The North Carolina High School Athletic Association has announced that the high school football season will return to an 11-game, 12-week season in the fall of 2013. Schools, who elected to do so, played an 11-game schedule in an

11-week period without a bye week last year. Teams that elected to take a bye week only played a ten-game schedule in 2011.
The Watauga High football team played an 11-game schedule without taking a bye week last season. The purpose for shortening the football season by one week was to start the state football playoffs the first week of November to avoid scheduling conflicts with the basketball season.
The NCHSAA will also announce on Thursday whether or not private schools will be allowed to remain as members of the Association. A meeting is scheduled for Thursday at the Smith Center.