Contender Profile: Middle Creek Mustangs

As the top teams in the state finish their first-round byes and get their playoff journeys underway, we're going around the state, picking a few state title contenders to highlight. In this 6A version, I'm breaking down the Middle Creek Mustangs: their players, their path to the state championship, and what needs to go right for them to win. Rather than simply looking at the one seeds, I'm selecting teams I think could make a deep run; true contenders that may not have the top seed next to their names. Here's everything you need to know about 6A East No. 3 Middle Creek.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Middle Creek Mustangs Contender Profile</h2>   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">The Numbers</h3>   Regular Season Record: 7-2 (3-1 Triangle Six 6A/7A)   Key Wins: vs. J.H. Rose, @ Cary   Losses: @ Garner, vs. Cardinal Gibbons   Friday: vs. No. 14 West Brunswick   Toughest Possible Path: vs. No. 6 Southern Alamance, @ No. 2 Northern Nash, @ No. 1 Jacksonville, vs. West No. 1 Watauga   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Key Players</h3>   [player_tooltip player_id='1328747' first='Lex' last='Sevilla'], QB   [player_tooltip player_id='1658593' first='Jayden' last='Spencer'], RB   [player_tooltip player_id='1663791' first='Tracy' last='Harrington Jr.'], WR   [player_tooltip player_id='1663952' first='Davis' last='Prichard'], Edge   [player_tooltip player_id='809409' first='Cullen' last='Hunt'], IDL   [player_tooltip player_id='1880225' first='Connor' last='Smith'], LB/Edge   [player_tooltip player_id='1880228' first='Honor' last='Paxton'], DB/LB   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Why Middle Creek Will Win a State Title</h2>   Middle Creek may be a year ahead of schedule, and they've taken an increasingly rare path to excellence. The Mustangs have been patient, slowly building after a few .500 years. Sevilla spent the last two seasons on JV, before entering this past offseason as the presumed starter, despite limited varsity reps.   But despite consistently decent season showings, the Mustangs haven't won a playoff game since 2018. They'll look for that to change in 2025.   This team is balanced and can win in a variety of ways. Come playoff time, that's huge. Sevilla led Middle Creek to a shootout win earlier this season with over 325 yards and six touchdowns. The Mustangs have also grinded out wins with defense and the ground game. They're flexible, and if Plan A doesn't work, Plan B usually does.   The losses came against 7A No. 1 Cardinal Gibbons and 7A No. 4 Garner. In that Garner game, the defense was fantastic and flashed the ability to stifle even the state's best offenses. They won't see any offense even close to as prolific as what they saw from those two teams.   Also See: <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/11/contender-profile-weddington-warriors/">Weddington Warriors Contender Profile</a>   As much as Middle Creek has the ability to stretch the field with Harrington and Nicholas Bocciardi, the offense is made to grind it out behind an impressive offensive line, one of the best in the class. [player_tooltip player_id='1604115' first='James' last='Han'] and Stanly Petrovich are legitimate college prospects, while David Troublefield and Sean Clementson play above their weights.   Middle Creek wants to ride a defense that creates a ton of havoc and has forced over two turnovers per game. Prichard is a true game-wrecker--with 14 sacks and a team-leading 93 tackles--while Smith has emerged as a true No. 2 on the other side, with 13 tackles for loss in his last four games. Paxton is a ball magnet on the back end and loves to hit, as well.   All of that bodes well for playoff football. If Middle Creek can force teams to throw, they'll create havoc and grind out games on the offensive side of the ball, while maintaining the ability to push the ball down the field when needed. That's a blueprint that tends to work.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Why Middle Creek Won't Win a State Title</h2>   Experience matters, and as talented as this Mustangs team is, they might be a year away from true contention. Most of the rushing production comes from underclassmen, while most of the defensive backfield is young, too.   While I like Middle Creek's talent in comparison to some of the other top teams in 6A, I don't love some of the potential matchups. The defense has given up its share of explosive plays, and while they've fared well on a down-to-down basis, there are some game-breaking running backs in the potential path who could force Middle Creek out of its game plan.   The passing offense is solid, but if put in a situation where they have to throw the ball, I'm not convinced there's enough consistent ability to get open against top teams to mount multiple sustained drives.   Middle Creek's offense is deep, but the lack of one true superstar can be a blessing and a curse. On one hand, defenses can't come in with a gameplan of "just stop this guy." On the other, can Spencer or Harrington step up as a guy who can take over a game?   The offense is mildly explosive, but built more to move methodically than strike quickly. That tends to be a more steady metric, but at some point, hitting a few big plays is the easiest way to create separation on the score board.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Verdict</h2>   I think Middle Creek has the talent to win a state championship, but 6A is so wide open that I believe several teams have that ability.   Jacksonville and Watauga seem on a crash course to meet in the final, especially with homefield advantage throughout the playoffs. If I have to make a prediction, I'd have Middle Creek making the regional finals before losing to the 1-seeded Cardinals.   That'd be a monumental achievement for a team mired in a postseason slump over the last six or seven seasons, and a great launching point for sustained future success. Any potential win or loss could hinge on the first quarter, as I think there are some top teams (including Middle Creek) more suited to win from ahead than come from behind. Getting off to a fast start will be key in pretty much any conceivable matchup from the third-round on.   I'm excited to follow the 6A bracket this year, because it's truly wide open, with half a dozen legitimate state-title contenders. Keep it locked into Prep Redzone as we break down players, games, and storylines from across the state throughout the playoffs.   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As the top teams in the state finish their first-round byes and get their playoff journeys underway, we're going around the state, picking a few state title contenders to highlight. In this 6A version, I'm breaking down the Middle Creek Mustangs: their players, their path to the state championship, and what needs to go right for them to win. Rather than simply looking at the one seeds, I'm selecting teams I think could make a deep run; true contenders that may not have the top seed next to their names. Here's everything you need to know about 6A East No. 3 Middle Creek.