No. 2 Weddington stops No. 1 Providence Day in Keep Pounding Classic at Panthers’ stadium

Weddington High School earned one of the biggest wins in school history Thursday at Bank of America Stadium in uptown Charlotte, taking down nationally ranked Providence Day, 13-7, in the Keep Pounding Classic.

The Warriors, No. 2 in The Observer’s Sweet 16 poll, won against the top-ranked team using one of the oldest formulas in football:

Run the ball and stop the run.

The win avenged a 52-32 loss to Providence Day in the 2022 season and handed the 2023 N.C. 4A public school state champ from Union County with a big win over the 2023 N.C. 4A private school state champions from Charlotte.

“The kids played hard for 48 minutes,” Weddington coach Andy Capone said. “The defense was outstanding. Our kids were ready to go. They were fired up. All week, we heard about giving up 52 to them two years ago. I made sure I reminded them about it pregame. It’s two years in the past and understand our defense is way better.”

Back for more. Weddington High still feels disrespected, even after winning the 4A title

Weddington ran for 105 yards and allowed 18. Thanks to that, the Warriors have now taken down another one of the Carolinas’ most dynastic teams.

Last season they beat S.C power Dutch Fork on the road and they also beat past N.C. state champions Butler, Independence, Greensboro Grimsley and Charlotte Catholic.

And Thursday, Weddington beat the best team of them all.

Providence Day has won the past three private school state championships and the past two Charlotte Observer Sweet 16 titles. The Chargers were the No. 1 ranked team in the Carolinas’ top 25 last season and was again at the start of this one.

That Carolinas’ poll ranks all of the top N.C. and S.C. teams together.

“It’s awesome,” junior running back Brody Anson said. “We always focus on making sure we win the first game, and we were able to do that.”

Anson had a game-high 96 yards rushing and he was forced into service when Weddington star and starter Nick Diamond broke his elbow on the first offense play of the game.

Anson’s running, and some efficient passing from new starting quarterback Gregory Fee, helped keep the Chargers’ potent offense off the field; and when Providence Day did get the ball, the Weddington defense — and a barrel of penalties — cost the Chargers dearly.

Providence Day had a touchdown called back by penalty and stopped drives often with a series of five-yarders for delay of game or illegal motion. The Chargers also lost their best receiver, Gordon Sellars, a four-star national recruit, in the first half after he suffered a helmet to helmet injury.

Sellars went to the hospital on a night when the Chargers were already not at full strength. Junior QB Zaid Lott, a UNC commit, was battling a right throwing shoulder injury, and star tailback Ian Cline was playing through a high ankle sprain that kept him out of last week’s 55-8 win over Trinity Christian.

So Providence Day, which had more than 600 yards offense last week, managed 132 yards passing and 150 yards total.

Credit Weddington’s defense — powered by four Power 4 recruits — with a lot of that.

“I thought our defense played well enough for us to win,” Grier said. “Our offense was terrible. There’s no other way to say it. That’s 100 percent on me. I run the offense. Just the number of pre-snap penalties, and lack of awareness, and just poor execution and dropped passes and missed throws and missed blocks. There’s nothing about our offense that felt like a typical Providence Day offense.”

In the second half, Weddington made the Chargers’ struggles worse, breaking a 7-7 tie with a 14-play, 80-yard drive, leaning heavy on that run game. The drive ended when Fee hit Jon Manley in the left corner of the end zone with 10:32 to play.

At the same time, the Warriors’ depth also appeared to wear on Providence Day, which started the second half with nine penalties on its first 18 plays. As the game wore on, the Chargers were shuffling players in on offense and defense, particularly on the lines.

In the end, though, it was just a Weddington kind of night.

“We did not play well enough to win,” Grier said.

Notable

▪ Celebrity captains for the game were Panthers left tackle Ickey Ekwonu, a former Providence Day star, and Thomas Davis, the former Panthers star. Davis is the father of Weddington linebacker Thomas Davis Jr.

▪ New NFL Hall of Famer Julius Peppers was at the game as well as Panthers’ QB Bryce Young.

▪ With about five minutes left in the first half, Weddington’s Kelson Tate was hit with a personal foul on Providence Day’s top receiver, Gordon Sellars. Sellars left the game after the hard hit.

▪ In the first half, Weddington dominated time of possession and the Warriors’ defensive line prevented Providence Day from mounting consistent offense. Weddington ran 42 offensive plays in the first half compared to 24 for Providence Day. The teams were tied at 7 at halftime.

In that first half, Weddington had 190 yards total offense, compared to 89 for Providence Day, including just 23 on the ground.

▪ Weddington star running back Nick Diamond suffered an elbow injury on his team’s first offensive play and coach Andy Capone expects him to be out several weeks. Anson, who split time on junior varsity last season, replaced him and ran 15 times for his 96 yards.

Three who made a difference

Aiden Harris, Weddington: The junior defensive lineman made a living in the Providence Day backfield and was a big reason the Warriors stopped the Chargers’ run game.

Kendre Harrison, Providence Day: The junior tight end made some terrific catches and played well on defense, too. He had a tough catch-and-run touchdown called back for a penalty in the third quarter. Harrison had six catches and a tackle on defense.

Gregory Fee, Weddington: A reserve last season, Fee came up big as a starter in a big game, tossing two touchdown passes. He finished 22 for 26 passing for 161 yards.

They said it

“I know (about) Georgia and Texas and Florida, but I think N.C. talent is up there with anybody. I really do.” — Capone, talking about how much talent was on display during his team’s game as well as Myers Park and Independence in the opening game of the double header at Bank of America.

Game Summary

Weddington 0 7 0 6 - 13

Providence Day 7 0 0 0 - 7

FIRST QUARTER

PD: Ian Cline 5 run (Davis Dudley kick)

SECOND QUARTER

W: Kelson Tate 4 pass from Gregory Fee (kick good)

FOURTH QUARTER

W: Jon Manley 11 pass from Fee (kick failed)