Heartbreaker! Christ School rallies, ends Country Day’s season in NCISAA semifinals
Charlotte Country Day’s season of comebacks fell one rally short Friday night.
The Buccaneers battled back from a two-touchdown deficit but fell to visiting Arden Christ School 27-20 in the semifinals of the N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association Division 1 playoffs.
Fourth-seeded Christ School (6-3), which had lost a narrow decision to Country Day (9-2) during the regular season, drove 80 yards in the final minute and then held off a last-gasp attempt by the Bucs.
It was a disappointing finish to the season for the top-seeded Bucs, who compiled the program’s best record since 2012, when current head coach Drew Witman’s father, Bob, was directing the program.
“It’s tough to take, especially for the great group of seniors,” Drew Witman said after his team’s Hail Mary pass into the end zone on the final play was batted down by two Christ School defenders. “These seniors put our program back on the rise again.”
The Buccaneers trailed 19-7 late in the third quarter and were struggling to move the ball. Then the offense finally kicked into gear.
Thomas Shields capped an 82-yard drive by scoring on a 14-yard run with 1:36 left in the third quarter. That cut the Greenies’ lead to 19-13.
Then in the final six minutes, the Bucs put together an 84-yard drive that featured several big plays. Among them was a 15-yard fourth-down pass completion from quarterback Russell Tabor to Stephon Wright. Another key play was a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against Christ School, when a defender apparently gestured at the crowd after a Country Day pass incompletion.
Finally, with 1:29 remaining, Tabor dived 2 yards into the end zone for a tying score. Edward Dellinger’s conversion kick gave the Bucs a 20-19 lead.
But Christ School wasn’t done. Senior quarterback Navy Shuler, an Appalachian State commit and son of former NFL quarterback Heath Shuler, guided the Greenies on an 80-yard drive. That march ended when Shuler lofted a 38-yard touchdown pass to Painter Richards-Baker in the right side of the end zone. That came with 13.1 seconds left.
The Bucs were able to drive into Greenies’ territory with their remaining time, before the final pass was knocked down.
Three who mattered
Stephen Payne, Charlotte Country Day: A senior, Payne caught three passes for 112 yards and also completed a halfback pass for 28 yards.
Navy Shuler, Christ School: Shuler was sharp when he had to be, guiding his team to a winning touchdown. He completed 11-of-23 passes for 151 yards and was not picked off.
Read Sunn, Christ School: Sunn, a senior linebacker, blocked a punt that led to a Greenies’ touchdown and had two sacks,
Worth mentioning
▪ The Greenies shadowed Charlotte Country Day senior running back Quinton Cooper all night. They held him to 45 rushing yards on 20 attempts, but Cooper had several big runs in the Bucs’ closing touchdown drive.
▪ Christ School’s Cade Mintz was a thorn in the Bucs’ side. He rushed 15 times for 130 yards and dominated the first half.
▪ Christ School’s nickname — Greenies — is a bit unusual. The school’s baseball team wore green uniforms in 1919 when it won the Western North Carolina championship. Since then, they’ve been the Greenies (although Christ School wore white Friday night). At one time, they were known as the Dishwashers, because each student was required to do kitchen work.
▪ Christ School might be the only high school team with a former college and pro quarterback and congressman as assistant coach. Heath Shuler, a former Tennessee Volunteer and Washington Redskins quarterback, is an assistant to Nick Lohn. Shuler also represented North Carolina’s 11th District in Congress from 2007-13 (as a Democrat).
▪ Charlotte Country Day kicker Edward Dellinger’s older brother, J.D., kicks for Purdue University.
They said it
“These kids believed in one another. We had comebacks throughout the season, and it was because of the love this group had for one another. That’s what makes this loss so hard to take.” — Charlotte Country Day coach Drew Witman.
What’s next?
Charlotte Country Day’s season is finished. Arden Christ School plays for the Division 1 championship next Friday at Charlotte Christian.
Charlotte Country Day’s season of comebacks fell one rally short Friday night.
The Buccaneers battled back from a two-touchdown deficit but fell to visiting Arden Christ School 27-20 in the semifinals of the N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association Division 1 playoffs.
Fourth-seeded Christ School (6-3), which had lost a narrow decision to Country Day (9-2) during the regular season, drove 80 yards in the final minute and then held off a last-gasp attempt by the Bucs.
It was a disappointing finish to the season for the top-seeded Bucs, who compiled the program’s best record since 2012, when current head coach Drew Witman’s father, Bob, was directing the program.
“It’s tough to take, especially for the great group of seniors,” Drew Witman said after his team’s Hail Mary pass into the end zone on the final play was batted down by two Christ School defenders. “These seniors put our program back on the rise again.”
The Buccaneers trailed 19-7 late in the third quarter and were struggling to move the ball. Then the offense finally kicked into gear.
Thomas Shields capped an 82-yard drive by scoring on a 14-yard run with 1:36 left in the third quarter. That cut the Greenies’ lead to 19-13.
Then in the final six minutes, the Bucs put together an 84-yard drive that featured several big plays. Among them was a 15-yard fourth-down pass completion from quarterback Russell Tabor to Stephon Wright. Another key play was a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against Christ School, when a defender apparently gestured at the crowd after a Country Day pass incompletion.
Finally, with 1:29 remaining, Tabor dived 2 yards into the end zone for a tying score. Edward Dellinger’s conversion kick gave the Bucs a 20-19 lead.
But Christ School wasn’t done. Senior quarterback Navy Shuler, an Appalachian State commit and son of former NFL quarterback Heath Shuler, guided the Greenies on an 80-yard drive. That march ended when Shuler lofted a 38-yard touchdown pass to Painter Richards-Baker in the right side of the end zone. That came with 13.1 seconds left.
The Bucs were able to drive into Greenies’ territory with their remaining time, before the final pass was knocked down.
Three who mattered
Stephen Payne, Charlotte Country Day: A senior, Payne caught three passes for 112 yards and also completed a halfback pass for 28 yards.
Navy Shuler, Christ School: Shuler was sharp when he had to be, guiding his team to a winning touchdown. He completed 11-of-23 passes for 151 yards and was not picked off.
Read Sunn, Christ School: Sunn, a senior linebacker, blocked a punt that led to a Greenies’ touchdown and had two sacks,
Worth mentioning
▪ The Greenies shadowed Charlotte Country Day senior running back Quinton Cooper all night. They held him to 45 rushing yards on 20 attempts, but Cooper had several big runs in the Bucs’ closing touchdown drive.
▪ Christ School’s Cade Mintz was a thorn in the Bucs’ side. He rushed 15 times for 130 yards and dominated the first half.
▪ Christ School’s nickname — Greenies — is a bit unusual. The school’s baseball team wore green uniforms in 1919 when it won the Western North Carolina championship. Since then, they’ve been the Greenies (although Christ School wore white Friday night). At one time, they were known as the Dishwashers, because each student was required to do kitchen work.
▪ Christ School might be the only high school team with a former college and pro quarterback and congressman as assistant coach. Heath Shuler, a former Tennessee Volunteer and Washington Redskins quarterback, is an assistant to Nick Lohn. Shuler also represented North Carolina’s 11th District in Congress from 2007-13 (as a Democrat).
▪ Charlotte Country Day kicker Edward Dellinger’s older brother, J.D., kicks for Purdue University.
They said it
“These kids believed in one another. We had comebacks throughout the season, and it was because of the love this group had for one another. That’s what makes this loss so hard to take.” — Charlotte Country Day coach Drew Witman.
What’s next?
Charlotte Country Day’s season is finished. Arden Christ School plays for the Division 1 championship next Friday at Charlotte Christian.
