Ardrey Kell football spoils Palisades’ finale, makes case for NCHSAA playoff berth

Ardrey Kell still doesn’t know if it’s done enough to qualify for the N.C. 4A state football playoffs that begin on Nov. 15.

But coach Greg Jachym’s Knights made quite a closing argument with a 13-9 win over South Meck 4A Conference champion Palisades on Friday night.

“We don’t know what’s going to happen,” said Jachym, whose team played its final home game of the season. “But no matter what happens, we wanted to win this game. And I’m just so proud of how this team fights. They’ve battled adversity and keep coming back and working hard. And they did it again tonight.”

The N.C. High School Athletic Association pairings will use the MaxPreps.com RPI formula to help determine state playoff pairings that will be announced on Nov. 9.

Ardrey Kell is 5-5 overall and 4-2 in South Meck 4A Conference action that is good for third place in the league.

Palisades (7-3, 5-1) knows it’ll be advancing since the Pumas are the league’s No. 1 seed.

“You can’t win making as many turnovers and mistakes as we made,” said Palisades coach Jonathan Simmons, whose team fumbled once, had two pass interceptions and one punt blocked in Friday’s loss.

Ardrey Kell won by scoring the game’s final 13 points, overcoming a 9-0 halftime deficit that could’ve been worse.

The Pumas scored on their second offensive drive for a 7-0 lead, then picked up a safety on linebacker Ja’Sha Brown’s sack of Knights quarterback Gavin Adams with 4 minutes, 43 left in the first half.

But, in a sign of things to come, the Knights defense stopped Palisades on downs after they had gotten to the Kell 9 with 1:32 left in the first half.

Then, in the second half, the Knights limited Palisades to 35 total yards on 22 offensive plays and no first downs.

Three who made a difference

Gavin Adams, Ardrey Kell: Completed 13 of 28 passes for 205 yards with TD passes to Landon Thompson and Khy’Lieb Rodriguez and rushed 13 times for 20 yards.

Tristan Rivest, Ardrey Kell: Rushed 19 times for 83 yards, highlighted by 10 carries for 74 yards in the second half.

Ardrey Kell defense: Parker Ludwick, Drew Ludwick, Nate Holden, Alex Gutierrez, Cavalli Montgomery and Ricky Garmon were leaders of a Knights defense that limited Palisades to 112 yards total offense.

Notable

Palisades is the fourth-youngest school to win a league title in Mecklenburg County history; East Mecklenburg (1951) and Waddell (2002) won league titles in their second years (Waddell has since been closed) and Mallard Creek (2009) won a league title in its third season.

Ardrey Kell has made the state playoffs in 14 of its first 18 seasons, including 11 straight (and all five with Jachym as head coach).

The Knights victory gives them a 2-1 series lead of Palisades. The home team has won all three matchups.

They said it

“My guys are a good ball club. We just had a bad night.” — Palisades coach Jonathan Simmons

Scoring summary

Palisades 7 2 0 0 — 9

Ardrey Kell 0 0 13 0 — 13

FIRST QUARTER

P: Lincoln Wise 4 run (Isaiah Frederickson kick)

SECOND QUARTER

P: Safety, Ja’Sha Brown tackles quarterback in end zone

THIRD QUARTER

K: Landon Thompson 45 pass from Gavin Adams (Drew Ludwick kick)

K: Khy’Lieb Rodriguez 55 pass from Adams (Kick failed)