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The 2025-26 high school sports season is now in the books, with 14 titles earned by area teams.
Among those, however, which team was best? That’s for the fans to decide.
Here are 10 choices for The Gaston Gazette and Shelby Star Team of the Year. Vote as many times as you like through 11:59 p.m. on June 12.
HISTORIC ROUT: Shelby football rolls Kinston to claim NCHSAA 3A title. Here's how
ANY QUESTIONS?: Hunter Huss basketball blitzes Fike, runs away with NCHSAA 5A title
DON'T DOUBT THESE GIRLS: North Lincoln girls basketball caps improbable playoff run with 5A crown
Crest claimed the program’s seventh NCHSAA championship this past December, and first since 2015 with a 31-14 win over Hunt in the 5A state final.
The Chargers tallied 555 yards of total offense, with Virginia-bound quarterback Ely Hamrick throwing for 233 yards, in addition to 87 rushing yards and two TDs. Crest’s defense didn’t allow a single passing yard in the state final.
During its postseason run, the Chargers faced tough opposition in East Lincoln, South Point and Hickory before claiming the 5A title.
East Lincoln claimed the program’s first NCHSAA dual-team tennis championship with a 5-1 win over Durham School of the Arts in the 5A state final last October at the Burlington Tennis Center.
East Lincoln, which finished 20-2, saw Karsyn Sink, Sydney Dann, Maddie Matz, Gianna LaStella and Olivia Watters earn singles wins.
Gaston Christian won the program’s first title in dramatic fashion, Piper Haston’s goal on an assist from Addison Deaton in the golden goal overtime period giving the Eagles a 3-2 win over Grace Christian and the NCISAA 3A state crown.
Gaston Christian finished with a 17-2 record, including a 10-1 mark in NCISAA Metrolina competition on its way to sharing a league championship. The Eagles finished on a 10-game win streak.
Down a set and St. Thomas More Academy up 18-11 in the fourth, Gaston Day rallied to take 14 of its final 15 points to extend the match, before taking the decisive fifth set and the NCISAA 2A title, 3-2.
It was the Spartans’ third state crown in five years, finishing with a 21-4 overall record.
Hunter Huss basketball’s tour de force concluded with NCHSAA state gold, the Huskies racing past Fike 103-69 in the 5A state championship game. The win earned Huss its first state title since 2011, and fourth overall.
The Huskies finished with a 26-2 record, including a 12-0 mark on its way to the Big South 5A/6A championship. More impressively, Huss averaged better than 78 points per game while shooting 50% from the field.
After having to forfeit a bulk of its regular season games, North Lincoln won four road games as a 23-seed, including wins over Big South 5A/6A champion Hunter Huss, as well as South Piedmont 4A/5A co-champions Northwest Cabarrus and West Rowan.
Following a rout of Forest Hills in the 5A West final, the Knights outlasted Southeast Alamance 59-56 to claim the program’s first state championship.
North Lincoln put a bow on back-to-back NCHSAA state titles with a two-game sweep of Seaforth in the 5A state championship series. The Knights scored 19 runs and tallied 25 hits in the series.
North Lincoln finished with a 30-3 record, including a dominant 15-1 mark in Western Foothills 4A/5A competition. The Knights allowed a total of 63 runs this spring, an average of less than two per game.
The Golden Lions claimed the program’s 20th state title — and first since 2021 — with an 84-41 win over Kinston in the NCHSAA 3A state final. Quarterback Lan Farmer finished with 10 total touchdowns (eight passing, two rushing), part of a Shelby attack which punted only once and scored on 12 of its 14 drives.
Forced to go the circuitous route to a state championship, the Golden Lions won five of their six postseason games away from George Blanton Memorial Stadium.
South Point shot a team total of 242, finishing 17 shots better than second-place East Lincoln in Oct. 2025 to claim the NCHSAA 5A state championship at Stonebridge Golf Club in Monroe. It was the team’s second state title in a row.
The Red Raiders were led by Madison Pruden’s two-day score of 10-over 118, with teammates Sophia Travinski (sixth) and Chloe Villareal (eighth) also logging top 10 finishes.
The Storm shot a 1-under 567, 11 strokes better than second-place Foard at Longleaf Golf & Family Club in Southern Pines to claim the NCHSAA 4A state championship. It was Cramer’s second title in a row.
Junior standout Lane Crotts also earned the 4A individual state championship, his 8-under 134 over the two-day tournament three shots better than Wilkes Central golfer Willis Eller.
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Among those, however, which team was best? That’s for the fans to decide.
Here are 10 choices for The Gaston Gazette and Shelby Star Team of the Year. Vote as many times as you like through 11:59 p.m. on June 12.
HISTORIC ROUT: Shelby football rolls Kinston to claim NCHSAA 3A title. Here's how
ANY QUESTIONS?: Hunter Huss basketball blitzes Fike, runs away with NCHSAA 5A title
DON'T DOUBT THESE GIRLS: North Lincoln girls basketball caps improbable playoff run with 5A crown
Crest football
Crest claimed the program’s seventh NCHSAA championship this past December, and first since 2015 with a 31-14 win over Hunt in the 5A state final.
The Chargers tallied 555 yards of total offense, with Virginia-bound quarterback Ely Hamrick throwing for 233 yards, in addition to 87 rushing yards and two TDs. Crest’s defense didn’t allow a single passing yard in the state final.
During its postseason run, the Chargers faced tough opposition in East Lincoln, South Point and Hickory before claiming the 5A title.
East Lincoln girls tennis
East Lincoln claimed the program’s first NCHSAA dual-team tennis championship with a 5-1 win over Durham School of the Arts in the 5A state final last October at the Burlington Tennis Center.
East Lincoln, which finished 20-2, saw Karsyn Sink, Sydney Dann, Maddie Matz, Gianna LaStella and Olivia Watters earn singles wins.
Gaston Christian girls soccer
Gaston Christian won the program’s first title in dramatic fashion, Piper Haston’s goal on an assist from Addison Deaton in the golden goal overtime period giving the Eagles a 3-2 win over Grace Christian and the NCISAA 3A state crown.
Gaston Christian finished with a 17-2 record, including a 10-1 mark in NCISAA Metrolina competition on its way to sharing a league championship. The Eagles finished on a 10-game win streak.
Gaston Day volleyball
Down a set and St. Thomas More Academy up 18-11 in the fourth, Gaston Day rallied to take 14 of its final 15 points to extend the match, before taking the decisive fifth set and the NCISAA 2A title, 3-2.
It was the Spartans’ third state crown in five years, finishing with a 21-4 overall record.
Hunter Huss boys basketball
Hunter Huss basketball’s tour de force concluded with NCHSAA state gold, the Huskies racing past Fike 103-69 in the 5A state championship game. The win earned Huss its first state title since 2011, and fourth overall.
The Huskies finished with a 26-2 record, including a 12-0 mark on its way to the Big South 5A/6A championship. More impressively, Huss averaged better than 78 points per game while shooting 50% from the field.
North Lincoln girls basketball
After having to forfeit a bulk of its regular season games, North Lincoln won four road games as a 23-seed, including wins over Big South 5A/6A champion Hunter Huss, as well as South Piedmont 4A/5A co-champions Northwest Cabarrus and West Rowan.
Following a rout of Forest Hills in the 5A West final, the Knights outlasted Southeast Alamance 59-56 to claim the program’s first state championship.
North Lincoln baseball
North Lincoln put a bow on back-to-back NCHSAA state titles with a two-game sweep of Seaforth in the 5A state championship series. The Knights scored 19 runs and tallied 25 hits in the series.
North Lincoln finished with a 30-3 record, including a dominant 15-1 mark in Western Foothills 4A/5A competition. The Knights allowed a total of 63 runs this spring, an average of less than two per game.
Shelby football
The Golden Lions claimed the program’s 20th state title — and first since 2021 — with an 84-41 win over Kinston in the NCHSAA 3A state final. Quarterback Lan Farmer finished with 10 total touchdowns (eight passing, two rushing), part of a Shelby attack which punted only once and scored on 12 of its 14 drives.
Forced to go the circuitous route to a state championship, the Golden Lions won five of their six postseason games away from George Blanton Memorial Stadium.
South Point girls golf
South Point shot a team total of 242, finishing 17 shots better than second-place East Lincoln in Oct. 2025 to claim the NCHSAA 5A state championship at Stonebridge Golf Club in Monroe. It was the team’s second state title in a row.
The Red Raiders were led by Madison Pruden’s two-day score of 10-over 118, with teammates Sophia Travinski (sixth) and Chloe Villareal (eighth) also logging top 10 finishes.
Stuart Cramer boys golf
The Storm shot a 1-under 567, 11 strokes better than second-place Foard at Longleaf Golf & Family Club in Southern Pines to claim the NCHSAA 4A state championship. It was Cramer’s second title in a row.
Junior standout Lane Crotts also earned the 4A individual state championship, his 8-under 134 over the two-day tournament three shots better than Wilkes Central golfer Willis Eller.
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