The Independence Patriots had already proven themselves in the regular season, and didn't miss a beat now that it's playoff time. They came out on top in a nail-biter against Butler on Friday and snuck past 10-7. The victory was nothing new for Independence as they're now sitting on four straight.
Independence found their leader in underclassman Jayden Jones, who rushed for 174 yards while picking up 7.6 yards per carry. Jones has been hot recently, having posted 100 or more rushing yards the last seven times he's played.
Butler's loss came despite a true team effort from the offense, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Jayden Williams, who rushed for 116 yards. Williams hasn't dropped below 100 rushing yards for three straight games.
Independence's victory was their fourth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 11-3. As for Butler, their loss ended a 12-game streak of wins at home dating back to last season and dropped them to 12-2.
Independence will be staying on the road on Friday to face off against Weddington at 7:00 p.m. on December 1st. The matchup should be an exciting one, as these teams are ranked near one another in North Carolina (Weddington is ranked first, while Independence is ranked ninth). Butler does not have any more games scheduled as of now.
