WINSTON-SALEM – The BB&T North Carolina High School Athletic Association football championships will have a local flavor.

Northampton County High School – West will make their first-ever appearance in the state title game when they meet Elkin High School at 12 noon Saturday.

The Hurricanes come in fresh off a 20-14 upset win at Southside last week where they secured the Eastern Regional Championship, also a first for the Hurricanes.

Head coach Diego Hasty and his club have battled

tough draw to make it all the way to Winston-Salem.

The Hurricanes knocked off Tar-Roanoke Conference foe North Edgecombe in the opening round before defeating Roanoke High School, Manteo and Southside to make the finals.

The Hurricanes have the school’s best-ever record at 14-1 heading into the finals and are riding an 11-game win streak. West has not lost to a 1-A foe all season.

Northampton-West is led this season by senior Titus Lee. The 5′-5&uot;, 155-pound running back has been spectacular all year. During the 2005 campaign, he has recorded 1,538 rushing yards on 189 carries and has 25 touchdowns.

Junior quarterback Randy Turner has also been exceptional this season, throwing for 1,278 yards on 62-of-115 passing. He has 18 scores through the air.

The receiving corps is led by tight end Aljerald Butcher who has 19 receptions for 456 yards. Christopher Smith has 18 receptions for 272 yards and four touchdowns.

Also key for this team is senior offensive lineman Joe Huff, who is a highly sought after guard for the Hurricanes. Center Desmond Roberts has also recorded a fine season on the offensive line.

Defensively, West is led by linebacker Rashaun Roberts and defensive back Michael Peebles and Chris Smith. Also important has been linebacker Vontray Hughes and defensive end Quinton Turner.

The Hurricanes have outscored opponents 618 to 200 during the season.

On the opposite sidelines will be Elkin, the champion of the Northwest 1-A Conference. It is the third state championship appearance for Elkin in four years. They won the 1-A championship in 2002 and 2003.

Dustin Miles has 1,099 rushing yards for the Bucking Elks this season while Kedron Bullock has posted 980 yards on 112 carries.

Tyler Transou has passed for 639 yards on 38-of-96 passing. Almost half of Transou’s completions (16 of 38) have resulted in touchdowns.

In addition to Transou, Miles and Bullock, the Bucking Elks feature All-State defensive lineman Terry Adams along with defensive end Frankie Adams.

The defense of the Bucking Elks has seven shutouts and five other foes have managed only one touchdown.

The Hurricanes and the Bucking Elks meet at 12 noon Saturday at Groves Stadium on the campus of Wake Forest University.