No matter how well Independence does this season, and no matter how well the Patriots may do next year – and the young squad has the talent to be a serious power in 2013 – head coach Bill Geiler will not be back to coach them.

“I’m going to look for a job in Charlotte private schools or South Carolina,” Geiler said. “I don’t want to be a head coach. I’m loving these kids, but I need my knee replaced and my body’s breaking. I told my wife, my AD and these kids. And we’re going out with a bang. These kids are great.”

Geiler has coached at Independence since 2000. He was an assistant until 2004, when he coached the team to a 15-0 record and state title. He was head coach at Porter Ridge in 2005, but returned as an Independence assistant under Tom Knotts from 2006-08.

After the 2009 season, Knotts left to take a job in South Carolina and Geiler left a volunteer assistant position at private Providence Day to come back.

“It’s hurtful to know he’s leaving,” Patriots receiver Dequan Barnes said of Geiler. “I wish he could stay. I want to come back and visit him. I love him. I love the football team here. It’s like I was born and raised here. It’s my heart. Him leaving is going to make us play hard this year. It’s like he always says, ‘We’re going to go out with a bang.’”

•  North Gaston beat East Gaston 35-6 Friday to end a 28-game losing streak. Since playing in the 2007 state championship game, North Gaston had lost 42 of 43 games. Heroes? Raquan Brown had three touchdowns; Corey Staley had 133 yards on 15 carries.

•  Davidson Day QB Will Grier completed 29-of-36 passes for 493 yards and six touchdowns in a 42-35 win over North Raleigh Christian. Four touchdown passes covered at least 42 yards.

It was the fourth-most single-game passing yards in Mecklenburg County history, trailing only West Charlotte’s Darius Thomas (502 and 512 in 2007) and Independence’s Chris Leak (585 in 2002).

The six touchdowns ties for third.

•  Another QB jumped into the county record books when Hopewell’s Tijuan Sifford threw for a school-record 472 yards and three touchdowns in a wild 61-59 loss to East Lincoln. That yardage ranks ninth.

•  Charlotte Country Day coach Bob Witman got his 200th win Friday and Bandys coach Randy Lowman got his 199th.

Witman, coach at Country Day since 1990, is 200-50 in his career after Friday’s 49-23 win over Carolina Pride. Witman has seven state titles, 13 championship appearances and has coached two NFL players. Currently, 14 Bucs play in college.

•  Mallard Creek offensive coordinator Aaron Brand made sure to get receiver Marquez North involved in the offense after North didn’t get many touches against Butler in Week 1. North, the state’s best player, scored on three plays in the Mavericks’ 62-10 win over Sun Valley. He finished with 154 rushing yards, 34 receiving yards and four scores.

•  Some of the coaches in Mecklenburg County have been telling me that Rocky River was going to be good soon. Maybe “soon” is now. Rocky River is 2-0 after Friday’s 62-0 win over Harding. The Ravens have two straight shutouts and a star in QB Andre Rice, who threw for 166 yards and four touchdowns against Harding. He also had 51 yards rushing on seven carries and a two-point conversion.