NC High School Football: No. 8 Charlotte Christian holds off South Point

On a night when Charlotte Christian honored its eight-time state championship-winning head coach Jason Estep, its first-year coach stayed unbeaten and showed the Knights may well have yet another title contender.

Facing South Point’s “Red Bone” offensive attack that’s heavy on running the football, Charlotte Christian forced three fumbles and showed offensive balance in Friday’s 41-36 victory in its 2023 home opener.

Charlotte Christian improved to 3-0 on the season under new head coach Chris James. In three weeks, the Knights have beaten 4A Myers Park and now 3A power South Point.

This was the Deer Park Water Gaston County game of the week.

“Coach Estep built this program and he’s very special to me,” said James, a 2008 Charlotte Christian graduate who played for Estep and later was an eight-year assistant coach before being promoted to head coach. “This is the foundation he built and I’m just lucky enough to carry this torch.”

Estep was honored at halftime with a video tribute on the Knights’ scoreboard with comments from several former players, including Jones, after he led Charlotte Christian to 138 victories, 10 conference titles and eight state titles in his 16-year tenure at the school from 2007 to 2022.

In Friday’s game, quarterback Owen Farrell directed a 428-yard offensive attack for the Knights and Charlotte Christian’s ball-hawking defense used the forced fumbles to survive South Point’s 436-yard offensive attack.

“We started better offensively in the first half,” James said. “And in the second half, our defense carried us. We’re finding ways to win.”

Farrell completed 15 of 23 passes for 225 yards and two touchdowns and rushed 10 times for 39 yards. Micah Gilbert caught 10 passes for 173 yards and both of the touchdown catches. And Ryan Henley rushed 14 times for 109 yards and two touchdowns.

Gilbert is one of two Notre Dame commitments and highly-rated Knights’ seniors — defensive end Bryce Young is the other — and Gilbert and Young also played key roles in Friday’s defensive effort.

Gilbert had seven solo or first-hit tackles and a fumble recovery and Young had six solo or first-hit tackles and a fumble recovery. Cross Killen (eight tackles), L.J. Porter (seven tackles), Corban Hall (six tackles) and Aron Boykin (five tackles) were other defensive standouts for Charlotte Christian.

The Knights needed all of it to survive a South Point offense that had two 100-yard rushers and a 100-yard passer.

“It was just a good old-fashioned football game,” said South Point head coach Adam Hodge, whose team fell to 1-1. “We just came up a little short. A lot of that is because they’re a really good team.”

Three who made a difference

Charlotte Christian WR/DB Micah Gilbert: Caught 10 passes for 173 yards and two touchdowns and had seven solo or first-hit tackles and a fumble recovery.

South Point QB Patrick Blee: Had 16 carries for 107 yards and two touchdowns and completed four of nine passes for 109 passes for one touchdown.

South Point FB Chaynce Ford: Had 27 carries for 135 yards and one touchdown.

Worth mentioning

▪ There was only one punt in the game, coming with 32 seconds left in the third quarter.

What’s next?

South Point is at Hibriten next Friday; Charlotte Christian is at Savannah, Ga., Calvary Day next Friday.

Scoring Summary

South Point 8 14 0 14 - 36

Charlotte Christian 6 21 0 14 - 41

CC — Tripp Woody 34 FG

CC — Woody 41 FG

SP — Patrick Blee 1 run (Blee run)

CC — Micah Gilbert 4 pass from Owen Farrell (Woody kick)

CC — Gilbert 17 pass from Farrell (Woody kick)

SP — Harrison McKinney 5 run (Charlie Birtwistle kick)

CC — Christian Vann 11 run (Woody kick)

SP — Garrett Tidd 19 pass from Blee (Birwistle kick)

CC — Ryan Henley 3 run (Woody kick)

SP — Blee 42 run (Birtwistle kick)

CC — Henley 8 run (Woody kick)

SP — Chaynce Ford 4 run (Birtwistle kick)