CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) – It might not look like an ideal night for state playoff football, but you wouldn’t be able to tell by listening.
The Patriots showed up in full force, braving the early elements of Tropical Storm Nicole to watch the Independence take on the Olympics in the second round Thursday night…
Some dedicated fans arrived an hour before kickoff, ready for whatever weather lay ahead.
“We don’t do a lot of planning, this chair stays in our car 24/7, we are always ready for a ballgame,” Anna Moraglia, son plays for Independence.
Related: Football game rescheduled ahead of Hurricane Nicole
For those on the sidelines like cheerleaders, shelter is a little more rare, but they are ready for anything from Mother Nature.
“Keep your jacket on, and try not to let the rain get in your eyes like it did today. But keep a smile on your face,” said Amanye Jinwright, Independence Cheerleader.
“Keep moving, keep dancing, and pull those ponchos out,” Peyton Morgan, Independence Cheerleader.
And the Patriots gave cheerleaders and fans plenty to celebrate against the Trojans.
The dominant victory over their conference rival got the Big I back to the third round of the playoffs for the first time since 2009, a special moment for coach DJ McFadden, who played quarterback for the Patriot teams that won the state championship in 2005 and 2006. .
“It means a lot, it means a lot to the program, but more importantly it means a lot to our seniors. They’ve been through a lot the last four years,” D.J. McFadden, Independence Head Coach said. “So for them to have a chance to go to the playoffs third, it means more to me than we have been since 2009.”
No matter the weather, there’s no rain on tonight’s Patriots parade.
“It’s huge, it’s what you work for all season. It’s all the work they put in during the regular season to get this home advantage. Our fans show up, they’re loud and they stay the whole time. It’s a good atmosphere, hopefully, if something – that’s right, we can get one more here,” D.J. McFadden, Head Coach of the Independence said.
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