North East Carolina Prep 2026 Football Preview | Top 25 Public HSFB
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2026 Teams to Know Season Preview: North East Carolina Prep (NC)
JR Rowland gives the Huskies an experienced quarterback as football returns to Tarboro for the first time since 2018.
Top 25 Public HSFB8/12/20265 min read
North East Carolina Prep returns to varsity football in 2026 after last fielding a team in 2018. The Huskies will compete in the Eastern Carolina 1A Conference under head coach Zane Rowland.
Most of the roster enters the season without varsity football experience, but North East Carolina Prep has a proven starting point at quarterback. Junior JR Rowland arrives from Georgia after accounting for more than 2,100 total yards and 18 touchdowns as a sophomore at Windsor Forest.
The offense will operate from a spread built around Rowland’s ability to throw and run. He completed 116 of 214 passes for 1,756 yards and 14 touchdowns last season. He added 414 yards and four touchdowns on 119 carries and earned all-region recognition in Georgia for the second consecutive year.
Senior Bryce Shipman is expected to become one of Rowland’s primary outside targets while also contributing in the secondary. Junior Jayden Avent gives the Huskies a backfield option and will have an opportunity to take a leading role in the running game.
JoJo Arrington and RJ Dupree give the Huskies two-way options. Both will work from the slot on offense; Arrington will play linebacker and Dupree will line up at safety. Dylan Parks is another tight end and linebacker option, but the offensive and defensive lines remain largely unproven.
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The experience gap is the central issue. Rowland is the only player on the roster with varsity football experience, leaving the Huskies to develop an offensive line, receiving group and defense while playing a full 10-game schedule. The quarterback position gives the offense a chance to function immediately, but the rest of the lineup will have to develop quickly before conference play begins.
Players to Know
JR Rowland: QB, Class of 2028
Rowland threw for 1,756 yards and 14 touchdowns and rushed for 414 yards and four scores as a sophomore at Windsor Forest in Georgia. The two-time all-region selection has received multiple college offers and is the only player on the team with varsity football experience.
Bryce Shipman: WR/DB, Class of 2027
Shipman is expected to start at outside receiver and contribute in the secondary. He brings length to both positions but will be playing varsity football for the first time.
Jayden Avent: RB, Class of 2028
Avent enters the season as a leading option in the backfield. Establishing a dependable running game around Rowland would give the spread offense needed balance.
JoJo Arrington: Slot/LB, Class of 2028
Arrington will work from the slot on offense and at linebacker. He gives Rowland another option in the short passing game and adds a two-way contributor at the second level of the defense.
RJ Dupree: Slot/S
Dupree will play from the slot on offense and at safety. He gives North East Carolina Prep another two-way option in the passing game and secondary.
Schedule Breakdown
North East Carolina Prep opens Aug. 21 at North Wake before hosting The Math and Science Academy of Apex in the program’s first home game since 2018. A Sept. 3 matchup with SouthWest Edgecombe at Hobgood gives the Huskies three games in 14 days to begin the season.
Conference play includes an Oct. 9 road game against defending NCHSAA 1A champion Wilson Prep. North East Carolina Prep follows that game with a trip to Washington County, then closes the regular season at home against North Edgecombe and Rocky Mount Prep.
Complete 2026 Schedule
Aug. 21: at North Wake
Aug. 28: The Math and Science Academy of Apex
Sept. 3: SouthWest Edgecombe at Hobgood
Sept. 11: Bear Grass Charter
Sept. 18: at Jones Senior
Sept. 25: Open
Oct. 2: Sallie B. Howard
Oct. 9: at Wilson Prep
Oct. 16: at Washington County
Oct. 23: North Edgecombe
Oct. 30: Rocky Mount Prep
Biggest Question
Can a roster with almost no varsity football experience develop quickly enough to compete in conference play?
Rowland gives the Huskies stability at the most important position, but nearly every other role is being filled by a first-time varsity player. The offense must protect him and establish a second source of production, while the defense has to build a dependable front and limit mistakes before the schedule reaches Wilson Prep and the closing conference stretch.
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T25PS Prediction
I expect North East Carolina Prep to be more competitive than a typical new program because Rowland gives the Huskies proven quarterback play. I also have liked what I've seen in the offseason from Coach Rowland, and think they have some guys where they can make some noise in 1A this year.
Regular Season: 7-3
Postseason: 2 playoff wins
Bottom Line
North East Carolina Prep has a proven quarterback and a roster that is otherwise largely untested. Rowland gives the spread offense a clear direction, while Shipman, Avent, Arrington and Dupree fill important roles around him. How quickly the offensive line and defense adjust to varsity football will determine what the Huskies can accomplish in their return season.
