2 hours Ago By Charlotte Observer
Third-year Palisades High School is doing what few expected of the youthful program. After rallying in the second half in Friday’s 18-14 win over visiting South Mecklenburg, the Pumas are three wins away from a conference title. The school that honored its second senior class before the game had gone 1-9 and 3-7 in its first two seasons.
Friday’s win improved the Pumas to 5-2 overall and 3-0 in the South Meck 4A Conference — and came one week after a stirring 20-15 victory at defending league champion Myers Park. “We’ve got high hopes and big goals,” said head coach Jonathan Simmons, who has guided the program from its infancy. “We’re dreaming of November.
” November, as in the state playoffs. Following Friday’s win, Palisades closes its schedule with home games against Olympic (Oct. 10) and Ballantyne Ridge (Oct.
18) before a Nov. 1 regular-season finale at Ardrey Kell. To strengthen their title-contending position, the Pumas had to overcome a 14-0 deficit with a strong second half against South Mecklenburg (1-5, 1-1).
Palisades scored on its first three offensive possessions of the second half — on Fedayeen Turner’s 25-yard TD run, on Addison Rowland’s 4-yard TD run and on Lincoln Wise’s 3-yard TD run. Simmons said there were fiery halftime speeches that prompted the turnaround. “We had no real adjustments,” he said.
“We just came out and did our job.” South Mecklenburg made it interesting in the closing minutes as the Sabres drove into Palisades territory on the final drive of the game and even completed a 33-yard pass to the Pumas’ 8 on the game’s final play, which began with 7.5 seconds left.
After a brief deliberation, game officials ruled the play had indeed run out the game clock. Three who made a difference Completed 10 of 13 passes for 69 yards, rushed nine times for 44 yards and one touchdown and directed a 237-yard offensive attack that included 165 in the second half. Completed 16 of 33 passes for 254 yards and two touchdowns and directed a 365-yard offensive attack.
Rushed 21 times for 101 yards. Notable Palisades junior lineman Max Wearing helped stuff South Mecklenburg’s final drive with a sack after the Sabres had driven to the Pumas’ 37. Gillis completed an 81-yard touchdown pass to Kaleb Vines on the second play from scrimmage to give South Mecklenburg its early lead.
Of the last 15 Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools to open in the modern era (since 1966), the now-closed Waddell was the quickest to win a league title as it opened in 2001 and won the Southwestern 4A title in 2002. Three others did so within five years — Mallard Creek (opened in 2007, won first title in 2009), Rocky River (opened in 2010, won first title in 2013) and Hough (opened in 2010, won first title in 2015). They said it “I don’t know what coach (Joe) Evans does but he has given us a fit every time we play them.
” — Palisades coach Jonathan Simmons, whose team had lost 14-6 and 35-0 to South Mecklenburg the previous two seasons. GAME SUMMARY SM: Kaleb Vines 81 pass from Carter Gillis (Austin Metcalf kick) SM: Cash Hunter 7 pass from Gillis (Metcalf kick) P: Fedayeen Turner 25 run (Kick failed) P: Addison Rowland 4 run (Run failed) P: Lincoln Wise 3 run (Run failed).
