Zaid Lott accounted for four touchdowns, and the Providence Day defense came up big Friday night as the Chargers whipped host Rolesville, 38-10, in a battle of state powers.
The host Rams contributed significantly to their demise with an ample supply of penalties.
It was a meeting of teams that finished second in the state last year, and the visiting Chargers, runners-up in the private school Division 1 playoffs, built a big early lead.
Lott ran for a first-quarter score, then connected on touchdown passes to Ethan Dempsey, Gordon Sellars and Aidan Gallos in the second quarter.
By the time the nearly two-hour-long first half ended, Providence Day led, 31-10.
It was the second loss to a Charlotte team in two weeks for Rolesville, the public school 4A runner-up last season. The Rams lost last Friday at Mallard Creek, in a game in which they fell behind early.
Rolesville penalties played a part in several Providence Day scores.
The Chargers took the opening kickoff to the Rolesville 21, were stopped on downs, and settled for a 38-yard field goal by Jacob Baggett. But the Rams were whistled for running into Baggett.
Armed with a first down, Providence Day completed the drive and scored on Lott’s 10-yard run.
After Rolesville’s Riley Daniels hammered home a 48-yard field goal, Providence Day scored on a 41-yard Baggett field goal. A holding penalty by the Rams gave Providence Day a key first down on that drive.
A personal foul whistled against Rolesville set up the Chargers for their second touchdown, which came on Lott’s 19-yard pass to Dempsey. Providence Day’s defense set up the next touchdown, as two defensive linemen tipped a pass by Rolesville quarterback Kaleb Williams, and Griff Galloway snagged the ball out of the air at the Rams’ 9. Lott and Sellars then connected for the touchdown.
That made it 24-3, and the Chargers finished their first-half scoring with Lott’s 19-yard pass to Gallos. That drive, as you might imagine, was assisted by a Rolesville penalty that gave Providence Day a key first down.
Meanwhile, the Providence Day defense, which had some rough spots in a season-opening 29-28 victory last week over Philadelphia Roman Catholic, was on-point Friday night.
The Chargers bottled up Rolesville running back Amir Brown for much of the game and kept steady pressure on Williams.
Brown got the Rams’ only touchdown, shortly before halftime, on a 4-yard run. That score was helped by three penalties against Providence Day.
Three who made a difference
Zaid Lott, Providence Day: Lott, the Chargers’ Syracuse-bound senior quarterback, ran for a touchdown and threw for three more.
Steele Fletcher, Providence Day: Fletcher had two big pass receptions while the game was still close in the first half, including a 35-yard catch on a screen pass that set up his team’s field goal.
Riley Daniels, Rolesville: Daniels kicked a 48-yard field goal, placed a punt at the Providence Day 2, and put all three of his kickoffs in the end zone.
Just noting
By unofficial count, referees enforced 30 penalties in the game. Several more were called but declined or happened on plays when other penalties were called.
Rolesville, considered a state title contender this season, hasn’t opened the campaign with two losses in four years. The Rams have been among North Carolina’s most powerful teams in recent seasons.
Providence Day’s last loss to a North Carolina public school team was in Game 2 last season, when the Chargers fell to Weddington.
Rolesville is finished with Charlotte teams — at least, until the playoffs. The Rams travel to Richmond Senior next Friday. Providence Day is home against Charlotte Catholic, which knocked off Providence Day’s key rival, Charlotte Christian, on Friday night.
GAME SUMMARY
Providence Day 10 21 7 0 — 38
Rolesville 3 7 0 0 — 10
PD — Zaid Lott 10 run (Jacob Baggett kick)
R — FG Riley Daniels 48
PD — FG Baggett 42
PD — Ethan Dempsey 19 pass from Lott (Baggett kick)
PD — Gordon Sellars 9 pass from Lott (Baggett kick)
PD — Aidan Gallos 19 pass from Lott (Baggett kick)
R — Amir Brown 4 run (Daniels kick)
PD — Gallos 4 run (Baggett kick)