Charlotte Country Day upsets D1 state champ Charlotte Christian, ends streak
The Charlotte Country Day Buccaneers knew they needed to win on Friday night against Charlotte Christian if they expected to make the Division I NCISAA playoffs this season. They were also looking to avenge last season’s 42-0 loss to the Knights.
Well, Country Day made up for last year’s loss with a 26-14 win over the Knights on Friday at home. Leading up to this game, Country Day had lost nine straight conference games and had not won a conference game since 2016. On the other side, Charlotte Christian had lost one conference game since the start of the 2012 season.
Country Day’s key to the conference win was shutting down Charlotte Christian’s multi-position, multi-talented J.B.Awolowo. The Buccaneers limited the Knights’ play maker to just 42 scrimmage yards, with 35 of them coming on one pass play early in the first half.
Awolowo was in and out of the game quite a bit and eventually left the game with an injury.
Knights’ quarterback Brett Adams had a rough go of it as well against the Buccaneers defense, throwing two interceptions and never being able to get anything going in the passing game. Hunter Engel and Thomas Shields were the recipients of the two interceptions thrown by Adams.
The Buccaneers suffocating defense allowed their quarterback Russell Tabor to settle in and be efficient in the pocket. Tabor threw for 163 yards, with 38 of those yards coming on a touchdown pass to Stephen Payne late in the third quarter. Tabor also added a rushing score on one-yard quarterback sneak early in the second quarter. Quentin Cooper carried the Buccaneers on the ground, rushing for 104 yards and an electric 38-yard touchdown in the second quarter. Kicker Edward Dillinger added two field goals of both 25 yards to highlight a good night for the special teams.
Henry Rutledge paced the Knights’ offense with127 scrimmage yards, rushing the ball with authority most of the night. L.J.Brown added a one-yard touchdown run to the offensive output. Jimmy Bailey made the lone big play for the Knights’ defense, recovering a fumble from Quentin Cooper and returning it 58 yards for a score early in the second half.
Country Day (5-1, 1-1 conference) Charlotte Christian (2-2, 0-1conference)
THREE WHO MATTERED
Russell Tabor (Country Day): The junior quarterback passed for 163 yards and a touchdown. Tabor also scored on a one yard sneak play.
Quentin Cooper (Country Day): Cooper rushed for 104 yards, with the highlight being a 38 yard touchdown run in the second quarter.
Henry Rutledge (Charlotte Christian): The junior running back stepped in for J.B. Awolowo who left early with an injury. He finished with nearly 130 scrimmage yards (85 rushing, 42 receiving)
WHAT’S NEXT?
Charlotte Christian will host Trinity Christian (Fayetteville) next Friday (Oct. 4), while Country Day will host Catawba Ridge(Fort Mill, SC) that same night.
The Charlotte Country Day Buccaneers knew they needed to win on Friday night against Charlotte Christian if they expected to make the Division I NCISAA playoffs this season. They were also looking to avenge last season’s 42-0 loss to the Knights.
Well, Country Day made up for last year’s loss with a 26-14 win over the Knights on Friday at home. Leading up to this game, Country Day had lost nine straight conference games and had not won a conference game since 2016. On the other side, Charlotte Christian had lost one conference game since the start of the 2012 season.
Country Day’s key to the conference win was shutting down Charlotte Christian’s multi-position, multi-talented J.B.Awolowo. The Buccaneers limited the Knights’ play maker to just 42 scrimmage yards, with 35 of them coming on one pass play early in the first half.
Awolowo was in and out of the game quite a bit and eventually left the game with an injury.
Knights’ quarterback Brett Adams had a rough go of it as well against the Buccaneers defense, throwing two interceptions and never being able to get anything going in the passing game. Hunter Engel and Thomas Shields were the recipients of the two interceptions thrown by Adams.
The Buccaneers suffocating defense allowed their quarterback Russell Tabor to settle in and be efficient in the pocket. Tabor threw for 163 yards, with 38 of those yards coming on a touchdown pass to Stephen Payne late in the third quarter. Tabor also added a rushing score on one-yard quarterback sneak early in the second quarter. Quentin Cooper carried the Buccaneers on the ground, rushing for 104 yards and an electric 38-yard touchdown in the second quarter. Kicker Edward Dillinger added two field goals of both 25 yards to highlight a good night for the special teams.
Henry Rutledge paced the Knights’ offense with127 scrimmage yards, rushing the ball with authority most of the night. L.J.Brown added a one-yard touchdown run to the offensive output. Jimmy Bailey made the lone big play for the Knights’ defense, recovering a fumble from Quentin Cooper and returning it 58 yards for a score early in the second half.
Country Day (5-1, 1-1 conference) Charlotte Christian (2-2, 0-1conference)
THREE WHO MATTERED
Russell Tabor (Country Day): The junior quarterback passed for 163 yards and a touchdown. Tabor also scored on a one yard sneak play.
Quentin Cooper (Country Day): Cooper rushed for 104 yards, with the highlight being a 38 yard touchdown run in the second quarter.
Henry Rutledge (Charlotte Christian): The junior running back stepped in for J.B. Awolowo who left early with an injury. He finished with nearly 130 scrimmage yards (85 rushing, 42 receiving)
WHAT’S NEXT?
Charlotte Christian will host Trinity Christian (Fayetteville) next Friday (Oct. 4), while Country Day will host Catawba Ridge(Fort Mill, SC) that same night.
