Mooresville High’s football team got in some preseason work Friday night at Coach Joe Popp Stadium, hosting 2024 N.C. High School Athletic Association 4A state champion Grimsley and five-star quarterback Faizon Brandon in its first scrimmage.

The official score was not kept, but the Whirlies were a couple of touchdowns better than the Blue Devils.

“I thought there were good and bad on both sides of the ball,” Mooresville coach Zach Mayo said. “For a 15-, 20-minute stretch I thought we were playing really, really high-level football that we’re capable of playing at.”

Both teams are ranked among the top 10 in the state. Grimsley is a favorite to capture the 7A state title this season in the NCHSAA’s new eight-classification system.

The Devils were, at times, able to pressure Brandon, a U

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