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Weddington is a state champion again.

The Warriors took an early lead and never looked back in Saturday night’s N.C. 4A championship game, forcing a running clock in the third quarter of a 56-21 drubbing of Wilmington’s Hoggard at N.C. State’s Carter-Finley Stadium.

Senior quarterback Tyler Budge, known for his agility on top of his record passing numbers, led the way with 243 yards on 17-of-24 passing. His favorite target, UNC-bound Keenan Jackson, had three touchdowns during the first half and finished with 136 yards.

Weddington (14-2) won its first state title since jumping to the 4A level. The perennial contender — which won championships in 2016, 2018 and 2019 — capped a dominant postseason in which it outscored its opponents by more than 100 points.

“This one’s gonna be special for me, forever,” Warriors head coach Andy Capone told reporters postgame. “It’s just a great group.”

It snapped a 14-game win streak for Hoggard (14-2). The Vikings’ only loss before Saturday had come in their season opener against Cleveland, which they avenged in Round 4 of the playoffs.

The night began inauspiciously for Budge, who threw an interception deep in his own territory on Weddington’s first drive. Hoggard scored quickly and, surprisingly, attempted an onside kick. It was unsuccessful, giving the Warriors good field position, and they moved into the red zone.

Budge tried to rush it himself from about 5 yards out — and fumbled. But the pigskin bounced forward, and Jackson scooped it up in the end zone. Despite a near pick-6 and costly turnover on its first two drives, Weddington knotted the game at 7.

“Next play,” Budge said he told himself after the interception. “Can’t let that bother you, as much as I might have wanted it to. Especially in these big situations — all the cameras, all the eyes are on you — you can’t let that affect you.”

Budge, who will play at Georgia Southern, was stellar for the rest of the game, and the Warriors’ defense wore down its opponent.

Hoggard faced first-and-goal, trailing 14-7, after a promising drive. Vikings quarterback Hudson Wilharm had a pass batted down, which fell into the hands of sophomore defensive lineman Aiden Harris for a crucial interception.

Harris had another defensive highlight early in the second half. Sophomore TJ Davis blocked a punt, and Harris scooped up the football and scored a defensive touchdown.

Weddington coach Andy Capone on quarterback Tyler Budge: “Maybe I’ll get in trouble and he might not want to know, this dude’s played with an AC joint sprain in his throwing shoulder since the end of the Chambers game (Nov. 10), and no one really knows about it. He’s as tough as they come. He took a hit on a run against Chambers coming down, said, ‘I can’t throw,’ then threw a 55-yard pass after that, came off and said, ‘I really can’t throw.’ So, we got our run game going, Round 3 against Catholic, because we had to. During warmups against Catholic, he would have told you I don’t know if I can go. Each week he got stronger and stronger. It’s just a pain tolerance thing, he had a great week of practice. I know there’s a lot of good quarterbacks in North Carolina. Ain’t none tougher than him.”

Hoggard 7 0 7 7 — 21

Weddington 14 14 28 0 — 56

H: Charlie Kilbourne four-yard pass from Hudson Wilharm (kick by Tobias Brubaker)

W: Keenan Jackson five-yard rush off Tyler Budge fumble (kick by Everett Scott)

W: Keenan Jackson 27-yard pass from Tyler Budge (kick by Everett Scott)

W: Nick Diamond 12-yard rush (kick by Everett Scott)

W: Keenan Jackson 21-yard pass from Tyler Budge (kick by Everett Scott)

W: TJ Davis 12-yard scoop-and-score off blocked punt by Aiden Harris (kick by Everett Scott)

W: Nick Diamond 47-yard rush (kick by Everett Scott)

H: Hudson Wilharm 65-yard rush (kick by Tobias Brubaker)

W: Brady Ritter 11-yard rush (kick by Everett Scott)

W: Tyler Budge one-yard rush (kick by Everett Mandeville)

H: Ryan Mcallister 20-yard pass (kick by Tobias Brubaker)

This story was originally published December 9, 2023, 9:46 PM.

UNION COUNTY, N.C. (WBTV) - The Weddington Warriors’ football team is preparing for its first 4A state championship this weekend as it continues to rapidly ascend the state’s highest ranks.

Weddington, in Union County, made the jump from 3A to 4A after years of dominating the NC High School Athletic Association’s (NCHSAA) second-highest level. In the school’s first two years as a 4A program, Weddington made it to the quarterfinals and semifinals. This year, the Warriors have a chance to take it all.

BiG who…. BIG DUB! The Warriors are headed to the state championship! @AGHoulihan @UCPSNC @UCPSNCAthletics @WeddingtonHSNC pic.twitter.com/Qw1ZjRVFwo

— Weddington Athletics (@WHSwarriors) December 2, 2023

In Weddington’s brief time competing at the 4A level, head coach Andy Capone said he believes his players have shown they belong.

“I think we’ve proven we belong, it’s just continuing the success,” he said. “It’s hard to continue success. It’s hard to keep kids believing, still working and striving for it, but I’d rather have that challenge than a different one.”

Capone’s Warriors enter Saturday’s state championship against the Hoggard Vikings with a 13-2 record, and are fresh off a commanding 34-14 win over Mecklenburg County’s Independence High School in the semifinals.

Hoggard, from Wilmington, has lost just one game all year, and that was their season opener on Aug. 18.

Saturday’s championship game is scheduled to kick off at 7 p.m. at NC State’s Carter-Finley Stadium.

In 3A competition, the Hickory Red Tornadoes from Catawba County will square off with the Seventy-First Falcons for the state title in a battle of undefeated teams. That game is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Friday.

All state championship matchups can be streamed on the NFHS Network.

Related: Weddington punches ticket to 4A state championship with win over Independence

Watch continuous news coverage here:

Copyright 2023 WBTV. All rights reserved.

In some ways, Weddington football is a year ahead.

The Warriors, who play Hoggard in Saturday night’s 4A state championship game at N.C. State, are in the midst of another deep playoff run. They played 15 games last year, when star linebacker TJ Davis and defensive linemen Aiden and Drew Harris were only freshmen.

And they’re led by a senior signal caller in Tyler Budge, a Georgia Southern commit. He’s a standout quarterback — mobile with his legs and a strong arm — who holds Weddington’s school records in career yards and passing touchdowns. His favorite target is senior Keenan Jackson, a UNC-bound receiver with more than 1,500 passing yards.

“It’s gonna be a very physical game,” head coach Andy Capone told reporters at Monday’s media day at Bank of America Stadium. “It’s a 4A state championship. It’s not gonna be anything easy. They got good athletes, they’re good in the trenches, they’re well-coached. It’s a solid football team.

”But the thing I took away more is how hard they play, and how much energy and passion they show on their sidelines — It’s similar to us.”

Weddington (13-2, 3-1 4A Southern Carolina) is searching for its fourth state championship in five title game appearances, all coming since 2014. But while the Warriors were state champions in 2016, 2018 and 2019, this would mark their first since jumping to the 4A level.

Their opponent will be J.T. Hoggard High, a Wilmington-based school that has won its last 14 games. The Vikings have been prolific creating turnovers and are led by 39 seniors.

“In high school football, if you come out and play hard for 48 minutes, tackle well, run the football and block, you’re gonna be successful more than you’re not,” Capone said. “We just have really, really good football players.

“We used to be this whole, ‘Oh, they’re just so disciplined and all that.’ But, I mean, I think that takes away from how good of football players our kids really, really are.”

Weddington is having one of its most dominant seasons in recent memory. Its only blemishes have come in one-score losses to Butler and Marvin Ridge. In September, the Warriors went on the road and knocked off South Carolina power Dutch Fork — which won another state title Friday night.

“I thought we could be pretty special,” Capone said. “It’s part of our goal every year. I know it’s not gonna happen every year, obviously, but our first goal is to win our first game. Then it’s to win the conference. Then it’s to practice on Thanksgiving. Then it’s to win a state championship.

“Those are our goals. We’ve achieved all those, and now we’ve got a chance to do our last one.”

This story was originally published December 4, 2023, 12:57 PM.

The weekend's final N.C. High School Athletic Association football state championship is one that will have a lot of eyes on it.

Two of the biggest and baddest teams advanced to the state's ultimate game, the 4A state championship.

Weddington, the 4A West champion, is the top overall seed in its bracket and enters with a 13-2 overall record. Hoggard is the 2-seed out the 4A East and comes in with a 14-1 overall record.

The game starts at 7:00 p.m. and will be played at NC State University's Carter-Finley Stadium.

Both of these teams have won a state championship before. Hoggard last appeared and won in a state championship in 2007 when it shut out Mount Tabor. Since then, Weddington has appeared in four championships and won three of them. Weddington's most recent appearance was when it was a 3A school in 2019. The Warriors blew out Lee County 34-14.

NCHSAA football state championship schedule set

There are a number of players in the trenches on both sides that have multiple Division I offers.

Hoggard's 6-foot-3, 240-pound senior Malakahi West has been a demon off the edge for opponents his entire career. An Elon commit, West has racked up 32.5 sacks over the last two seasons. West was an HSOT All-State selection as a second teamer a year ago.

Weddington's 6-foot-5, 300-pound junior right tackle Jimmy Randazzo a quite a talent. Randazzo already holds an offer from UNC-Charlotte. 6-foot-2, 275-pound left tackle Logan Potes doesn't have any offers yet, but he is a very good lineman at the high school level. No matter which side of the formation Hoggard is going to rush West from, it's going to be quite a battle to behold.

On the Weddington defensive line, sophomore twins Aiden and Drew Harris already hold multiple offers from the likes of NC State, North Carolina, and Virginia Tech. Drew is more of an edge threat at 6-foot-2, 220 pounds while Aiden's 6-foot-3, 250-pound frame gives him a good presence on the interior. The wins have combined for 67 tackles for a loss already in their high school careers.

Hoggard's offensive line is armed with 6-foot-4, 265-pound junior left tackle Michael Gibbs. For his performance this fall, Gibbs has picked up offers from Coastal Carolina, East Carolina, Old Dominion, NC State, Appalachian State. Next to Gibbs is senior 6-foot-3, 280-pound left guard Jason Smith, who holds over 15 Division I offers, mostly from the Ivy League schools and U.S. Military academies.

Thanks to their respective strengths up front, both of these teams have shown some dominance on the ground this season. Each side uses a committee of running backs who get things done in different ways.

Both sides have been able to wear other teams out in the trenches. Whichever team can assert itself more tonight will take this game.

These teams are quarterbacked by outstanding seniors.

Weddington's 6-foot-3 quarterback Tyler Budge is a Georgia Southern commit with a huge arm. Budge has thrown for 62 touchdowns and 24 interceptions over his two years as a starter. Budge is a true gunslinger who is not afraid to push the ball down the field. He has an outstanding 6-foot-3 wide receiver in Keenan Jackson, who is in his first year at Weddington. A UNC commit, Jackson has produced a whopping 92 receptions for 1,568 yards and 17 touchdowns so far this season.

Hoggard's quarterback is 6-foot-5 Hudson Wilharm, a lethally accurate and savvy passer. Wilharm's recruitment is still developing, but NC State and App State are after him as a preferred walk-on. Wilharm has completed 72.3% of his passes this season.

Both quarterbacks will have to be decisive in this game. Hoggard comes in with 57 total tackles, while Weddington has brought down quarterbacks 43 times.

There are plenty of players to watch in the back seven of both defenses as well.

Weddington linebacker T.J. Davis is a sophomore along with the Harris twins. Davis is the son of former Carolina Panther Thomas Davis. Braeden Barger and Gannon Anthony are also good linebackers. 5-foot-9 senior Michael Luisa plays at outside linebacker and has 7.5 sacks. Weddington also has a 3-star cornerback in Sam Neely, a Wake Forest commit.

Hoggard has two outstanding linebackers in senior Reagan Printy, an East-West All-Star who has 186 total tackles, 25 tackles for a loss, and 9.5 sacks this fall. Junior middle linebacker Ryaln Edwards has 148 total tackles, 6.5 sacks, and five interceptions. Kamar Fulton, a junior safety for the Vikings, is one of the state's most defensive backs as he accumulated eight interceptions.

The Vikings' defense has been a takeaway machine this season. Hoggard has picked off 25 total passes and forced 16 fumbles in 2023. The Vikings have been able to jump on teams in the playoffs by winning the turnvoer battle early in the game.

Roster Notes

Weddington's Biggest Advantage

The Warriors' trump card in this game could be their experience. Weddington played a gauntlet of a schedule this season. The Warriors faced out-of-state powerhouses like Dutch Fork (SC) and in-state 4A favorites like Butler in non-conference. In conference play, Weddington was challenged as the entire Southern Carolina Conference made the state playoffs. The Warriors' slate of playoff opponents has been tougher as well: the Warriors knocked off Chambers and Grimsley, the two teams that represented the West region in the 4A championship before this year. They also had to play great Charlotte Catholic and Independence teams out of the Southwestern 4A Conference. Weddington is the more battle-tested team.

Hoggard's Biggest Advantage

The biggest thing the Vikings have going for themselves is the unreal amount of experienced players on the roster. Hoggard has an astounding 39 seniors on the team. All of those players get to travel to this game knowing that it's their last chance to play with their beloved teammates in high school. Hoggard has 15 more seniors than Weddington and a pretty equal number of juniors. Weddington relies on a number of sophomores to be its best players. These sophomores are highly-skilled, but they are still sophomores who know they have a chance to come back to this game in the future.

How to Watch

The game is set to kick off at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday. Tickets will be available at the Carter-Finley gates. Cash will not be accepted. Live streaming is available on the NFHS Netowrk.

TV Stations:

HighSchoolOT Coverage

HSOT will have live updates in an article that will be found on the homepage. After the game, HSOT will live stream the postgame press conferences, have a full game story, and host a postgame show to recap what transpired.

At the start of the NCHSAA football season in August, Hoggard had something to prove.

After a season littered with injuries and unfortunate scenarios in 2022, the Vikings wanted to reclaim the Mideastern Conference title this fall and see how far they could advance in the state playoffs.

Hoggard's already achieved one of those goals as they cruised past New Hanover in October to earn its fifth MEC title in the last seven years, but now the team is vying for a state title.

Smashing Cardinal Gibbons 41-20 at home in the NCHSAA 4A East Regional Final on Dec. 2, the Vikings (14-1) booked their ticket for Saturday's 4A state championship vs. Weddington. The game starts at 7 p.m. and will be played at Carter-Finley Stadium, home to the N.C. State Wolfpack.

Weddington (13-2) is a perennial powerhouse located just South of Charlotte. The Warriors have gone 76-8 over the last six seasons, winning three 3AA state championships between 2016-2019. The team is playing in its first 4A state championship Saturday.

With its most significant challenge of the season, Hoggard is looking to add its second state championship in program history on Saturday. The Vikings would become the third team in New Hanover County to win a football state title since the turn of the century.

ROUND 5'It feels amazing': Hoggard football squashes Cardinal Gibbons in NCHSAA 4A East final

ROUND 4'It's Incredible': Hoggard football overcomes Cleveland, advances to NCHSAA Regional Final

ROUND 3'It's special': Hoggard defense mauls Laney in playoff win, advances to quarterfinals

How good is Weddington football?

The Warriors were one game removed from a state championship appearance last fall, coming up just short of Grimsley in the West Regional Final.

This season, Weddington worried some in a regular season-finale loss to Marvin Ridge. Those critics have since been silenced as the team has outscored opponents 171-58 during its five playoff wins this postseason, including a revenge victory over Grimsley in Round 4.

"They're a very good football team," Hoggard coach Craig Underwood said of Weddington. "They're very disciplined, they're a physical football team. They're in this game for a reason, but we're going to focus on us doing the things the way we've done it all year each week."

The Warriors boast one of the state's more talented rosters, holding at least seven Division I commits or signees. Three-star wideout and UNC commit Keenan Jackson has caught 91 passes for 1,568 yards and 17 touchdowns this fall.

Quarterback Tyler Budge (Committed to Georgia Southern) has had a strong senior season, throwing for nearly 3,000 yards and 29 touchdowns to 10 interceptions.

On the defensive side of the ball, Weddington twins Aiden and Andrew Harris have received several offers from Division I Power 5 programs. The sophomore duo has combined for 197 tackles and 14.5 sacks in 2023.

Aside from its loss to Marvin Ridge, the Warriors' only other blunder this season came in Week 4 when Butler edged out a 22-15 victory.

Turning its talent into tangible success, Weddington has shown it earned its spot in a state championship game.

OUR PREDICTIONSAfter a dominant regular season, here's how far Hoggard football could go this postseason

How good is Hoggard football?

The Vikings might not have a long list of Division I football commits, but their success on the field as a team in 2023 has been special.

Hoggard started the season with a six-point loss to Cleveland, which was later avenged in a 51-35 win in Round 4 of the playoffs. Besides that Week 1 loss, the Wilmington school has been virtually unstoppable, outscoring opponents by an average of 42.6 to 11.7.

In its five playoff games this postseason, Hoggard hasn't slowed down, putting up 226 points while allowing 81.

The team's defensive unit has forced 16 turnovers in the last three weeks, including three touchdowns and a safety. Senior defensive end Malakahi West leads the team with 14.5 sacks. Safeties Kamar Fulton and Josiah Gillespie have combined for 14 interceptions in 2023.

The team's offense has also had a stand-out year as senior quarterback Hudson Wilharm has thrown for 2,662 yards and 31 touchdowns to five interceptions.

Hoggard might not have the talent that Weddington has on paper, but the Vikings look like the more complete unit.

HOW WE GOT HEREHoggard football reclaims Mideastern Conference title from New Hanover in dominant win

What makes the difference?

The classic adage "defense wins championships" will undoubtedly ring true for whichever team walks away victorious on Saturday night.

While both teams have stout defensive units, Hoggard's ability to consistently create turnovers this season has been remarkable. The team has come away with 25 interceptions, 16 forced fumbles, nine fumble recoveries, and two safeties this fall.

The Weddington defense has forced 16 turnovers while allowing just 12.8 points per game.

Hoggard has one of the state's most assertive defenses, and Weddington has more than enough talent to match. Whoever wins Saturday's showdown will likely be the team with fewer turnovers, and the Vikings are ready for the challenge.

"I think when you have two teams who are similar, it comes down to turnovers, it comes down to special teams, penalties… we've got to win all those phases," Underwood said. "It's an awesome feeling (to play in a state championship). We have worked on it for a long time, and I could not be happier with this group of guys."

They kept running into the powerful Grimsley defense, time after time, with little to show for it.

But the battering impact of Weddington’s offensive line gradually took its toll, and the floodgates opened in the second half.

Warrior quarterback Tyler Budge and his running backs repeatedly found themselves galloping for large gains. And when it was all over, Weddington had knocked off previously unbeaten Grimsley, 44-27, and advanced to the 4A West Regional playoff final.

The Warriors (12-2) will host Independence next Friday, for a spot in the state championship game in two weeks.

“Our guys are in great shape,” Weddington coach Andy Capone said. “They worked hard, they’re in great shape, and they eventually wore the other team down.”

The Warriors ran for 80 yards in the first two quarters. They ran for 207 after halftime and had several other big runs called back for penalties.

“We knew that if we could keep their offense under control, our offense eventually would take over,” Capone said.

Of course, Weddington’s defense came alive in the second half too.

The Warriors were able to break through Grimsley’s offensive line numerous times in the final two quarters, sacking Whirlies’ quarterback Faizon Brandon three times and making him scramble on most other pass attempts.

At one point in the third quarter, Weddington linebacker Braedan Barger sacked Faizon on consecutive plays.

“We relied on our defensive backs to stop their receivers, and we were able to do our thing,” Barger said.

Grimsley squeaked past Weddington 28-27 in the playoffs a year ago, and the Whirlies’ last official loss was in the 2021 playoffs, to Union County’s Porter Ridge. Grimsley lost to New Bern in the 4A championship last season, but New Bern had to forfeit its 2022 victories for using ineligible players, and Grimsley’s loss was erased.

For about 2½ quarters Friday night, it looked as if Grimsley might be able to keep the streak going.

The Whirles, fueled by 5-6 junior running back Mitchell Sanders, rallied from an early deficit and took a 20-14 halftime lead after driving 80 yards for a touchdown in the final two minutes of the second quarter.

But on the Warriors’ second possession of the third quarter, junior running back Nick Diamond broke two tackles and sped 52 yards for a touchdown. Everett Scott’s conversion kick made it 21-20, and Weddington was ahead to stay.

Brady Ritter and Diamond scored on runs early in the fourth quarter, putting the Warriors up 37-20.

Grimsley made a final gasp, marching 80 yards and scoring on a pass from Brandon to Terrell Anderson. But the Whirlies’ onside kick attempt bounced into the hands of Weddington’s Keenan Jackson, who raced 55 yards for a clinching touchdown with 4:48 remaining.

Tyler Budge (Weddington): The Warriors had three running backs at or above 100 yards, but Budge, a senior quarterback, led the way. He carried 14 times for 101 yards and completed 7-of-13 passes for 91 yards.

Mitchell Sanders (Grimsley): He had a huge night, rushing 25 times for 141 yards, catching two passes for another 25 yards, and adding kickoff returns of 47 and 65 yards.

Braedan Barger (Weddington): The Warriors had several outstanding defensive players, but Barger had two sacks and several hurries on Grimsley quarterback Faizon Brandon.

▪ Touchdown conversions played a big role in the game. Grimsley kicker Jackson Henry slipped and fell on the conversion kick after his team’s third touchdown. Then when Weddington scored to go up 27-20 early in the fourth quarter, the Warriors pulled off a successful two-point conversion for a 29-20 lead. That made it a two-possession lead.

▪ Grimsley averaged less than one punt per game before Friday night but had to punt four times against Weddington. One of those was a shanked 22-yard kick that gave the Warriors possession at the Grimsley 25. Weddington scored a touchdown on that second-quarter series.

▪ It was nearly an error-free game. Grimsley had no turnovers. Weddington turned it over once on an interception, but Grimsley picked off the pass at its own 6. That series ended with the shanked punt.

▪ A sign of Weddington’s success in football — the Warriors held a practice on Thanksgiving morning. It was the 10th straight year that Weddington was still alive in the playoffs and held a practice on Thanksgiving.

Weddington hosts Independence in the 4A West Regional final next Friday.

Grimsley 7 13 0 7 – 27

Weddington 7 7 7 23 – 44

W – Nick Diamond 12 run (Everett Scott kick)

G – Mitchell Summers 28 run (Jackson Henry kick)

G – Summers 2 run (Henry kick)

W – Tyler Budge 12 run (Scott kick)

G – Summers 2 run (kick failed)

W – Diamond 52 run (Scott kick)

W – Brady Ritter 33 run (Budge run)

W – Diamond 8 run (Javon Barber pass from Budge)

G – Terrell Anderson 17 pass from Faizon Brandon (Henry kick)

W – Keenan Jackson 55 kickoff return (Scott kick)

This story was originally published November 24, 2023, 10:44 PM.

Andy Capone said he knew there were questions about his football team.

“People saw that we lost our last (regular-season) game, to Marvin Ridge, and they wondered what was happening to us,” Capone said Friday night.

“I knew we would be OK, though,” he added.

Yes, Weddington’s football team is OK.

https://t.co/QUjBJO6RSq

— Langston Wertz Jr. (@langstonwertzjr) December 2, 2023

In fact, the Warriors are headed to the 4A state championship game, after their 34-14 victory over visiting Independence in the West Regional finals.

Weddington (13-2) will face Wilmington’s Hoggard (14-1) for the state title at 7 p.m. next Saturday at N.C. State’s Carter-Finley Stadium.

The Warriors, who have surged after that late-October loss to Marvin Ridge, will be playing for their fourth state championship.

Weddington did plenty of things right Friday night, but what the Warriors did right most often was play great defense. They held Independence (11-4) to minus-32 rushing yards. Patriot junior running back Jayden Jones, a sophomore who had 10 100-yard rushing games this season, carried 10 times for 15 yards Friday night.

“We practiced on swarming the ball,” Weddington sophomore defensive lineman Aiden Harris said. “We went after the guy who had the ball and made sure to wrap him up. We didn’t want anyone breaking any tackles.”

At times, the Warriors’ defense was absolutely suffocating.

In one second-quarter series, Harris had a sack and a tackle for loss, and his twin brother, Drew, also had a tackle for loss. Independence lost 14 yards on the series.

And in the second quarter, the Patriots had great field position after linebacker Vontrez Burch recovered a Weddington fumble and returned it to the Warriors 11.

Eight plays later, Independence had gained only 3 yards. The drive was kept alive by several Weddington penalties, but the Patriots ended up with nothing to show for it, after kicker Lyric Kopera slipped and fell on a field goal attempt.

The Warriors’ offense had a few problems early in the game.

A pair of drives into the red zone resulted in field goals, and Weddington trailed for much of the first quarter.

“That’s absolutely inexcusable,” Warriors’ quarterback Tyler Budge said. “When we get that deep, we need to be scoring touchdowns. That’s something we cannot do next week in the championship game.”

But the offense eventually began humming.

Much like last week against Grimsley, the Warriors’ ground game carried them in the second half, as the field grew increasingly slippery with rain falling much of the time.

Junior running back Nick Diamond finished with 134 yards and had 93 of those after halftime.

“That’s all because of our offensive line,” Diamond said. “They do a tremendous job for us. I just go through the holes they open up.”

In his remarks to the team after the game, Capone referred to questions that some fans had about Weddington being seeded No. 1 in the West with an 8-2 record.

“Some people didn’t believe in you,” he said. “But you believed in each other, and you did it.

“Some people said we didn’t deserve the No. 1 seed … but guess what?”

Tyler Budge, Weddington: A Georgia Southern commit, Budge threw for 146 yards and ran 14 times for 88 yards and two touchdowns.

Brian Crowder, Independence: A junior wide receiver, Crowder had eight receptions for 110 yards and accounted for nearly 70 percent of the Patriots’ total offensive yardage.

Aiden Harris, Weddington: A sophomore defensive lineman, Harris and his twin brother Drew spent much of the night in the Independence backfield. Harris finished with a sack and four tackles for losses.

▪ Independence coach D.J. McFadden, who, as he says, “like to stir things up sometimes,” was the epitome of class after the game. He led his team in clapping for Weddington as the Warriors received their West Regional plaque. He then led his team back to the Independence sidelines, where he and the players thanked their fans.

▪ Despite the miserable weather, the stadium was jammed on both sides.

▪ While Weddington will be playing for its fourth state title, it is the Warriors’ first appearance in the 4A championship. Their three state titles were won in the 3AA division.

▪ A bad snap on a punt played a big role in the outcome. It came with Independence punting from its 46. The snap sailed past punter Lyric Kopera, and he picked it up at the 16 and was immediately tackled. Weddington scored a touchdown two plays later for a 27-7 lead.

Independence 7 0 7 0 – 14

Weddington 13 0 14 7 – 34

First quarter

W – FG Everett Scott 34

I – Brian Crowder 43 pass from Justin Little (Lyric Kopera kick)

W – FG Scott 35

W – Tyler Budge 11 run (Scott kick)

Third quarter

W – Nick Diamond 15 run (Scott kick)

W – Budge 8 run (Scott kick)

I – Jayden Jones 2 run (Kopera kick)

Fourth quarter

W – Diamond 1 run (Scott kick)

This story was originally published December 1, 2023, 9:36 PM.

After starting its season 1-2, Independence is back in the NC High School Athletic Association’s regional championship game for the first time since 2009.

“It is really exciting,” said Independence coach DJ McFadden, whose team will play at Weddington on Friday night. “My kids just kept showing up to work. We got off to that slow start and they just kept working. We had some things we wanted to correct and had some guys getting comfortable in the system, mainly on the offense.”

How did the Patriots pull this off?

They opened the season ranked among the top five 4A teams in North Carolina, but fell to Mallard Creek, 28-14, at Memorial Stadium in Charlotte on Aug. 17. Independence then beat Hickory Ridge 75-49 the following week, but lost a close game at 3A power West Charlotte, 21-20, in early September.

McFadden revealed after the regular season that starting quarterback Justin Little had battling through injuries early in the year. McFadden said Little was finally fully healthy on Sept. 8, when Independence started a six-game win streak by beating South Mecklenburg, 45-0, in its fourth game of the year. On Sept. 22, the Patriots won, 31-10, at Charlotte Catholic, one of the toughest places to play as a visiting team in North Carolina.

“By the time we hit the Charlotte Catholic game, we were healthy,” McFadden said. “Guys on the offensive side of the ball really stepped up and made plays. Ever since that, we’ve been rolling.”

Independence extended its win streak to six games before falling to Butler, 35-23, on Oct. 27. At the time, McFadden said he felt his team had played close with a legitimate 4A state title contender, and he wasn’t worried about drawing a lower postseason seed.

Led by its defense, Independence has won four straight road games in the playoffs: 35-0 over Lake Norman, 34-28 over East Forsyth, 34-14 over Watauga, and, a week ago, 10-7 over Butler.

“Those guys (on defense) have been so steady for us all year long,” McFadden said. “We’ve got some dudes on that side of the ball. I think it starts with our leader Dallas Brandon. He is our sophomore (middle) linebacker. He has been the leader of the defense since day one. Of course, everyone knows about Quentin Reddish. He has been solid for us and his younger brother Nick Reddish is turning into a superstar of his own. I can go on down the line. We’ve really got some dogs on that side and we’re looking for another peak performance on Friday night against Weddington.”

On offense, Little has thrown for 2,522 yards and 28 touchdowns, completing nearly 70 percent of his passes. But the Patriots’ breakout star has been sophomore Jayden Jones, who is averaging nearly 11 yards per carry. Jones didn’t play in three games this season, mainly because McFadden wanted to rest him for the playoffs. But in 11 games, he’s rushed for 1,818 yards and 19 touchdowns. Jones ranks 26th among all NC running backs in yardage gained and is second among all sophomores.

“Jayden is a great running back,” McFadden said. “Obviously the school has been known for their quarterbacks but even back then we had a stable of running backs to come to this place and put up big numbers. I think (Jones) is one of the best running backs to come through here. He is closing in on 2,000 yards this year even though he missed three games. Jayden is special and we are making sure he stays level-headed, stays humble and keeps working and doing the things he needs to do so at the end he can choose where wants to go to school. But, he is our heart and soul right now.”

McFadden said this year’s playoff run has brought some excitement to a school that once dominated NC football, winning seven straight state titles from 2000-06.

“Our fans have been great all year,” McFadden said. “No matter where we’ve gone, they have traveled with us. They came up to Watauga and supported us there, too. Since we’ve been on this run I have had alumni from the 70s and 80s that have come out to games and practices. So, it is exciting. We aren’t worried about the logistics of where we have to go. It is an us against the world mentality.”

McFadden said that will be the case again Friday, when the Patriots play Weddington, the No. 1 overall playoff seed in the West.

“We are excited to go into another hostile environment,” he said. “Weddington is on their long home winning streak. I heard some opponents say it has been a while since they lost in that place. So, we’ve got our hands full. But, we are up for the challenge. We are excited to keep working and play again.”

Friday’s high school football scores for all eight NC High School Athletic Association regional championships, plus picks and the SC state championship results and scores are below.

Postgame Talking Preps podcast: Tap here to listen

N.C. PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Football

Class 4A

Friday’s regional finals

West

Weddington 34, Independence 14

East

Hoggard 41, Cardinal Gibbons 20

Next Saturday’s state championship

(at Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh)

Weddington (13-2) vs. Hoggard (14-1), 7

Class 3A

Friday’s regional finals

West

Hickory 42, Dudley 41

East

Seventy-First 50, Northern Nash 36

Next Friday’s state championship

(at Kenan Stadium, Chapel Hill)

Hickory (15-0) vs. Seventy-First (15-0), 7

Class 2A

Friday’s regional finals

West

Reidsville 49, Shelby 14

East

Clinton 36, Northeastern 22

Next Saturday’s state championship

(at Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh)

Reidsville (14-1) vs. Clinton (15-0), 3

Class 1A

Friday’s regional finals

West

Mount Airy 27, Robbinsville 16

East

Tarboro 49, West Columbus 12

Next Saturday’s state championship

(at Kenan Stadium, Chapel Hill)

Mount Airy (15-0) vs. Tarboro (13-0), noon

S.C. HIGH SCHOOL LEAGUE

(all games at S.C. State University, Orangeburg)

Class 5A

Friday’s state championship

Dutch Fork 21, White Knoll 6 (final records: Dutch Fork, 10-5; White Knoll 13-1)

Class 4A

Saturday’s state championship

(at S.C. State, Orangeburg)

Westside (13-1) vs. South Florence (14-0), noon

Class 3A

Saturday’s state championship

(at S.C. State, Orangeburg)

Daniel (14-0) vs. Camden (11-3), 7

Class 2A

Thursday’s state championship

(at S.C. State, Orangeburg)

Oceanside Collegiate 35, Gray Collegiate 28 (final records: Oceanside Collegiate, 12-2; Gray Collegiate, 12-3)

Class 1A

Friday’s state championship

(at S.C. State, Orangeburg)

Christ Church Episcopal 67, Johnsonville 21 (final records: Christ Church Episcopal, 13-2; Johnsonville, 10-3)

This story was originally published December 1, 2023, 5:00 AM.