West Charlotte battles past Seventy-First for NCHSAA Class 3A state title

Jamouri Nichols throws 2 touchdown passes, including game-winner with 11:28 left

West Charlotte's football players, coaches and cheerleaders celebrate winning the NCHSAA Class 3A state title on Dec. 21, 2024 in Raleigh. The Lions beat Seventy-First, 14-7. / West Charlotte Lions Football / X

The North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) high school football state championships have arrived and the Class 3A title game is a battle between the undefeated Seventy-First Street Falcons (15-0) and the West Charlotte Lions (12-2) at 11 a.m. on Saturday at Carter-Finley Stadium on the campus of North Carolina State University.

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NCHSAA CLASS 3A FOOTBALL STATE CHAMPIONSHIP BRACKET

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High School On SI will be providing live updates all afternoon.

(Keep refreshing page for live updates from the game)

	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	F
West Charlotte	7	0	0	7	14
Seventy-First	0	7	0	0	7

RECAP

RALEIGH, N.C. -- In a brutal defensive battle between two of North Carolina's best high school football teams, it took the accurate passing of West Charlotte quarterback Jamouri Nichols to determine the winner.

Only a sophomore, Nichols completed 12 of 13 passes for 94 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winner with 11 minutes, 28 seconds left, to lift the Lions past previously unbeaten Seventy-First, 14-7, in the NCHSAAA Class 3A state championship game on Saturday at North Carolina State University's Carter Finley Stadium.

The game wasn't decided until Seventy-First quarterback Deandre Nance fumbled the ball while attempting to spike it with time running out at the West Charlotte 24-yard line. He recovered the ball, but the game clock expired as the team had no timeouts.

It was the 10th time this season that West Charlotte held an opponent to seven points or less.

It also is the first state championship for West Charlotte (13-2) since 1995. It marked the second consecutive year that Seventy-First (15-1) finished as state runner-up,

"I'm happy to be a part of it," West Charlotte coach Sam Greiner told NFHS Network after the game. "How about our defense? It was like David and Goliath."

West Charlotte's defense certainly rose to the occasion, forcing four punts, a fumble, and a turnover on downs. Seventy-First came in averaging 46 points per game, but the Falcons were held to one touchdown: a 5-yard run by Jayson Franklin with 33 seconds left in the first half. That score tied things at 7-7 and that's where the teams stood going into halftime.

The Lions stood on business coming into the game, taking a 7-0 lead on a 6-yard TD pass from Nichols to Christian Coleman on their first possession. But then West Charlotte punted, turned the ball over on downs and ran out of time on its last possession to end the first half. The Lions also left points on the field as sophomore Davion Jones returned a kickoff 85 yards for a TD with 22 seconds left, but the score was negated on a holding penalty.

Seventy-First had poor field position most of the first half and didn't cross midfield until late in the second quarter when the Falcons put together an impressive 12-play, 75-yard drive culminated by Franklin's score. West Charlotte's Noah Collins, KD Cotton and Sam Johnson came up with big defensive plays in the first 24 minutes.

West Charlotte came out with a ball-control offense in the second half and got a short TD run from Nichols but that score was called back on a holding penalty, Moments later, the Lions turned the ball over on downs,

On its ensuing possession, Seventy-First punted but the Lions were flagged for running into the kicker and the Falcons got new life, A short time later, the Falcons fumbled the ball away on their 27-yard line.

West Charlotte took advantage of the short field, getting a 10-yard TD pass from Nichols to Donte Nicholson to take a 14-7 lead early in the fourth quarter.

After Seventy-First punted, the Falcons had one of their best opportunities of the day when Nichols lost a fumble on a bad exchange at the West Charlotte 30-yard line. But Seventy-First then got flagged for 10 yards and threw four straight incompletions to turn the ball over on downs,

West Charlotte then drove to the Seventy-First 35-yard line before turning the ball over on downs. Nance got the Falcons to the Lions' 24-yard line before time ran out.

SEVENTY-FIRST VS. WEST CHARLOTTE - LIVE UPDATES

PREGAME

Kickoff is slated for 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time

1ST QUARTER

Sevehty-First takes the opening kickoff.

Senior DB Noah Collins big defensive stop for West Charlotte!

Injury timeout. 3rd and 14.

West Charlotte defense stuffs 71st, forces punt,

West Charlotte on the move, at 71st 13-yard line. Timeout. KD Cotton, Jamouri Nichols big plays!

TOUCHDOWN! Jamouri Nichols perfect 6-yard strike to Christian Coleman in the middle of the end zione! West Charlotte 7, Seventy-First 0, with 6:42 left in the 1Q,

Junior DE Sam Johnson making plays on defense for West Charlotte!

Noah Collins makes tackle for loss for West Charlotte, forces punt!

West Charlotte gets great field position again at 71st 49-yard line.

71st forces punt, West Charlotte punts inside the Falcons' 5-yard line!

West Charlotte showing strength, shutting down 71st running game.

TIMEOUT with 22 seconds left. 71st backed up at its 11-yard line. West Charlotte LB Michael Griffin Jr. brings the hammer!

Seventy-First's Jayson Franklin rumbles for 1st down!

END OF FIRST QUARTER: West Charlotte 7, Seventy-First 0

2ND QUARTER

-ANOTHER BIG STOP by West Charlotte's Noah Collins,

Noah Collins makes another tackle for loss on big burst off the corner!

71st punts, and Noah Collins makes huge return for West Charlotte, giving Lions great field position yet again.

71st defense makes big stand, stops QB Jamouri Nichols on 4th-and-17, forcing turnover on downs.

HUGE PASS from 71st QB Deandre Nance to Jytavius Whitted for 51 yards!!

71st inside WC 25-yard line with 1:53 left.

TOUCHDOWN!! Jayson Franklin blasts in from the 5-yard line to help Seventy-First tie West Charlotte, 7-7, with 0:33 left in the first half. Shon Pone and Jy'taivius Whitted make great catches for the Falcons!!

WEST CHARLOTTE's Davion Jones takes kickoff and returns it 85 yards for a touchdown but holding penalty negates score.

SACK! 71st senior LB Myrus Moore sacks West Charlotte QB Jamouri Nichols on final play of first half!

END OF SECOND QUARTER: West Charlotte 7, Seventy-First 7.

3RD QUARTER

Emory McClain pounding the rock for West Charlotte!

TD RUN by West Charlotte QB Jamouri Nichols negated by holding penalty,

STOPPED! Seventy-First defense stops West Charlotte at 6-yard line, forces turnovers on downs!

WEST CHARLOTTE's Landon Cox-Arrington big stop for the Lions! Forces punt!

West Charlotte penalized for roughing the kicker on punt, giving Seventy-First a 1st down.

BIG FIRST-DOWN PASS negated by penalty by 71st.

FUMBLE!! West Charlotte forces fumble, recovers! Falcons in great field position again at 71st 27-yard line with 2:54 left in 3Q,

TIMEOUT: West Charlotte 4th-and-1 from the Seventy-First 7-yard line.

PENALTY! 71st offsides.

END OF THIRD QUARTER: West Charlotte 7, Seventy-First 7

4TH QUARTER

TOUCHDOWN! West Charlotte QB Jamouri Nichols throws 10-yard TD pass to Donte Nicholson with 11:28 left. Falcons lead Seventy-First, 14-7. It is the 2nd TD pass of the day for Nichols!

71st struggling with penalties, punts again,

BIG INTERFERENCE PENALTY on 71st, giving West Charotte the ball at 35-yard line,.

FUMBLE! West Charlotte fumbles the ball away at its 30-yard line on bad exchange between QB and RB,

GREAT defensive play by West Charlotte junior DB KD Cotton!

Seventy-First with 4th-and-20 from West Charlotte 40-yard line. Three straight incomplete passes, with 6:03 left.

SEVENTY-FIRST throws another incomplete pass. Turns the ball over on downs with 5;56 left,

West Charlotte pounding the rock and running the clock out,

WEST CHARLOTTE throws incomplete pass on 4th down, turns the ball over on downs with 1:41 left.

SEVENTY-FIRST QB fumbles snap on attempted spike to stop the clock, recovers the ball and clock runs out. West Charlotte players and coaches storm the field in celebration as Lions win 14-7!

FINAL SCORE: West Charlotte 14, Seventy-First 7

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