Monday, September 21, 2026
A busy football weekend produced a dominant conference opener for Union Pines, a convincing road victory for the Carolina Panthers and one of baseball’s biggest regular-season celebrations for the Atlanta Braves.
Union Pines Opens Conference Play With a Shutout
Union Pines made a strong opening statement in Carolina Pines 6A Conference play, shutting out West Johnston 35-0. The Vikings improved to 3-1 and will remain at home Friday night to face South Johnston.
Pinecrest suffered a 37-23 road loss to Scotland. The Patriots are now 2-3 and have an open week before beginning Mid-South Conference play at home against Jack Britt on October 2.
North Moore was shut out 50-0 by Seaforth. The Mustangs return to Robbins on Friday night for a home matchup against Thomasville.
Panthers Overpower the Falcons in Atlanta
The Carolina Panthers delivered a complete performance Sunday, defeating the Atlanta Falcons 34-3 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The victory evened Carolina’s record at 1-1.
Quarterback Bryce Young threw for 287 yards and three touchdowns. Darren Waller caught two touchdown passes, while Tetairoa McMillan recorded five receptions for 101 yards. Carolina’s defense forced five Atlanta turnovers, with Devin Lloyd intercepting two passes and returning one for a touchdown.
The Panthers controlled the game on both sides of the football, building a 20-3 halftime lead before pulling away in the second half.
Mixed Results for North Carolina’s College Teams
Duke remained unbeaten with a 35-7 victory over Stanford. The Blue Devils improved to 3-0 behind 268 rushing yards and four touchdowns on the ground. Nate Sheppard led the attack with 154 rushing yards and two rushing scores.
North Carolina built an early 17-3 advantage against Clemson but could not hold the lead. The Tigers rallied to defeat the Tar Heels 28-20.
N.C. State experienced the weekend’s most unusual finish. Leading Vanderbilt with only seconds remaining, the Wolfpack attempted to run time off the clock before taking an intentional safety. Quarterback C.J. Bailey fumbled in the end zone, however, and Vanderbilt recovered for the decisive touchdown in a stunning 35-31 victory.
Atlanta Braves Secure the National League East
The Atlanta Braves are National League East champions once again. Atlanta defeated the Houston Astros 4-2 on Sunday to complete a three-game sweep and claim its seventh division championship in nine seasons.
Mike Yastrzemski provided the biggest swing of the afternoon with a three-run homer during a four-run sixth inning. The victory improved Atlanta to 92-64 and officially secured the division crown.
Monday Night Football
The NFL’s Week 2 schedule concludes tonight with the New York Giants visiting the Los Angeles Rams. Kickoff is scheduled for 8:15 p.m. Eastern.
Sources: MaxPreps, Carolina Panthers, Associated Press and Reuters.
