CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Welcome to September, and welcome to week three of Friday Night Frenzy on WCNC Charlotte!
Each week, the WCNC sports team brings you the most intense highlights from high school football across the Carolinas. Will your hometown teams take home the wins? Find out this week!
Game of the Week: Independence vs. West Charlotte
The Lions improved to 3-0 on the season after a thrilling finish.
Independence led the game 20-14 at half, but with under a minute to go on their final down, Jamouri Nichols finds Jakim Finch for a 55-yard touchdown, giving West Charlotte a 21-20 win.
"It's amazing coming in to our bye week 3-0," Lions coach Sam Greiner said. "How beautiful is it to see the Independence-West Charlotte rivalry? A lot of people picked Independence, a lot of people picked West Charlotte. But look at the crowd on both sides. It was a beautiful thing to see. High school football is back in Charlotte and you better be here at the Dub when we win some games, it was a special thing to see."
FINAL SCORE
Independence - 20
West Charlotte - 21
Hough vs. Dutch Fork
What a win for Hough as they take down Tommy Knott's Dutch Fork squad on the road.
The Huskies defense set the tone when Samari Matthews picked off an early pass, with his long return setting up a field goal. Nolan Hauser later hit a second field goal, giving him 56 for his career and tying the national high school record.
Late in the game, Trey Blakeney found Sean Brady for a big play to set up the decisive touchdown.
FINAL SCORE
Hough - 20
Dutch Fork - 17
Charlotte Christian vs. South Point
A matchup of contrasting styles wound up being a classic.
Down 6-0, the Red Raiders drove and scored when QB Patrick Blee kept it himself in the triple option offense.
But the Knights responded, scoring on fourth and goal on an Owen Farrell touchdown pass to Micah Gilbert.
The two connected again after a takeaway by the defense, this time with Gilbert, a Notre Dame commit, going up and over the defender for a spectacular catch.
That made it 20-8 Charlotte Christian.
South Point stayed steady, and with a long drive, Harrison McKinney punched it in to cut the lead to 20-15.
The Knights answered, also on the ground, with a Christian Vann scamper for a score as Charlotte Christian held on for a wild win.
FINAL SCORE
Charlotte Christian - 41
South Point - 36
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