COAL CITY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – The third-ranked Independence Patriots narrowly avoided a major upset Friday night, holding off Class AAA Nicholas County for a hard-fought 28–27 victory on their home field.
The Grizzlies pushed Independence to the brink, keeping the game tight from start to finish and nearly pulling off one of the biggest upsets of the season.
But the Patriots managed to make the key plays down the stretch to secure the one-point win and improve to 8–1.
With the close victory, Independence remains among the Class AA elite as it looks to finish strong ahead of postseason play. The Patriots will wrap up their regular season next Friday on the road against the Summers County Bobcats.
Nicholas County fell to 3–6 with the loss and will look to bounce back when it hosts the Riley Vikings next Friday.
