Welcome, The Big I, Independence, to the top 10 of The Observer’s Sweet 16 football poll
Independence High School beat Providence 28-13 Friday led by sophomore quarterback Justin Little.
Little threw for 102 yards and a touchdown, and he ran for 102 yards and three scores. The win, the Patriots’ second in a row, improved Independence to 6-1 on the season.
Today, the Patriots move into the top 10 of The Charlotte Observer’s Sweet 16 poll, a place where they used to live. Second year coach DJ McFadden has Independence back among the region’s elite teams for the first time in eight years.
Elsewhere in the poll, only one team lost. South Point dropped two spots after falling 31-20 to No. 5 Kings Mountain.
The Observer’s Sweet 16 poll
| Rk. | School | Class | Rec. | Prvs. |
| 1. | Providence Day | IND | 7-0 | 1 |
| 2. | Hough | 4A | 6-1 | 2 |
| 3. | Chambers | 4A | 5-2 | 3 |
| 4. | Charlotte Catholic | 4A | 6-1 | 4 |
| 5. | Kings Mountain | 3A | 8-0 | 5 |
| 6. | Weddington | 4A | 6-1 | 6 |
| 7. | Butler | 4A | 7-1 | 7 |
| 8. | Ardrey Kell | 4A | 6-1 | 8 |
| 9. | Olympic | 4A | 7-0 | 9 |
| 10. | Independence | 4A | 6-1 | 11 |
| 11. | Charlotte Christian | IND | 5-2 | 12 |
| 12. | South Point | 3A | 6-1 | 10 |
| 13. | Mallard Creek | 4A | 5-2 | 13 |
| 14. | Maiden | 2A | 6-1 | 14 |
| 15. | Mooresville | 4A | 6-1 | 15 |
| 16. | East Lincoln | 3A | 7-0 | 16 |
Dropped Out: none. Also receiving votes: Burns (2A, 6-1); Hickory Ridge (4A, 4-3); Cox Mill (4A, 5-2); Watauga (4A, 6-1); Monroe (2A, 6-1); Forest Hills (2A, 7-0); Chase (2A, 7-0); Bunker Hill (2A, 7-0); Shelby (2A, 4-3)
