Fans can vote to put the Marvin Ridge-Weddington rivalry on national television, but the window closes Wednesday, Sept. 30.
NBC Sports is letting viewers pick which Charlotte-area high school football game gets featured during Sunday Night Football's Week 4 broadcast of the Carolina Panthers against the Detroit Lions. The Marvin Ridge at Weddington matchup is one of three games on the ballot, WCNC Charlotte reported Wednesday.
The other two options are Statesville at Lake Norman and Mallard Creek at North Mecklenburg. Fans can cast their vote through a poll embedded on the WCNC Charlotte website.
Weddington High School Athletics urged fans to rally behind the Mavericks-Warriors matchup in a post on X Monday, Sept. 28, writing that voting ends Wednesday, Sept. 30.
The stakes on the field match the stakes of the spotlight. Weddington (6-0, 2-0 Southern Carolina Conference) and Marvin Ridge (5-0, 2-0 SCC) are tied for first place in the conference.
Both teams are undefeated.
The game kicks off at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2, at Warrior Stadium. Weddington is ranked No. 2 in the state and posted its first shutout of the season in its most recent game. The Warriors hold a 14-6 all-time record against the Mavericks, including a 63-0 win in a second-round 7A playoff game on Friday, Nov. 14, 2025.
Weddington head coach Andy Capone told the Enquirer Journal that preparation is the priority heading into the rivalry. "With rivalries come a bunch of outside noise from players and parents and all that stuff for us," Capone said. "We've got to stay laser focused and make sure we have a great week of preparation because they are going to come prepared, too."
Marvin Ridge head coach David Johnson told the Enquirer Journal he credited Weddington's program but said his team's focus is internal. The Mavericks' defense has recorded 14 sacks this season.
Weddington's defense has been equally aggressive, tallying 17 sacks and 42 tackles for loss. Linebackers Elijah King and Evan Culicerto lead the team with 14 tackles for loss.
If the Marvin Ridge-Weddington game wins the fan vote, it will be featured during NBC's broadcast of the Panthers-Lions game Sunday, Oct. 4. Kickoff for the NFL game is 8:15 p.m. at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, with pregame coverage starting at 6 p.m. on WCNC Charlotte.
