Ashley Routs Pine Forest 48-7 in Playoffs
Ashley opened a 31-0 halftime lead and advanced to face New Bern in the second round of the North Carolina state playoffs.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Football
Ashley defeated Pine Forest 48-7 on Friday night in a first-round North Carolina high school football state playoff game. The win sends Ashley into a second-round matchup against New Bern.
Why it matters
The result moves Ashley deeper into the North Carolina state playoff bracket while eliminating Pine Forest from the postseason. Wilmington-area fans now have a local team still competing for a state playoff berth.
Ashley scored 48 points to Pine Forest's 7, building a 31-0 halftime lead. Scoring came from touchdown passes by Raleigh Sutton and Karter Krowl and a touchdown by Michael Miller Jr., with the full statistical breakdown not available in the source.
The players
Ashley High School
Ashley High School is a public high school in Wilmington, North Carolina, whose football team competes in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association playoffs.
Pine Forest High School
Pine Forest High School is a public high school in Fayetteville, North Carolina, whose Trojans football team was eliminated from the state playoffs by this loss.
The details
Sutton threw a deep touchdown pass to Josiah Isom for an early 7-0 lead, and Miller later scored to make it 14-0. Ashley's defense added a Pine Forest interception by RJ Tindall and a fumble recovery by My'Kel Hall before the break.
Timeline
Friday night: Ashley defeated Pine Forest 48-7 in the first round of the North Carolina state playoffs.
Season Trajectory
Ashley's advancement keeps its season alive within the North Carolina high school football state playoff bracket, where each round eliminates the losing team. Pine Forest's defeat ends its postseason run in the same bracket.
Ashley's second-round game against New Bern keeps the team in the state playoff bracket, so fantasy and bracket followers tracking local high school results will need to watch the next matchup. The win also removes Pine Forest from the postseason, which affects anyone following that program's remaining schedule.
The takeaway
A decisive first-half performance can carry a playoff team through a single-elimination round, and Ashley's 31-0 halftime lead shows how quickly momentum can settle a game. Following local high school playoffs closely helps fans track which teams remain alive in each bracket.
What happens next
Ashley will play New Bern in the second round of the North Carolina state playoffs, with the date and location to be determined by the playoff bracket.
Further reading
Find more local coverage in our Football section.
