Football Recap: Make It Three in a Row for Independence

Independence waltzed into their matchup on Friday with two straight wins... but they left with three. They came out on top against the Palisades Pumas by a score of 27-20. The final result isn't all that surprising considering the Patriots' considerable advantage in MaxPreps' North Carolina football rankings (they are ranked tenth, while the Pumas are ranked 73rd).

Independence had a senior duo take command as Travis Hill rushed for 101 yards and a pair of touchdowns on only 13 carries and Jayden Jones rushed for 141 yards and one TD. Hill's rushing production has been exceptional recently as that marked his third straight game with at least 101 rushing yards.

Patriots

Rushing Yards

09/19/25 @ Palisades	334
09/12/25 vs Lake Norman	187
09/05/25 vs Charlotte Christian	283
08/29/25 vs Hough	-26
08/22/25 @ Gaffney	160
+ 3 more games

Independence was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 334 rushing yards. That's the most rushing yards they've posted since back in November of 2024.

Several Pumas players turned in solid performances despite ultimately coming up short. Perhaps the best among those players was Jolani Legette, who picked up 120 receiving yards and one score. Legette showed off some serious burst, connecting on a big catch for 60 yards. Lincoln Wise got in on the action too, returning a kick for a touchdown.

Independence's victory bumped their record up to 4-1. As for Palisades, their loss dropped their record down to 3-2.

Both squads will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. Independence will head out to square off against West Charlotte at 7:00 p.m. on October 3. The Lions' defense has only allowed nine points per game this season, so the Patriots' offense will have their work cut out for them. As for Palisades, after each having a week off, they and Ardrey Kell will shake off the rust and duke it out at 7:00 p.m. on October 3. This will be the Pumas' first chance to prove their worth in the conference.