BIG news: a familiar team and a former state champion returns to The Observer’s Sweet 16
There’s one new team in The Observer’s Sweet 16 -- and it’s a familiar one.
The Independence High Patriots beat Hopewell 69-14 Friday and are off to a 4-0 start. That’s the best for the Patriots since 2014. Independence was once one of the nation’s top programs as it won seven straight Sweet 16 championship banners from 2000-06 during a run of dominance that lasted until the 2009 season.
At one time, Independence won 109 games in a row, which was a record for U.S. public schools.
Second year Patriots coach DJ McFadden was part of those Patriots teams, which won seven straight N.C. state titles, and he has made it his mission to bring back the school well known for its “Big I” nickname to prominence.
McFadden started at quarterback for Independence in 2005 and ‘06. He led the Patriots to a 32-0 record and threw for 6,148 yards and 48 touchdowns for legendary coach Tom Knotts.
He later played at East Carolina and Winston-Salem State. Former Independence coach Joe Evans hired him as an assistant in 2014, when the Patriots finished 12-1.
Evans was let go after the 2014 season -- when Independence returned to No. 1 in the Sweet 16 for the first time in five years -- and the Patriots fell on hard times, putting up a 27-40 combined record before McFadden was hired before the fall 2021 season.
McFadden was the school’s fifth different head coach in six years.
McFadden’s first team was 5-4. That was the Patriots first winning season since 2015.
This year, so far, Independence has outscored opponents 158-50. The Patriots are off next week before a Southwestern 4A showdown against perennial state power Charlotte Catholic.
The Observer’s Sweet 16
| Rk. | School | Class | Record | Prvs. |
| 1. | Providence Day | IND | 4-0 | 1 |
| 2. | Chambers | 4A | 3-1 | 2 |
| 3. | Hough | 4A | 2-1 | 3 |
| 4. | Charlotte Catholic | 4A | 2-1 | 4 |
| 5. | Kings Mountain | 3A | 3-0 | 6 |
| 6. | Weddington | 4A | 3-1 | 7 |
| 7. | Charlotte Christian | IND | 3-1 | 9 |
| 8. | Butler | 4A | 3-1 | 10 |
| 9. | Ardrey Kell | 4A | 3-1 | 5 |
| 10. | Olympic | 4A | 4-0 | 12 |
| 11. | South Point | 3A | 3-0 | 11 |
| 12. | Independence | 4A | 4-0 | NR |
| 13. | Hickory Ridge | 4A | 2-2 | 8 |
| 14. | Maiden | 2A | 2-1 | 14 |
| 15. | Monroe | 2A | 4-0 | 15 |
| 16. | East Lincoln | 3A | 3-0 | 16 |
Dropped out: Watauga (4A, 3-1); Also Receiving Consideration: Burns (3A, 3-1); Mallard Creek (4A, 2-2); Providence (4A, 2-1); Mooresville (4A, 2-1); Crest (3A, 2-1); AL Brown (4A, 3-0); Lake Norman (4A, 4-0); Chase (3A, 4-0).
