Friday night football updates.....

Final (it's OK to exhale now):

Independence 42, Mallard Creek 41.


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Wow !
Mallard Creek scores a touchdown with 11 seconds left to close to within 42-41 against Independence.
Quarterback Marquise Williams is stopped on 2-point conversion attempt that would have given the Mavericks the lead.

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Charlotte Christian, No. 1 in the Observer Sweet 16, beat Carolina Pride 36-6 in the opener.

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Indy retakes the lead, 42-35 against Mallard Creek.

There's 1:24 left.

Quarterback Anthony Carrothers just rushed for his fourth touchdown.

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They're back on at Mallard Creek.

Mallard Creek's D'Vonte Grant just intercepted a pass by Independence's Anthony Carrothers at the Mallard Creek 25, to preserve the 35-34 lead.

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Final score: Charlotte Catholic 34, South Meck 14.

Career victory number 299 for Cougars coach Jim Oddo.

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Mercifully, West Rowan's 54-0 victory against Central Cabarrus was called with 10:26 remaining because of lightning.
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Just what Central Cabarrus needs.....losing 54-0 to West Rowan, and the game is delayed by lightning. It's the only thing that's slowed down West Rowan all night.

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Independence just scored two two touchdowns in a 20-second span to cut Mallard Creek's lead to 35-34.
End of the third quarter. The game was delayed 20 minutes by lightning.

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Charlotte Catholic leads South Meck 27-6 with 5:05 left.

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Final score: Hopewell 38, West Mecklenburg 21.
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Final score: Butler 35, Mt. Tabor 14.
The Bulldogs, after leading 7-0 at half, rolled in the second half for a home victory.
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Lopsided !
West Rowan leads Central Cabarrus 54-0 halftime.
Kevin Parks has rushed for 226 yards and five touchdowns on 17 carries. ...B. J. Sherrill has three carries for 51 yards and a score.

Here's where it gets even uglier - West Rowan has 344 yards and 17 first downs....Central Cabarrus has minus-45 yards and zero first downs.
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Charlotte Catholic is grinding out what appears to be a victory against South Meck.
The Cougars' scored two third-quarter touchdowns to go up 20-0 - Angelo Acitelli's 1-yard score, and Jadarius Bruce's 2-yard touchdown.
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Wow, when's the last time Independence lost two straight games?
Hadn't happened in this decade, but it might tonight.
Mallard Creek leads the Patriots 35-21 in the third quarter, and quarterback Marquise Williams has rushed for four touchdowns and 173 yards, and passed for 106 yards.
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Butler's Nate Charest returned a punt 73 yards for a touchdown. The Bulldogs are hammering Mt. Tabor 35-0 early in the fourth quarter.

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Hopewell is crushing West Mecklenburg 32-7 in the third quarter.

Dondre Lewis has scoring runs of 29, 12 and 34 yards, and quarterback Justin Avery scored on a 48-yard run on the final play of the first half.

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Where's the defense, fellas?

At halftime (it's tied at 21), Independence's Anthony Carrothers is 10-of-18 passing for 197 yards and a touchdown, and has run 58 yards and a touchdown.

Mallard Creek's Marquise Williams is 8-of-13 passing for 95 yards, and has run for 74 yards and two scores.

The teams have combined for more than 500 yards, and 14 penalties for 114 yards.

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Charlotte Catholic leads 6-0 at halftime against rival South Mecklenburg.. Catholic's Angelo Acitelli scored on a 28-yard run.

Butler's rolling....Quarterback Christian LeMay ran 35 yards for a touchdown, and the Bulldogs lead 21-0 against Mt. Tabor with 4:39 left in the third quarter.

Deion's got a double !.....Butler's Deion Walker scored his second touchdown, on a 2-yard run, as Butler leads 14-0 against Mt. Tabor.


Mallard Creek QB Marquise Williams throws a 12-yard TD pass at the end of the half, tying Independence, 21-21.

Butler, despite two turnovers, leads 7-0 against Mt. Tabor at halftime.

Ten Providence starters are hurt as Richmond is up 7-3 after the first.

Anthony Carrothers' 54 yard TD run gives Indy a 21-14 lead over Mallard Creek.

West Rowan, No. 2 in the Observer Sweet 16, leads 27-0 after one quarter against Central Cabarrus. West Rowan's Kevin Parks has rushed for 89 yards and three touchdowns on nine carries.

Anthony Carrothers' 69-yard pass puts Indy up 14-6 over Mallard Creek. Game is now tied 14-14.

Butler 7, Mt. Tabor 0 (1st quarter): Butler's Deion Walker scored on a 4-yard run.