer state championship in the fall. The Nighthawks also finished second in girls cross country and fourth in boys cross country.

Marvin Ridge jumped out to a big lead in the 4A standings with 220 points. The Mavericks are the only team in the state, regardless of classification, to compile more than 200 points in the fall season.

Marvin Ridge won the boys cross country state championship, placed third in girls golf, and fourth in girls cross country. The Mavericks also advanced to the regional championship in girls dual-team tennis and the regional semifinals in volleyball.

The Wells Fargo State Cup is an annual award that recognizes the top overall high school athletic program in each classification. Schools compile points based on their performance in state championship events. Schools that finish in the top eight in each playoff, including ties, earn points.

Teams that finish in first place get 50 points, second place is worth 45 points, and the five-point increments continue all the way to eighth place, which receives 15 points.

If there is a tie, the schools receive an equal number of points based on the number of teams in the tie and the number of teams that finish higher in the standings.

Schools also receive five points for each sanctioned sport in which a school qualifies for the postseason.

Updates to the standings are released by the NCHSAA at the conclusion of each sports season. Below are the standings for each of the four classifications following the fall sports season.

1A Wells Fargo State Cup Standings | Fall 2023

T1. Mount Airy - 157.5
T1. Thomas Jefferson - 157.5
3. Gray Stone Day - 117.5
4. Voyager - 112.5
5. Swain County - 110
6. Christ the King - 105
7. Polk County - 97.5
8. Highland Tech - 90
T9. Bradford Prep - 80
T9. Lejeune - 80

2A Wells Fargo State Cup Standings | Fall 2023

1. Seaforth - 145
2. NC Science & Math (Durham) - 137.5
3. Clinton - 132.5
T4. Brevard - 125
T4. Franklin Academy - 125
6. Pine Lake Prep - 120
7. Lincoln Charter - 117.5
8. Owen - 102.5
9. Community School of Davidson - 85
10. East Surry - 82.5

3A Wells Fargo State Cup Standings | Fall 2023

1. First Flight - 155
2. Croatan - 130
3. North Lincoln - 127.5
4. Hickory - 125
5. Orange - 115
6. J.H. Rose - 112.5
7. Lake Norman Charter - 105
8. Carrboro - 97.5
T9. Hibriten - 92.5
T9. West Henderson - 92.5

4A Wells Fargo State Cup Standings | Fall 2023

1. Marvin Ridge - 220
2. Cardinal Gibbons - 160
3. Weddington - 142.5
4. Hoggard - 140
5. Broughton - 132.5
T6. Ardrey Kell - 115
T6. Myers Park - 115
T8. Cuthbertson - 100
T8. T.C. Roberson - 100
T10. Leesville Road - 82.5
T10. Reagan - 82.5