Grayson Harvey, Mountain Island stop Charlotte Latin in Gaston County game of the week
Mountain Island Charter’s nine-year-old football program had enjoyed 61 wins in its brief history entering Friday night.
Hosting 11-time N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association state champion Charlotte Latin, the Raptors picked up one of the biggest wins in school history with a dramatic 24-21 victory in the Deer Park Water Gaston County game of the week.
Mountain Island Charter earned the victory on Grayson Harvey’s third touchdown throw with 37 seconds remaining. Harvey finished with 270 yards passing.
“For us to be a 1A program to beat a longtime power like Latin is a statement game,” said Raptors coach Robert Washington, whose team improved to 2-0 on the season.
The Raptors had to overcome an exceptional all-around effort by Latin’s speedy 5-foot-6, 140-pound freshman wide receiver and return specialist Steele Fletcher.
Fletcher scored all three of the Hawks’ touchdowns — tallying on a 42-yard wide receiver reverse and a 95-yard kickoff return in the first quarter, and on a 65-yard punt return in the third quarter.
Fletcher’s third score helped Latin to a 21-16 lead.
But after being limited to one first down in their first three second half possessions, Harvey and the Raptors came alive after Latin missed a 30-yard field goal with 2:04 to play.
Reggie Daniel, who had three touchdown catches in Mountain Island Charter’s season-opening 40-0 win over the Cabarrus Stallions, made his first catch of the game on a deep throw down the sidelines for 52 yards to get the Raptors into scoring possession.
A fourth down pass interference penalty on Latin kept the drive alive and later Harvey completed a 4-yard pass to Daniel and eventually the game-winning 10-yard throw to Dylan Johnson.
Harvey scrambled to keep the eventual scoring play alive before firing into a corner of the end zone near two Mountain Island Charter receivers.
“I was just hoping one of them would catch it,” Harvey said.
Three who made a difference
Charlotte Latin WR Steele Fletcher: Had 162 return yards and two touchdowns and rushed twice for 51 yards and another touchdown.
Mountain Island Charter QB Grayson Harvey: Completed 12 of 23 passes for 270 yards and three touchdowns, including the game-winner with 37.0 seconds left.
Mountain Island Charter WR Justice Washington: Caught four passes for 109 yards and two touchdowns.
Worth mentioning
▪ Mountain Island Charter had 342 yards of total offense on 36 plays and Latin had 234 yards on 49 plays.
What’s next?
Latin is at Metrolina Christian next Friday; Mountain Island Charter is off until a Sept. 8 game at SouthLake Christian.
Scoring Summary
Latin 14 0 7 0 - 21
Mountain Island Charter 7 9 0 8 - 24
L - Steele Fletcher 42 run (Holden Freno kick)
MIC - Justice Washington 29 pass from Grayson Harvey (Tanner Baxter kick)
L - Fletcher 95 kickoff return (Freno kick)
MIC - J. Washington 27 pass from Harvey (Kick failed)
MIC - Baxter 25 FG
L - Fletcher 65 punt return (Freno kick)
MIC - Dylan Johnson 10 pass from Harvey (Harvey run)
