By Jason Hickman
MaxPreps.com
Still Streaking
The streak is still alive. Barely.
North Carolina's Independence High extended the nation's longest winning streak in dramatic fashion Friday night, thwarting a two-point conversion attempt in the final minute to survive with consecutive win No. 96.
It looked to be business as usual early on, as the Patriots cruised to a 21-0 lead at the half against Vance High of Charlotte. But the homestanding Cougars, playing a freshman at quarterback, rallied with 20 points of their own in the final two quarters.
Vance running back Ra'Shawn Moore scored on a one-yard run with 58 seconds remaining to make the score 21-20, but the Patriots foiled a run play on the conversion to keep the streak alive.
"Like I told the guys, life is not 55-14 all the time," Independence coach Tom Knotts told the Charlotte Observer. "It's good to have things like this."
The Patriots remain on track to win their 100th-straight game at East Mecklenburg Oct. 13, potentially joining De La Salle, Calif., as the only high school programs to win 100-consecutive contests.
Mallet Makes an Impression
Ohio football fans are hoping they don't see another performance from Ryan Mallett like the one he delivered Friday night.
Mallett - committed to Michigan - completed 18 of 33 pass attempts for 330 yards and four touchdowns to lead Texas High to a 44-21 win over Findlay, Ohio, as part of the Kirk Herbstreit Ohio vs. USA Challenge.
Findlay head coach Mark Ritzler compared the 6-6, 246-pound Texan to one of his former pupils, Pittsburgh Steeler signal caller Ben Roethlisberger.
"Neither one of them have to set their feet to be able to throw downfield," Ritzler said.
After spotting the Trojans a 7-0 lead, Mallett helped his Tigers rattle off 31 unanswered points by tossing three touchdown passes to take a 31-7 lead into halftime.
Move Over Mojo
Odessa Permian's 2-0 start to the 2006 season had Mojo fans dreaming of a return to glory for one of Texas' all-time great programs. But Euless Trinity - the state's defending 5A Division I champion - gave the Panthers a reality check Friday night.
Depsite missing several key contributors, Euless Trinity made it look easy on its home field in a dominating, 40-14, win over Odessa Permian.
The Trojans, No. 25 in MaxPreps' preseason national top 25, scored on their first four possessions to race to a 26-0 lead.
After losing linemen Saia Falahola (Arizona State) and Henry Niutei (Texas Christian), running back Dimitri Nance (Arizona State), and quarterback Trevor Vittatoe (Texas-El Paso) to the Division I-A ranks, many predicted a rebuilding season for head coach Steve Lineweaver's team.
But after a pair of impressive victories playing shorthanded, the Trojans are looking like a threat to make a run in the 5A state playoffs again. Trinity should find out where it stands in two weeks with a trip to South Grand Prairie (3-0) - the only team to deal the Trojans a defeat a year ago.
Aiken Stuns Camden County
Georgia's longest regular season winning streak is over, and it took a team from South Carolina to end it.
Camden County (Ga.) had won 58-consecutive regular season games heading into Friday's clash at Aiken, S.C., and achieved the state-record mark in impressive fashion. A year ago, the Wildcats thumped opponents by an average score of 42-5, and pitched shut outs in seven games during the 2004 season.
But Friday, the host Green Hornets jumped on their record-setting, out-of-state guests early, taking a 20-6 lead into the intermission.
The Wildcats - No. 23 in MaxPreps' preseason top 25 - narrowed the deficit to one in the fourth quarter, but were unable to convert a two-point conversion attempt and extend the streak.
Camden County head coach Jeff Herron probably knew winning at Aiken wouldn't be an easy task. The South Carolina program is now 29-4 over the past three seasons, with two of those losses coming to reigning state power Byrnes.
Team of the Week: Lakeland, Fla.
Lakeland High has dominated Florida's 5A ranks over the past 10 years, winning four state titles and accumulating a record of 126-11 since 1996.
The only thing missing from the Dreadnaughts' impressive resume was a win over an out-of-state power on a big stage. But that knock on head coach Bill Castle's program is gone after a 25-22, overtime win against St. Xavier, Ohio, Saturday at the Kirk Herbstreit Ohio vs. USA Challenge in Cincinnati.
"It wasn't one of our better games, but I give credit to St. X," Castle said. "They are just so well coached and disciplined. I'm just impressed with Ohio football."
The Dreadnaughts - MaxPreps preseason No. 1 nationally - got 204 yards on the ground from the running back tandem of Jamar Taylor and Chris Rainey. Senior Matt Roddenberry kicked the game-winning field goal from 41 yards out in overtime.
Max Performer of the Week
Chris Green, Running Back, Chaffey (Calif.)
Maybe this performance will finally put Chaffey's Chris Green on the map. The 5-10, 210-pound running back racked up 412 yards on 37 carries Friday in a 40-22 win over Pacific.
The senior ball carrier put all 40 of Chaffey's points on the board, reaching the end zone six times - including runs of 90 and 65 yards - and contributing a pair of two-point conversions.
Big numbers are nothing new for Green, as he produced 1,524 yards and 20 touchdowns as a junior, leading the Tigers to a 10-2 record. In two games this season, he has 634 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Looking Ahead
It's a very big week for two high school football programs in the state of California, and the MaxPreps USA Football Tour will be on hand to watch it play out.
Oaks Christian has emerged as one of Southern California's dominant programs, posting 33-straight wins going back to the end of the 2003 season. The 2006 Lions feature six players already committed to BCS conference schools.
St. Bonaventure's run of 98 wins in its last 101 games has gone slightly underappreciated at the national level. Head coach Jon Mack's Seraphs have captured Section titles in six of the past seven years and are currently riding a 27-game winning streak.
Both teams are looking for a signature victory, not only to solidify their status as a state power, but a national power, as well.
For fans that are still looking for a ticket, good luck. A crowd of more than 8,000 is expected at Ventura High School Friday night and both schools stopped selling tickets weeks ago. The game will air on ESPN2 at 7 p.m.
Bulletin Board Material
- Lincoln (Ore.) head coach Chad Carlson to The Oregonian on his All-State quarterback Connor Kavanaugh, who gutted out 334 passing yards in a Friday win over third-ranked Southridge:
"It was Michael Jordan with the flu, it was (Willis Reed) coming out with the Knicks. I mean, come on, the guy's playing with a broken jaw. This was as special a high school performance as you'll see."