The N.C. High School Athletic Association will collect information Friday night from the teams that qualify for the state football playoffs with the goal of posting the preliminary brackets by 3 p.m., and the final pairings by 5 p.m., Saturday.

The NCHSAA began posting a preliminary bracket a few years ago because so many teams’ records were reported incorrectly and records are used in the seeding process.

This year, a qualifying team will be seeded on the basis of a 10-game schedule, even if the team played 11.

Teams that play endowment games, the 11th game, will drop one nonconference game from their record. If Middle Creek, for example, defeats Apex tonight, Middle Creek will finish 10-1, but it will be seeded as a 10-0 team. Its loss was against Garner in a nonconference game.

Garner, which will play at Harnett Central, has the chance to finish 11-0, but if the Trojans win Friday night, they will be seeded as a 10-0 team.

Teams cannot drop losses in conference games.

The NCHSAA uses size, location (East, Mideast, Midwest or West), conference finish and overall record in its seeding. The NCHSAA already has size and location, but it relies upon the teams to report their conference finish and overall 10-game records.

Raven wins girls’ golf: Junior Jessica Kittelberger relied on her short game Wednesday while winning the N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association girls’ golf championship.

Kittelberger shot an 80 on the 5,450-yard Mid Pines Resort Golf Club to claim the individual title by two strokes over junior Kate Collum and sophomore Anna Redding, both of Concord Cannon. Cannon won the team title by 26 shots, 249-275, over runner-up Durham Academy.

Kittelberger had 12 pars, four bogeys and two double-bogeys.

“Jessica played a very steady round,” said Ravenscroft coach Doug Hodges. “She stayed very composed.”

Hodges said the Donald Ross-designed course was set up to require strong play on and around the greens.

“The greens were very fast and there were big breaks on putts,” he said. “You had to be very precise with your chips.”

Kittelberger said she was able to get within 5 feet of the hole with her chips on several holes, which was one key to her round.

“I am excited and elated,” she said. “I thought I played extremely well.”

NCISAA finals: The NCISAA will hold state finals Saturday in volleyball (at Charlotte Latin, 3A; Gaston Day 2A; and Statesville Day, 1A); in field hockey (Cary Academy); in boys’ soccer (Ravenscroft, 3A; High Point Westchester, 2A; and the Gillette Complex in Wilson, 1A); and in tennis (Charlotte Latin, 3A; Barton College in Wilson, 1A).

The NCISAA cross country championships will be Friday at the Wake Med Soccer Complex in Cary.

NCHSAA tennis: The NCHSAA individual tennis championships will begin Friday and continue Saturday with the semifinals and finals. The title matches will be at Millbrook Exchange (4A), Burlington Parks and Recreation Tennis Center (3A) and Cary Tennis Center (1A and 2A).

Stevens: 919-829-8910