Weddington dominates rival Charlotte Catholic in third round of NCHSAA 4A playoffs
There was a time when Charlotte Catholic and Weddington couldn’t get out of each other’s way on the football field.
The Cougars were a state champion across multiple classifications. Then Weddington arrived on the scene and became a multiple state champion in its own right — and both teams were housed in the same conference and winning 3A and 3 AA state tiles, respectively.
Everything changed when Weddington snapped a six-game personal losing streak to the Cougars with a 45-0 win in 2019.
After a 7-6 Warriors win in 2021, the two old rivals squared off in the third round of the NCHSAA 4A playoffs this season, both coming in hot.
The Warriors had won eight of nine. The Cougars had taken five of six. But it’s Weddington that will advance to the fourth round of the 4A playoffs after a 37-7 win.
Coming in, both teams had the formula to win against each other.
“For us, it was, we have to do what we do best,” Weddington coach Andy Capone said. “We haven’t been able to run the ball great. For us, it was run the ball and be the more physical team. I think we did that.”
The Cougars opened trying to establish tempo in their classic ball-control, run-first offense. They ran 11 plays and more than 10 minutes off the first-quarter clock. But they came away empty.
After a short Weddington drive, the Cougars looked to repeat that formula until Weddington’s Will Mathieson intercepted a Charlie Smith pass, setting up a 7-yard score from Brady Ritter with fewer than 10 minutes remaining in the second quarter, giving Weddington its first lead.
After a three-and-out, the Warriors went on an 11-play drive, but came up empty when quarterback Tyler Budge was stuffed on 4th-and-goal.
However, the Warriors quickly answered with a safety three plays later for a 9-0 lead with 1:45 left in the first half and took control from there.
Just over a minute later, Javon Barber took a Budge pass 46 yards to the end zone, but fumbled. Teammate Ian McDermott recovered, giving Weddington a 16-0 lead with 43 seconds remaining in the half.
Weddington running back Nick Diamond ran 10 times for 65 yards a score in the first half. To open the second, Weddington mirrored Catholic’s first drive of the game, but with different results.
The Warriors ran nearly nine minutes off the clock, marching 80 yards on 11 plays behind running backs Brady Ritter and Diamond to take a commanding 23-0 lead with about six minutes left in the third.
The Cougars showed life on the ensuing drive, but their 72-yard march was stopped with Smith getting stuffed on a 4th-and-goal scramble.
Weddington turned to its reserves before allowing a late 80-yard touchdown reception from Jack Larson.
“It’s a big win for us and getting over the hump with Catholic,” Capone said. “That game was pretty clean penalty wise, but I’m still not sure we’ve put our best game together.”
Worth mentioning
▪ Weddington has advanced to the third round or further in 11 consecutive years, not including the COVID-shortened season.
▪ Charlotte Catholic gained 36 yards on its opening drive of the game, but had just 42 total yards at halftime.
▪ If this were the NFL, Weddington defensive coordinator John Hall would be a hot name. His defense has allowed just over 12 per game since 2018.
PHOTOS: Catholic at Weddington
