Preview: Charlotte Christian Knights vs. Cannon [Cannon/Concord Academy] Cougars
The Charlotte Christian Knights will be playing in front of their home fans against the Cannon [Cannon/Concord Academy] Cougars at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Cannon [Cannon/Concord Academy] took a loss in their last matchup and will be looking to turn the tables on Charlotte Christian, who comes in off a win.
Charlotte Christian can now show off four landslide victories after their most recent matchup on Friday. They were the clear victor by a 41-21 margin over Charlotte Country Day School. Given Charlotte Christian's advantage in MaxPreps' North Carolina football rankings (they are ranked 22nd, while Charlotte Country Day School is ranked 114th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Ryan Henley had an outrageously good game as he rushed for 168 yards and three touchdowns while picking up 9.9 yards per carry. Charlotte Christian also got help from Micah Gilbert who showed off his sure hands for 89 receiving yards.
Charlotte Christian's defense stepped up as well, laying out the QB seven times. It was a group effort, with three guys contributing.
Meanwhile, Cannon [Cannon/Concord Academy] was beaten by Rabun Gap-Nacoochee 55-17 on Friday. Cannon [Cannon/Concord Academy] was in a tough position after the first half, with the score already sitting at 41-7.
Despite their defeat, Cannon [Cannon/Concord Academy] saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Tyler Green, who threw for 288 yards and two touchdowns, was perhaps the best of all.
Charlotte Christian's win was their third straight on the road, which bumped their overall record up to 7-3. Those victories were due in large part to their offensive dominance across that stretch, as they averaged 32.0 points per game. As for Cannon [Cannon/Concord Academy], this is the second loss in a row for them and nudges their season record down to 5-5.
Here's a few offensive stats to keep an eye on ahead of Friday's match: Charlotte Christian has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 147.9 rushing yards per game. It's a different story for Cannon [Cannon/Concord Academy], though, as they've been averaging only 63.3 per game. How will Cannon [Cannon/Concord Academy] fare against such a dominant running game?
Everything came up roses for Charlotte Christian against Cannon [Cannon/Concord Academy] in their previous matchup back in September as the squad secured a 38-3 victory. Will Charlotte Christian repeat their success, or does Cannon [Cannon/Concord Academy] have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
