Follow NCHSAA football championship scores here

Championship weekend has arrived for NCHSAA football, with eight teams vying for four state titles in games scheduled for Friday and Saturday at NC State's Carter-Finley Stadium and UNC's Kenan Memorial Stadium.

Hickory has already claimed one of those crowns, holding off Seventy-First 33-26 on Friday. Here's the rest of the schedule, with a live scoreboard and 3A championship blog below.

2023 NCHSAA football championships

• 1A: Tarboro (13-0) vs. Mount Airy (15-0), Saturday, noon, Kenan Memorial Stadium, Chapel Hill

• 2A: Clinton (15-0) vs. Reidsville (14-1), Saturday, 3 p.m., Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh

• 3A: Seventy-First (15-0) vs. Hickory (15-0), Friday, 7 p.m., Kenan Memorial Stadium, Chapel Hill

• 4A: Hoggard (14-1) vs. Weddington (13-2), Saturday, 7 p.m., Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh

HOW TO WATCH: How to watch NCHSAA football championships as Seventy-First, Clinton play for titles

3 KEYS FOR FALCONS: Here are 3 keys to Seventy-First football winning its fourth NCHSAA state championship

WHAT TO KNOW: What to know about Seventy-First's opponent, Hickory, in NCHSAA football championship

Follow along here for live score updates from all NCHSAA championship games.

NCHSAA football championship scores

Almost kickoff

FayObserver high school sports reporter James F. Moore Jr. is live on location in Chapel Hill for tonight's 3A championship football game. Follow him on X @ogcookie_

The field is turf and game-time temp is 51 degrees, according to AccuWeather, with wind gusts of 9 mph.

Moving the ball

Hickory received the opening kickoff and got into Falcons territory on an 18-yard catch-and-run by Isaiah Lackey.

Hickory strikes first

The Falcons stopped Lackey on four straight direct snaps inside of the 5-yard line, but he finally broke through to give Hickory the early lead. Hickory 7, Seventy-First 0 -- 1Q, 6:48

Falcons get even

Deandre Nance connected with Amire Drummond for a 13-yard TD pass on fourth down and Devlin Coleman converted the PAT. Hickory 7, Seventy-First 7 -- 1Q, 1:43

Goal-line stand

Seventy-First stopped Hickory on fourth down inside the 5-yard line to take possession early in the second quarter.

Hickory again

Lackey plunges in from a yard out for his second touchdown and the Tornadoes get the conversion. Hickory 15, Seventy-First 7 -- 2Q, 7:14

Falcons drive

Starting from its own 15, Seventy-First capped this scoring drive with a 1-yard TD plunge by Nance. Donavan Frederick was key moving the ball, including a 24-yard run. Conversion failed. Hickory 15, Seventy-First 13 -- 2Q, 2:52

FG for Hickory

The Red Tornadoes stretched their lead with a 26-yard field goal. Seventy-First will receive kickoff in the third quarter. Hickory 18, Seventy-First 13 -- 2Q, 0:00

HALFTIME

Nance's big play

Seventy-First's junior QB scored on a 38-yard run to cap the Falcons' opening drive of the second half. Conversion failed. Seventy-First 19, Hickory 18 -- 3Q, 8:53

Nance injured

Seventy-First quarterback Nance leaves the game with an apparent leg injury. Isaiah Kirby comes in to take over.

Turnover on downs

Nance returns as Jayson Franklin and Frederick push the Falcons deep into Hickory territory, but his pass on fourth-and-13 falls incomplete, giving the Tornadoes the ball on their own 24.

Hickory scores

Lackey bulls his way into the end zone from 12 yards out. Conversion pass. Hickory 26, Seventy-First 19 -- 4Q, 8:41

Touchdown Falcons

Jadyn Surgeon catches a 6-yard pass from Nance to tie the game on a drive with multiple third-and-long conversions. Hickory 26, Seventy-First 26 -- 4Q, 2:24

Tornadoes take lead

Hickory QB Brdy Stober Jr. scores on an 8-yard keeper in the final minute. Hickory 33, Seventy-First 26 -- 4Q: 0:33

Pass interference

A pass interference call gives Seventy-First the ball on Hickory's 34-yard line with 11 seconds remaining. On the next play, Nance heaved a pass into the end zone and it was intercepted.

FINAL: Hickory 33, Seventy-First 26

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: NCHSAA football championship scores, highlights Seventy-First