Independence is 8-2 against East Mecklenburg since September of 2014, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Friday. The Independence Patriots will challenge the East Mecklenburg Eagles at 7:00 p.m. Independence is looking to tack on another W to their five-game streak on the road.
Last Thursday, Independence was fully in charge, breezing past Providence 42-14 at home. The Patriots might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won five contests by 21 points or more this season.
Jayden Jones was his usual excellent self, rushing for 185 yards and three touchdowns on only ten carries. Jones is crushing it when it comes to rushing yards: he's rushed for at least 185 every time he's taken the field this season. Another player making a difference was Justin Little, who threw for 208 yards and a touchdown.
Perhaps unsurprisingly given the score, Independence was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 336 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 222 rushing yards in seven consecutive matches.
Meanwhile, East Mecklenburg fell victim to Butler and their airtight defense last Friday. They were outmatched by the Bulldogs on the road and fell 46-0. The Eagles haven't had much luck with the Bulldogs recently, as the team's come up short the last eight times they've met.
Even if they lost, East Mecklenburg's defensive line still kept up the pressure with four sacks. Kenyan Stewart was especially locked on to Butler's QB and sacked him twice.
Independence's win bumped their record up to 6-1. As for East Mecklenburg, their defeat dropped their record down to 1-6.
Friday's game might be decided in the trenches. Independence has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 292.1 rushing yards per game. It's a different story for East Mecklenburg, though, as they've been averaging only 29.9. How will they fare against such a dominant running game?
Everything came up roses for Independence against East Mecklenburg when the teams last played back in October of 2023, as the team secured a 62-0 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for Independence since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
