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The West Charlotte band remains worth the price of admission. The game was decided by halftime (Independence led 28-3), but the band made you pay attention.
The game was painfully long – 2hours, 58minutes. The culprit? Too many incomplete passes, and a combined 24 penalties.
With no drama, and high humidity, it got boring. It also was longer than The Godfather (2:55), and was closing in on Titanic (3:17) and Gone With The Wind (3:39). Those were classics; this one wasn't.
Civic duty! Nice touch having voter registration available at every entrance gate, and reminders on the public-address system.
Independence's secondary looks a lot more confident than recent seasons. Long arms and short memories – what all defensive backs need.
No lie: This morning gasoline near my house was $4.29 a gallon. En route to the game, I passed the same station and saw $4.99. And folks were five-deep in line.
Something you don't see too often: West Charlotte's cheerleaders, an energetic bunch, joined the players in line to shake hands with Independence afterward. The Patriots, probably a bit surprised, complied.
Warm embraces for new West Charlotte coach
Aaron Brand from Independence coaches afterward. Brand coached there last season, and the hugs reminded me that it's a small, close-knit fraternity.
