By Will Bryan
MaxPreps.com
The massive rain storm that hit South Atlantic states a week ago caused havoc with football schedules in the Charlotte area. The situation was further complicated by the Rosh Hashanah holiday, which fell on the Monday following the weekend of rain and postponements.
Here’s a look at how some of the teams stand heading into games scheduled for Oct. 3:
Independence at South Mecklenburg, Friday, Oct. 3, 7 p.m.
Independence will put its undefeated record and top ranking in the North Carolina 4A poll on the line when it travels to South Mecklenburg.
Independence coach Tom Knotts was more than a little upset this past week, when he was told that last Friday’s game against Myers Park would be postponed until Monday, Sept. 29, and then again to Wednesday, Oct. 1 because of Rosh Hashanah.
The game was then postponed a third time, to Monday, Oct. 6, because teams didn’t want to play two games so close together.
“We’re getting jerked around like we don’t matter,” Knotts told the Charlotte Observer. “No consideration for the kids.”
Knotts still has an exceptionally talented team, with a quarterback in Anthony Carrothers (51 of 83 passing, 909 yards, eight touchdowns), who also has run for six touchdown. Lawrence Martin has 15 catches for 372 yards and Victor Hampton has four interceptions.
South Meck enters the game at 3-1 and boasts a talented two-headed running attack spurred by Tim Palmer and Spencer Shuey, both of whom topped 100 yards in their last game.
Charlotte Catholic at Waddell, Friday, Oct. 3, 7 p.m.
Charlotte Catholic heads to Waddell this week as the two schools get into their Queen City 3A/4A conference schedule.
Catholic is coming off a win in its conference opener over Olympic, while Waddell endured the drama of having its game against Harding High moved several times before landing on next Monday, Oct. 6. The winless Raiders have not played in two weeks and will now have to play two games in four days.
Last week against Olympic, Catholic's Joe Felts ran for 163 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries. While Catholic was slugging through the mud in the ground game, Olympic's passing game was all but shot because of the bad weather and Catholic's staunch defense. Olympic quarterback Lucas Beatty, averaging 170 passing yards a game, managed a paltry seven yards while Boler caught only one pass for three yards.
Catholic has reeled off four straight conference titles and its domination over top contender Olympic last week does not bode well for Waddell in this one.
Charlotte Latin at Charlotte Christian, Friday, Oct. 3, 7 p.m.
In a rematch of last year’s 3A NCISAA title game, Charlotte Christian (5-0) welcomes Charlotte Latin (3-1) to its home turf. Christian was one of few schools in the area that played last Friday and it continued its undefeated season by knocking off Jireh Prep, 23-6, in a soggy Homecoming.
While Christian was unable to rely on its passing attack because of the poor weather and field conditions, its running game picked up the slack as Parker Blazevich ran for 122 yards and a touchdown, including every yard on Christian's 60-yard scoring drive to open the second half; the drive made the score 23-6.
Jireh Prep (3-4) was unable to respond as the Warriors completed just six passes all night, including two that were intercepted.
Christian’s defense has been up to the task all season. Jireh Prep’s touchdown was the first allowed by Christian in five games.
Jalen Ross will have to step up big for Latin as he carried the ball for 180 yards and three touchdowns in the team’s last win, that coming two weeks ago.
Central Cabarrus at Mallard Creek, Friday, Oct. 3, 7 p.m.
Emerging as the inspirational story of Charlotte-area football, Mallard Creek (6-0) comes home to face winless Central Cabarrus (0-5).
The Mavericks managed just one win against 11 defeats in their inaugural season last year, and now find themselves as a league favorite and with a No. 5 ranking in the Charlotte Observer’s Sweet 16 poll. Mallard Creek has already knocked off legitimate teams in Ardrey Kell, Myers Park and West Mecklenburg and now finds itself with a downhill schedule.
The Mavericks’ most recent win came at the expense of Concord Robinson on Monday night, 44-11. In that game, E.J. Cherry rushed for two touchdowns while quarterback Marquis Williams recorded two of his own, one on the ground and one through the air.
Will Bryan covers the Charlotte, N.C., area for MaxPreps. He may be reached at wbryan08@gmail.com.
