Opposite emotions poured out of Hoggard and Millbrook football players on Friday, Nov. 28, as the teams collided in the NCHSAA 8A East regional championship at Scott Braswell Stadium.
Millbrook walked off the field tasting history. The Wildcats earned their first trip to a state championship game. Hoggard walked off with its perfect 2025 season shattered.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBoth arrived undefeated. Both came knowing one dream would survive, and one would end. There was no middle ground.
For Millbrook, which trailed 7-0 and waited until midway through the third quarter to score, the mission was simple, even if the moments were not.
SEE THE SCORES Millbrook football vs Hoggard highlights as Wildcats earn comeback win
"It was just all about staying calm," running back Brilison McCullers said after scoring both Wildcats' touchdowns. "Trusting your teammates, trusting the coaches; (we knew) the game wasn't over."
Triumph did not dull the memory of last year's heartbreak, either. Millbrook's season ended 364 days ago at the hands of Hoggard. The Wildcats carried that loss with them.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"We knew this would be a dog fight," coach Laymarr Marshall said. "The goal of this team, from the very beginning, has been to win a state championship."
Millbrook football players celebrate after defeating Hoggard in Round 4 of the 2025 NCHSAA playoffs on Friday, Nov. 28.Hoggard's players, despite the sting, understand their legacy. The Vikings delivered the program's first undefeated regular season since 2017 and secured a third straight league title. The accomplishments will remain long after the loss fades.
For senior defensive lineman Everett Hoerdemann, the meaning was found off the stat sheet.
"Just being in the locker room with all my teammates, hanging out, getting food after games, we just had the best chemistry ever," Hodderman said. "This is my favorite team I've ever been a part of, the best team I've ever been a part of."
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMillbrook advances to face Western champion Hough in the NCHSAA 8A title game. The Wildcats have already made history. Now they chase the rest.
"We're coming," McCullers said. "We're coming for a state title. We've got dawgs. Be on the lookout."
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: How Millbrook football's trust led to first state title berth
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