The road to North Carolina’s private school state football championship likely will run through the hills of north Georgia again.
Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School surged with five touchdowns in the game’s final 10 1/2 minutes Friday night and trounced Providence Day, 46-13.
It was the worst loss in seven seasons for Providence Day, the three-time N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association Division 1 champion. And it came with remarkable suddenness.
Rabun Gap’s victory means the Eagles likely will be the top seed in the NCISAA Division 1 playoff field and will be host throughout the playoffs.
Providence Day (6-2) had taken its first lead of the game late in the third quarter, on a 6-yard pass from Zaid Lott to Bader Sodoma. Davis Dunlap’s conversion kick gave the Chargers a 13-12 lead.
But the host Eagles (7-2) scored on their next possession, as Anthony Quinn bulled his way 1 yard on a fourth-and-goal play for a touchdown with 10:30 to play. A 78-yard pass from Gavin Owens to C.J. Williamson set up that score.
Just 22 seconds later came the game’s turning point — on an unusual play. Lott was intercepted, but the Rabun Gap defender fumbled the ball, and Eagle teammate David Makonzo picked up the ball and ran 20 yards for the score. That gave Rabun Gap a 25-13 lead.
The wheels came off from there for Providence Day, as Rabun Gap scored on a 5-yard pass from Owens to Walker Bryson and on a pair of runs by Georgia commit Bo Walker.
Rabun Gap finishes its regular season next Friday at home against Cannon School.
Providence Day closes the campaign against Charlotte Latin.
Winning the state championship under these conditions wouldn’t be anything new for Providence Day. The Chargers lost to Rabun Gap last year in the regular season and had to travel to Georgia for the championship game, which they won 34-17.
OTHER GAMES
(How Observer Sweet 16 and other area teams fared)
No. 6 Jay M. Robinson 48, South Rowan 7: The Bulldogs (8-0, 6-0 South Piedmont 3A) remained unbeaten with this road victory. They will face Northwest Cabarrus for the conference title next Friday.
No. 8 Independence 62, East Mecklenburg 0: The Patriots (7-1, 3-1 Southwestern 4A) raced to a 42-0 first-quarter lead and blanked the Eagles (1-7, 1-3). Jayden Jones carried five times for 115 yards and scored two touchdowns. Justin Little ran for a touchdown and passed for another, and Bryce Lofton scored on an interception return.
No. 9 West Charlotte 72, Harding 0: The Lions (5-2, 3-2 Queen City 3A-4A) crushed the Rams (1-7, 0-5), as K.D. Cotton scored touchdowns on a run and on a 40-yard fumble return. Ramaj Daniels returned a punt 60 yards for a West Charlotte scored, and Jamouri Nichols threw a 45-yard touchdown pass to Davion Jones.
No. 11 Monroe 55, Anson County 0: The Redhawks built a 27-0 lead after the first quarter and took a big step toward winning the Rocky River 2A-3A title. Monroe is now 7-0, 3-0, while Anson drops to 4-4, 2-1.
No. 13 Ashbrook 17, No. 14 South Point 14: The host Green Wave handed South Point its first Big South loss of the season and created a log jam at the top of the standings. Ashbrook (7-1, 4-1) scored on a fumble return, a pass and a field goal and built a 17-7 lead after three quarters. Chancye Ford scored for South Point (5-1, 3-1) on a 35-yard run with eight minutes left, but Ashbrook’s defense stopped the Raiders on their final possession.
There are now five teams within a half-game of first place in the Big South. Ashbrook now holds a slim lead over four teams tied at 3-1 — South Point, Crest, Hunter Huss and Kings Mountain.
No. 15 Charlotte Christian 44, Charlotte Latin 6: Jamal Rule ran for three touchdowns, as the Knights (5-3, 1-1 Big South) ended Latin’s unbeaten run. The Hawks (8-1, 1-1) entered the night as one of Mecklenburg’s two teams without a loss. The other unbeaten, Lake Norman Charter, also lost Friday.
Rule scored on a short run in the first quarter, and quarterback Owen Farrell added an 80-yard touchdown jaunt in the second period, as the Knights built a 14-0 halftime lead. Charlotte Christian blew it open with 30 second-half points, on two runs by Rule; a Jack Gullickson pick-6; a Farrell-to-Brandon Hettwer pass; and a field goal.
No. 16 Palisades 48, Ballantyne Ridge 0: The host Pumas (7-2, 5-0 SoMeck 4A) remained unbeaten in league play, as Addison Rowland fired four touchdown passes. Palisades will be off next week and then closes the regular season in two weeks at Ardrey Kell.
Christ the King 57, Winston-Salem Prep 0: Freshman Rhett Decker rushed for more than 200 yards and scored three touchdowns, as the visiting Crusaders (3-5, 3-2 Catawba Shores 1A-2A) rolled to victory.
Corvian Community 47, Community School of Davidson 7: The host Cardinals (8-0, 5-0 Catawba Shores 1A-2A) won a showdown for first place, as Noah Best scored three touchdowns and A.J. Jackson and Cam Johnson each added two scores.
Jackson ran for two touchdowns and threw a 56-yard touchdown pass to Johnson. Jackson also scored on a 99-yard kickoff return, and Best returned an interception 55 yards for a score. Brandon Albrecht scored for the Spartans (5-3, 4-1) on an 18-yard run.
Carver 28, Pine Lake Prep 26: The Pride, who trailed most of the game, closed to within two points on a 30-yard touchdown catch by Reid Tammano with 45 seconds left, but then failed on a potential game-tying two-point conversion. Cameron Gandy threw three touchdown passes for Pine Lake Prep (2-6, 2-3 Catawba Shores 1A-2A).
Cuthbertson 15, Porter Ridge 12: Mason Iovino ran 3 yards for a touchdown with two minutes left in the game, leading the host Cavaliers (6-2, 2-1) to a Southern Carolina 4A victory. Porter Ridge (4-4, 0-3) had taken a 12-7 lead with seven minutes remaining, on Emmanuel Chambers’ 7-yard run.
Rai’Shawn Elmore put the Pirates ahead early in the second quarter on a 1-yard run, but Porter Ridge missed the conversion. Cuthbertson took a 7-6 lead shortly before halftime, on a 26-yard run by Cristian Harthan and a conversion kick.
East Lincoln 42, St. Stephens 12: Christopher Day ran for two touchdowns in leading East Lincoln (6-2, 3-2 Western Foothills 3A) past St. Stephens (2-6, 2-3). Quarterback Grant Lawless ran for a touchdown and passed for two more.
Forest Hills 49, Piedmont 0: Jerel Bolder caught two touchdown passes, including a 60-yarder, and the Yellow Jackets (5-3, 2-1) rolled to a Rocky River 2A-3A victory. Zach Dillworth threw four touchdown passes, in all, and Rodney Smith scored on a pair of runs. Piedmont is now 2-6, 0-3.
Hickory 76, West Iredell 10: Brady Stober threw four touchdown passes, and defending 3A state champ Hickory (8-0, 5-0) crushed West Iredell (2-5, 0-4).
High Point Christian 41, Hickory Grove Christian 0: The Cougars scored a lopsided Big 6 victory and set up a battle for the conference championship next week against Covenant Day. Jayden Moore ran for three touchdowns, as Hight Point Christian improved to 8-0, 2-0. Hickory Grove Christian fell to 7-2, 1-2.
Lake Norman 35, Cox Mill 10: The Wildcats (6-2, 3-1) retained a share of second place, as Mozes Morris ran for touchdowns of 28 and 3 yards. Kaden Kraft threw a scoring pass to Cooper Riggleman, and Jeremiah Garcia scored on a short run. Mooresville hammered West Cabarrus 48-0 on Friday night, keeping Mooresville (7-1, 4-0) in first place.
South Iredell, which is tied with the Wildcats for second place, visits Lake Norman next Friday. Lake Norman then trvels to Mooresville in the regular-season finale Nov. 1.
Mountain Island Charter 35, Bishop McGuinness 14: Jueiz Phillips caught two touchdown passes, as the Raptors (4-4, 3-2) knocked off the Villains (5-3, 2-3).
Northwest Cabarrus 28, Concord 7: The Trojans erupted for 21 points in the second quarter and set up a South Piedmont 3A showdown next week with unbeaten Jay M. Robinson. Jason Black scored on runs of 19 and 40 yards for Northwest Cabarrus (7-1, 5-0), which led 21-0 at the half. Concord (4-4, 3-3) scored on a 12-yard run by Rose Petroit.
Olympic 33, Myers Park 30: The host Trojans remained in a second-place tie in the SoMeck 4A with this narrow victory. Olympic improved to 6-2, 3-1. Myers Park is 3-5, 2-2.
Providence 45, Rocky River 15: Jackson Debe threw three touchdown passes as the Panthers (2-5, 1-3) rolled to a Southwestern 4A victory. Debe’s scoring tosses included a 60-yarder to Otavio Oliveira and a 30-yarder to Siriman Conde. Oliveira also scored on an 8-yard run.
Rocky River (3-5, 2-2) scored on a 77-yard pass from Kingston Harris to Darius Ervin Jr., and on a 1-yard run by Julian Platt.
South Iredell 38, A.L. Brown 17: Tyler Johnson threw touchdown passes to Brody Hunt and Evan Crater in the second quarter of this Greater Metro 4 4A game. The Vikings (5-3, 3-1) scored 28 points in the second quarter and led 31-3 at halftime. The Wonders fell to 4-4, 2-3.
Union Academy 13, Lake Norman Charter 10: Lake Norman Charter’s unbeaten season came to an end, as the host Cardinals (5-3) scored on an interception return and a pair of field goals. Lake Norman Charter (6-1) scored on David Wignot’s 30-yard pass to Major Leak, and on a Mark Viehmann field goal.
West Mecklenburg 33, Hopewell 6: The Hawks put together a solid offensive effort and earned their first Queen City 3A-4A victory of the season. West Mecklenburg (2-6, 1-4) got big games from Mark Foster, who rushed for 135 yards; and quarterback Sam Cheeseboro, who completed 10 of 16 passes for 232 yards and two touchdowns. Hopewell fell to 3-5, 1-4.
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