After a big rally Friday, Marvin Ridge joins Sweet 16 poll. Two teams jump into Top 10

Welcome Marvin Ridge to the region’s oldest high school football poll.

Marvin Ridge rallied from 21 points down to beat Ardrey Kell 42-28 Friday, and the Mavericks make their season-debut in The Charlotte Observer’s Sweet 16 this week at No. 16.

Two teams made big jumps this week: Rock Hill’s South Pointe High jumps four spots to No. 7 ahead of a showdown with city rival Northwestern this week. Northwestern moved up a spot to No. 2.

Also jumping into the top 10 was Concord’s JM Robinson, which jumped four spots to No. 8. Robinson (3-0) has outscored opponents 129-21.

▪ The poll is compiled by Chris Hughes, 47, who has been going to N.C. high school football games since 1979. He began coaching high school football in 1998 and began covering the sport professionally in 2002 when he launched a statewide website. In 2007, he started CarolinaPreps.com , when he began to do football rankings. Hughes, who has also done color commentary for Shrine Bowl broadcasts, has visited every school stadium in North Carolina.