The Independence Patriots will head out to challenge the Butler Bulldogs at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. Independence has been dominant on offense recently, having racked up an incredible 117 points over their last three matchups.
Independence's defense heads into the game hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Friday. They breezed past North Mecklenburg to the tune of 41-0. The contest was all but wrapped up at the end of the third, by which point the Patriots had established a 34-point advantage.
Jared Street Jr
| 10/24/25 @ North Mecklenburg | 315 |
| 09/05/25 vs Charlotte Christian | 277 |
| 08/22/25 @ Gaffney | 261 |
| 09/12/25 vs Lake Norman | 218 |
| 10/17/25 vs Mallard Creek | 127 |
Independence relied on the efforts of Jared Street Jr, who threw for 315 yards and three TDs while picking up 14.3 yards per attempt, and Jayden Jones, who gained 205 total yards and two touchdowns. Those 315 passing yards gave Street Jr a new career-high. Zakai Milton did his part to keep the secondary busy, picking up 108 receiving yards.
Wins are hard to come by when you can't run the rock, something Independence proved: they limited North Mecklenburg to a paltry three yards per carry. The team can thank Semaj Robinson for the heroic effort on defense: he. Independence's run defense has been on the up-and-up: they allowed 4.65 yards per carry earlier this season, but they've only allowed 13.97 on average over their last five games.
Independence's defense didn't let the opposing QB, get away unscathed either: they got into the backfield for three sacks. The team can thank three different players for their defensive prowess: Elijah Alexander, Bruscutty Maxime, and Landyn Johnson, who each picked up one sack apiece.
Meanwhile, Butler played a tough matchup on Friday in which they were outscored in every quarter. They lost 44-22 to Mallard Creek. The Bulldogs haven't had much luck with the Mavericks recently, as the team has come up short the last five times they've met.
Independence will have to contain DeMaurion Thomas-Wright as he made an impact in Butler's last game. He rushed for 143 yards and one score while picking up 7.5 yards per carry. Thomas-Wright showed off some serious burst, cutting through the defense on one rush that went for 58 yards.
Butler didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Matthew Shields and Ali Aman. Aman has become a key player for Butler: the team is 2-1 when he posts at least one interception, but 2-4 otherwise. Aman got in on the action too, converting a pick into a touchdown.
Independence's record is now 7-2. As for Butler, they now have a losing record of 4-5.
Thursday's game might be decided on the ground. Independence has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 224.9 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Butler struggles in that department as they've been averaging 158.2 rushing yards. There's a good chance Thursday's contest turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Independence beat Butler 41-34 in their previous matchup back in November of 2024. One of the biggest obstacles trying to stand in the way of that victory was the Bulldogs' Jayden Williams, who rushed for 151 yards and a pair of touchdowns while picking up 9.4 yards per carry, and also picked up 30 receiving yards. Now that he won't be playing on Thursday, will it be easier for the Patriots to walk away with another win? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
