Friday football report: Big opening victories for Prov. Day, Weddington
Here’s a shocker – Providence Day and Weddington each have impressive football teams again this season.
Providence Day opened defense of its N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association Division 1 championship Friday night by blasting visiting Myers Park 49-13.
And Weddington, a Class 7A state power, spotted host Mooresville an early lead but roared back for a 49-17 conquest.
On a Friday night when heavy thunderstorms forced many games to start late – and convinced some school officials to reschedule their contests for Saturday or Monday – there were few surprises.
In addition to Providence Day and Weddington, perennial powers Jay M. Robinson and Charlotte Catholic steamrolled to big victories.
Here is a look at Friday night’s results:
MECKLENBURG COUNTY
ARDREY KELL 50, CUTHBERTSON 7 – Carter Greene is now 1-0 as a head coach, after his Knights crushed the Cavaliers in Waxhaw. It marked only the second time in the past five seasons that Ardrey Kell has reached or surpassed the 50-point mark.
BUTLER 27, OLYMPIC 14 – Kenyan White threw for four touchdowns, and the Bulldogs got Donald Littlejohn a victory in his first game as head coach.
White threw a pair of scoring passes to Conner Lewis, including a 70-yarder in the fourth quarter, and two to David McAdams, including a 40-yard toss in the second quarter.
Chase Thompson threw a pair of scoring passes for Olympic, which fell behind 20-7 in the first quarter but got within 20-14 in the third period.
CHARLOTTE CATHOLIC 24, SOUTH MECKLENBURG 0 – Mike Brodoqicz’s second tenure as Cougars’ head coach started in a big way, as Charlotte Catholic dominated the annual Battle of Park Road.
The visiting Sabres drove to the Charlotte Catholic 16 in the first quarter but fumbled the ball away.
The Cougars then scored on three short runs and added a 49-yard field goal by Aidan Flynn.
HICKORY GROVE CHRISTIAN 19, BONNIE CONE ACADEMY 0 – Nathan Dowdy ran for a pair of touchdowns, and Tyler Land threw for another score, as coach Tad Baucom’s Lions opened with a victory.
Bonnie Cone Academy drove to the Hickory Grove 8 in the third quarter, down 12-0, but the Eagles fumbled the ball away.
INDEPENDENCE AT BYRNES – Independence’s game in Duncan, S.C., was a victim of the weather. The game was called midway in the first quarter, after a lengthy delay due to thunderstorms.
Byrnes had scored just 50 seconds into the first quarter on Tre Segara’s 53-yard run, and the hosts led 7-0 when the storm hit.
The game will not be completed.
JAY M. ROBINSON 28, CHARLOTTE COUNTRY DAY 2 – Ennis Stiles ran for touchdowns of 17, 7 and 3 yards, and Aury Greenfield ran for another score, as the Bulldogs ruined Charlotte Country Day’s home opener.
Robinson scored two touchdowns in both the second and third quarters.
LAKE NORMAN CHARTER 21, SOUTHLAKE CHRISTIAN 10 – Haze Dodson ran for two touchdowns, and Dylan Wignot threw for another score, as the Knights won their opener.
SouthLake Christian led 3-2 after one quarter and expanded the margin to 10-2 on a Cameron Gandy touchdown pass and a conversion kick.
NORTH MECKLENBURG 48, ROCKY RIVER 0 – Carter Clifford ran for touchdowns of 1 and 32 yards and threw a 27-yard touchdown pass to Juetz Phillips. Bryant White also returned a punt 65 yards for a North Mecklenburg touchdown in this rout.
NORTH STANLY 24, COMMUNITY SCHOOL OF DAVIDSON 21 – Russell Hinson kicked a field goal in the third quarter, giving the Comets their winning points against the Spartans.
North Stanly had gone up 14-0, but Ty Sigler threw a pair of third-quarter touchdown passes that enabled Community School of Davidson to tie the game.
A North Stanly touchdown and Hinson’s field goal put the Comets up 24-14, before the Spartans scored a touchdown in the fourth quarter.
PALISADES 42, ASHBROOK 28 – Cole Hough’s 44-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter put Palisades ahead to stay, 20-13. A.J. McLain ran for two touchdowns and threw for another for Ashbrook.
But the big story came before the game, when it was disclosed that Palisades head football coach Jonathan Simmons had been suspended from coaching by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.
CMS officials had no comment on the move. Simmons confirmed the suspension in a text message to Charlotte Observer prep sports editor Langston Wertz, according to an Observer story.
Darrel Wilson, the Pumas’ defensive coordinator, will serve as interim coach at Palisades.
PROVIDENCE DAY 49, MYERS PARK 13 – Cole Cater threw three touchdown passes and ran for another score, as the Chargers dominated the Mustangs on both sides of the ball.
Cater’s 16-yard touchdown pass to Max Cassell put Providence Day up 7-0 with 8:01 left in the first quarter.
That got the Chargers started on a 28-point run that also included a 13-yard Cater-to-Ethan Dempsey touchdown pass, a 22-yard Cater scoring run, and a 26-yard interception return by Tre Geathers.
Myers Park quarterback Ramir Watson ran for a touchdown and threw a fourth-quarter scoring pass.
AREA GAMES
LINCOLNTON 30, MAIDEN 10 – Messiah Thompson returned two interceptions for touchdowns, leading the Wolves to victory in a battle of football powerhouses.
Lincolnton jumped to a 17-0 lead, but Maiden narrowed the gap with a safety, a blocked punt for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter, and a two-point conversion.
Thompson then took over, returning a pass 30 yards for a score and then 95 yards for a touchdown.
NORTH LINCOLN 7, WEST LINCOLN 0 – Anthony Elberto’s 3-yard touchdown run in the opening quarter was all the scoring in this defensive struggle. North Lincoln drove to the West Lincoln 12 in the third quarter but failed to score.
SHELBY 28, KINGS MOUNTAIN 21 – Jonas Woods ran for a pair of touchdowns, leading the host Golden Lions to victory in a classic Cleveland County rivalry game.
Shelby took a 14-7 lead on Cruz Scott’s 37-yard touchdown pass to J.J. Williams late in the second quarter.
Woods then scored on runs of 3 and 6 yards later in the quarter, but Kings Mountain closed to 28-14 on a kickoff return.
Mountaineers’ freshman quarterback Jordan Jenkins threw a 69-yard touchdown pass to Tony Boyd with 5:08 left in the game, but Shelby held on.
It marked the first time Shelby has beaten Kings Mountain in consecutive years since the Golden Lions won eight in a row against the Mountaineers from 2011 to 2018.
WEDDINGTON 49, MOORESVILLE 17 – The host Blue Devils took a 3-0 lead on a 25-yard field goal by Adam Cummings, but Weddington dominated after that.
On the Warriors’ first play after Cummings’ kick, Anthony Barrino raced around right end for a 76-yard touchdown. Jared Street then fired a 63-yard touchdown pass for a 14-3 lead after the first quarter.
Street capped a long drive with a 2-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter, and Barrino rocketed 66 yards for another score just 90 seconds later. That gave Weddington a 28-3 lead, and the Warriors coasted.
Friday
Mecklenburg nonconference
Ambassador Christian vs. Mountain View Prep-SC, at North Greenville Univ., game suspended by weather
Ardrey Kell 50, Cuthbertson 7
Butler 27, Olympic 14
Charlotte Catholic 24, South Mecklenburg 0
Hickory Grove Christian 19, Bonnie Cone Academy 0
Independence at Duncan Byrnes-SC, canceled due to bad weather
Jay M. Robinson 28, Charlotte Country Day 2
Lake Norman Charter 21, SouthLake Christian 10
North Mecklenburg 48, Rocky River 0
North Stanly 24, Community School of Davidson 21
Palisades 42, Ashbrook 28
Providence Day 49, Myers Park 13
Area nonconference
Alexander Central 49, Newton-Conover 28
East Lincoln 35, South Iredell 7
East Rowan 7, Wheatmore 7
Jesse Carson 41, Central Davidson 24
Lincolnton 30, Maiden 10
North Lincoln 7, West Lincoln 0
Shelby 28, Kings Mountain 21
Weddington 49, Mooresville 17
Saturday’s games
Nonconference
Asheville School (7-3-1) at Corvian Community (10-2), 6 pm
Burns (7-5) at Crest (13-2), 1 pm
College Prep & Leadership (1-9) at Albemarle (5-7), 6 pm
Covenant Day (2-8) at Trinity Christian (8-3), 4 pm
Hopewell (4-7) at East Mecklenburg (3-7), 6 pm
Hough (14-0) at Northwestern-SC (13-1), 4 pm
Mitchell County (9-5) at Charlotte Latin (7-4), 6 pm
West Stanly (2-10) at South Stanly (9-3), 6 pm
Monday’s games
Nonconference
Mountain Island Charter (7-6) vs. Lincoln Charter (3-7), at Lenoir-Rhyne Univ., 6 pm
Thursday scores
Mecklenburg nonconference
Berry Academy 19, West Mecklenburg 13
Bradford Prep 6, Thomas Jefferson Academy 0
Chambers 43, Gray Collegiate (SC) 21
Christ the King 36, Metrolina Christian 33
Garinger 28, Winston-Salem Prep 22
Greensboro Grimsley 24, West Charlotte 0
Greensboro Page 56, Charlotte Christian 23
Indian Land (SC) 49, Harding 0
Lake Wylie (SC) 41, Ballantyne Ridge 35
Mallard Creek 45, Rolesville 25
Providence 24, Hickory Ridge 21
Area nonconference
A.L. Brown 42, Porter Ridge 10
Anson County 42, Red Springs 0
Bunker Hill 47, Draughn 0
Central Cabarrus 21, Montgomery Central 14
Cherryville 41, North Stokes 6
East Gaston 34, North Gaston 8
East Lincoln 35, South Iredell 7
Forest Hills 49, Salisbury 7
Fred T. Foard 26, West Wilkes 13
Lake Norman 47, Sun Valley 0
Marvin Ridge 77, Cox Mill 13
Monroe 28, Hoke County 6
Mount Pleasant 35, Concord 6
Northwest Cabarrus 35, West Cabarrus 20
Parkwood 47, Piedmont 32
Pine Lake Prep 47, Bessemer City 14
South Point 34, Hickory 28
South Rowan 41, Union Academy 14
Stuart Cramer 42, Forestview 6
Statesville 36, East Surry 22
T.C. Roberson 48, Hunter Huss 12
West Forsyth 42, Davie County 13
West Iredell 43, East Burke 6
West Rowan 33, North Rowan 18
Wilkes Central 63, North Iredell 0
SATURDAY’S PREVIEW
(won-loss records are from 2025)
Hough (14-0) at Northwestern-SC (13-1), 4 p.m. – It’s a meeting of defending state champions at Rock Hill’s District 3 Stadium, and this could be one of the Carolinas’ top games of the season. Northwestern’s talent starts with QB Xavier Means, who threw for more than 2,800 yards and rushing for more than 1,200 last season.
Means and Northwestern’s high-scoring offense faces a powerful Hough defense, featuring five-star DB Josh Dobson. QB Ethan Royal returns to lead the Huskies’ offense.
