No. 6 Independence rolls past No. 5 Charlotte Christian, dominating the Knights on the road

Independence sputtered some early but pleased its coach with a strong closing kick in Friday’s 34-13 high school football win at Charlotte Christian.

The Patriots (3-0), ranked No. 4 in the N.C. 4A poll and No. 13 in the Charlotte Observer Top 25, fell behind 7-0 after the first drive of the game and had two touchdowns called back later in an opening half in which they took a 14-7 lead into halftime.

In the second half, after a long drive resulted in a botched snap on a field goal try, the host Knights (1-1) closed within 14-13 before Independence scored the final 20 points of the game.

“We finished,” Patriots coach D.J. McFadden said. “That’s something we have talked about since Myers Park. And tonight, in the latter part of the third quarter and in the fourth quarter, we really finished strong.”

Independence had opened the season by roaring ahead 24-0 in the first half before needing a late-game interception to preserve a 24-21 win over Myers Park on Aug. 22 at the Carolina Panthers’ Bank of America Stadium, then rolled to a 45-6 win at Hickory Ridge last week.

Senior quarterback Justin Little passed for 191 yards and one touchdown and directed a 422-yard offense in Friday’s victory.

Little had the game-breaking play when he found Sedat Grant for a 51-yard touchdown pass on a third-and-14 play early in the fourth quarter.

“We had called the same play one play before and we had gotten sacked,” McFadden said. “So we called it again. I wanted to deliver a knockout blow there.”

Charlotte Christian, No. 25 in The Observer poll, picked up only one first down in its three possessions after that scoring pass.

Three who made a difference

Justin Little, Independence: Completed 11 of 17 passes for 191 yards and one touchdown and rushed nine times for 24 yards.

Jayden Jones, Independence: Rushed 21 times for 151 yards and three touchdowns and caught one pass for 12 yards.

Jamal Rule, Charlotte Christian: Rushed 28 times for 134 yards and one touchdown.

Notable

▪ It was the first meeting between the two schools that have become top Charlotte programs. Independence, a public school that opened in 1966, has won seven state titles and had a state-record 109-game winning streak. And Charlotte Christian, a private school that began football in 1991, has won nine state titles.

▪ One of the best catches you’ll ever see in a high school game was nullified by a holding penalty in the first quarter. Independence’s Brian Crowder caught an apparent 38-yard touchdown pass from Little by leaping in between two Charlotte Christian defenders near the goal line, but it was negated by a holding call. The Patriots also had a touchdown run negated by a penalty in the second quarter.

▪ Charlotte Christian quarterback Owen Farrell completed 11 of 24 passes for 86 yards and an 18-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Hettwer. Farrell also punted six times for a 38.2 average highlighted by a 54-yarder.

They said it

“It’s just a one-year deal. But we needed a game and (Charlotte Christian head coach) Chris James and I knew each other and we figured out a way to make it happen. I think both sides enjoy playing and I hope we can do it again.” — Independence coach D.J. McFadden, discussing the one-year contract that allowed a rare Charlotte matchup between public and private schools.

GAME SUMMARY

Independence 7 7 0 20 - 34

Charlotte Christian 7 0 6 0 - 13

FIRST QUARTER

C: Brandon Hettwer 18 pass from Owen Farrell (Elijan Boythe kick)

I: Jayden Jones 22 run (Lyric Kopera kick)

SECOND QUARTER

I: Jones 5 run (Kopera kick)

THIRD QUARTER

C: Jamal Rule 5 run (kick blocked)

FOURTH QUARTER

I: Sadat Grant 51 pass from Justin Little (kick blocked)

I: Jones 5 run (Kopera kick)

I: Travis Hill 15 run (Kopera kick)