'Charlotte Kickoff Night' to feature 4 teams from Cabarrus, Mecklenburg, Union counties
Four teams from the Charlotte region will compete in the "Charlotte Kickoff Night" event to begin the high school football season in August.
The game features one team from both Cabarrus and Union counties, as well as a pair of team from Mecklenburg County. Cox Mill will face Weddington and Independence will take on Mallard Creek.
10th anniversary
The games will be played on Thursday, Aug. 17. It will be played at Memorial Stadium in Charlotte with a double-header. Tickets cost $10 and are available online now.
5:15 PM - Cox Mill vs. Weddington
This game features a rematch from the N.C. High School Athletic Association 4A state playoffs where Weddington defeated Cox Mill 30-14 in the second round. This marks the first time either school has participated in the event.
Cox Mill is coming off a 9-3 season in which the Chargers finished second in the conference with a 5-1 mark. The Chargers will have to replace some key talent, including at quarterback where Dymere Edwards graduated.
The Chargers will have a new head coach this year — Breon Holmes, who comes from Ardrey Kell.
Weddington made a run all the way to the 4A western regional championship last season, falling to Grimsley in the semifinal, 28-27.
The Warriors feature one of the top quarterbacks in the region with rising senior Tyler Budge, who assed for 3,219 yards and 34 touchdowns last season. Weddington also returns its leading rusher in Nick Diamond, who rushed for 573 yards and nine touchdowns.
8:00 PM - Independence vs. Mallard Creek
Independence and Mallard Creek are two of the most storied football programs in the Charlotte area in the last 20 years and they will open the season against one another in August.
Under head coach D.J. McFadden, a player on the early 2000s Independence teams that won seven straight state titles, the Patriots have seen a resurgence. Last year, Independence posted an 11-2 record, falling to Grimsley in the third round of the 4A playoffs, 44-36.
Independence returns quarterback Justin Little who passed for 3,028 yards and 27 touchdowns. He also led the team in rushing with 614 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Mallard Creek was 8-4 last season and lost to Hough in the second round of the 4A playoffs, 16-6.
The Mavericks return quarterback Tre Robinson, who completed 44-of-73 yards for 591 yards and five touchdowns. The top returning rusher is Caleb Knight, who posted 230 yards and three touchdowns on 33 carries last season.
