North Stanly boys, girls capture Yadkin Valley Conference titles

Published 8:18 pm Tuesday, February 17, 2026

NEW LONDON — With 41 combined wins against just five losses, North Stanly’s boys’ and girls’ basketball teams have turned dominant regular seasons into Yadkin Valley Conference championships.

Both Comet squads secured league titles last week, capping standout 2025-26 campaigns as they now shift their focus to postseason play.

The North Stanly boys (22-2, 9-1 YVC) finished as conference co-champions alongside North Rowan, while the Comet girls (19-3, 10-0 YVC) claimed the league crown outright, finishing four games ahead of second-place Albemarle.

Both teams received byes into the YVC Tournament and will open play Thursday at Pfeiffer University’s Merner Gym.

The boys’ team showed steady growth throughout the season, improving on last year’s 22-7 overall record and third-place 8-3 conference finish. North Stanly won all but one league game, with its lone loss a narrow 51-49 defeat at North Rowan on Feb. 6.

The Comets rebounded from that setback with purpose, closing the regular season with double-digit victories over South Stanly, Albemarle and Union Academy to carry momentum into tournament play. The late surge underscored a team that has grown more consistent on both ends of the floor as the season progressed.

The girls’ team’s improvement has been even more pronounced.

After finishing 13-13 overall and 5-6 in conference play last season, North Stanly surged to a perfect 10-0 league record and now enters the postseason riding an 11-game winning streak. The Comets have not lost since Jan. 9, with their only defeats coming in early nonconference matchups against GCAA, Uwharrie Charter Academy and Maiden.

Beyond the conference tournament, both teams aim to make deeper runs in the NCHSAA state playoffs.

Last season, the Comet boys earned a No. 16 seed in the 2A bracket, defeating No. 17 Walkertown at home in the first round before falling to No. 1 Reidsville on the road. The girls, seeded No. 29 in 2A, were eliminated in the opening round by No. 4 T.W. Andrews.

With NCHSAA reclassification placing both programs in the 3A brackets this postseason, North Stanly will face stronger competition. Despite that change, the strides made by both teams suggest the Comets are positioned to contend beyond the conference stage.