Weddington's Southern Carolina Conference opener gained new context Friday night when Sun Valley, the Warriors' Sept. 25 opponent, fell 14-13 at Monroe on a failed two-point conversion.

The Spartans (2-2) now enter a bye week before hosting Weddington on Friday, Sept. 25, in what will be the Warriors' first SCC game of the 2026 season. For Waxhaw-area fans tracking the Warriors' path through conference play, the matchup offers an early measuring stick against a Sun Valley squad that went 9-4 last year and entered 2026 ranked No. 24 in the statewide preseason composite, according to NC Football News.

Weddington entered Week 4 at 3-0 and ranked No. 4 in the NC Football News statewide composite. The Warriors hosted reigning NCHSAA Class 5A state champion Crest on Thursday, Sept. 10, but that result has not been confirmed as of publication.

Head coach Andy Capone's squad features senior quarterback Jared Street, a transfer from Independence High School, and senior center Bryce Johnson, an East Carolina commit who anchors the offensive line, according to AL.com's preview of the Crest game. After the Warriors' 31-7 win over Monroe on Sept. 5, Capone said the offense needed sharper execution heading into the tougher stretch of the schedule.

"We got to focus on catching the football and starting faster, so if we play clean, we'll be fine," Capone said after that Week 3 win, according to the Enquirer-Journal.

How Monroe beat Sun Valley

Sun Valley pulled within one point late in the fourth quarter when Josh Bell scored a touchdown. Rather than kick the extra point to tie, the Spartans went for two and the road win.

Monroe's defensive line met them at the goal line and stopped the conversion to seal the result, WBTV reported.

The win snapped a two-game losing skid for Monroe (2-2). The Redhawks also enter a bye week before hosting Lumberton on Sept. 25 in their final non-conference game.

Season context

Last season, Weddington went 12-2 and reached the NCHSAA Class 7A state semifinals before falling to Grimsley 13-7. Sun Valley's 9-4 campaign ended in the playoffs as well.

Both squads compete in the SCC alongside Cuthbertson. The Sept. 25 game at Sun Valley is Weddington's confirmed conference opener. Sun Valley hosts the Warriors at home that Friday night.