- Independence High School (Charlotte, North Carolina)
Infobox high school
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name= Independence High School
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established =1967
type = Public
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staff = 141 teachers
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enrollment =
students = 3000(approx.)
city =Charlotte
state =North Carolina
country =US
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information = 1967 Patriot Dr, (980) 343-6900
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footnotes =Independence High School (or, The Big I) is a
high school nearMint Hill, North Carolina in southeastCharlotte, North Carolina ,United States .Academics
Independence is known locally for students' academic achievements. Independence is a
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools high school. Contrary to popular belief of non Charlotte residents the school does not have magnet programs as many schools in the county have. The International Baccalaureate program was relocated to another school several years ago. In 2006, more than twenty students participated in an exam to be able to attend theGovernor's School of North Carolina , a state-sponsored program for extremely gifted students, begun by NC senatorTerry Sanford . The previous year, six students from Independence met all the requirements to participate in the School. The requirements include writing two essays and receiving teacher recommendations. Though school officials expected more students to be accepted into the program, only two students made the cut in2007 ports
In sports, Independence High School, also known as "the Big I" is a member of the Southwestern 4-AA Conference, along with the following schools:
*Ardrey-Kell "Knights"
*Butler "Bulldogs"
*East Mecklenburg "Eagles"
*Myers Park "Mustangs"
*Providence High School "Panthers"
*South Mecklenburg "Sabres"
*Weddington "Warriors"Most notably, the Independence varsity football team, coached by Tom Knotts, won 109 straight games and won seven straight
North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) State Championships (4-AA). As ofNovember 24 ,2006 , the Big I held the second longest current winning streak in high school prep football, and also held the second most consecutive wins in US public high school football history. Their streak was ended, however, OnSeptember 1 ,2007 when Cincinnati'sElder High School defeated Independence in overtime, 41-34.Fact|date=December 2007De La Salle High School (Concord, California ) holds the longest winning record in football, at any level (high school, collegiate, and professional) in the United States (151 Wins from 1992-2005).Fact|date=December 2007The Patriots continued the winning streak even in the absence of Head Coach Tom Knotts. Coach Knotts left for a season to be the quarterbacks coach for
Duke University (Durham, North Carolina ) Blue Devils football program, but returned to Independence after a single season at his alma mater.During the 2006-2007 season,
ESPNU was prepared to televise the November 3 Independence vs. Butler matchup, butNorth Carolina High School Athletic Association rules prohibit the live broadcast of regular season high school football contests on Friday night. Because it was the last Friday of the regular season the playoff brackets were scheduled to be published the next afternoon making a Saturday game impossible. In that game, the Patriots squared off against the RB Ryan Houston-ledDavid W. Butler High School Bulldogs, another Charlotte-Mecklenburg School, located in neighboringMatthews, North Carolina . The game was played atAmerican Legion Memorial Stadium , located in uptownCharlotte , North Carolina. Butler, a formidable adversary, was touted as the one team in that season which might actually chop the Patriots winning streak, but the Patriots squeaked out yet another win in double overtime. Butlers' Ryan Houston fumbled in the first half of the second overtime period. Independence tailback Dequan Leak scored three plays later and the game was over.The NCHSAA sold broadcast rights for the state finals to
News 14 Carolina and that game was carried live onDecember 9 ,2006 . The game was played at Duke'sWallace Wade Stadium inDurham, North Carolina , against the Riverside High School Pirates (Durham, N.C.). The Patriots handily defeated the Pirates 49 to 19.In recognition of their long winning streak, the football team was invited to appear on the
NFL pre-game show before theCarolina Panthers game on Sunday,October 1 ,2006 . Independence alums QBChris Leak and WR Mohamed Massaquoi have gone on to impressive college careers in Florida and Georgia, respectively.Independence's winning streak ended at 109 games on
September 1 ,2007 with a 41-34 loss toElder High School inCincinnati, Ohio .Independence lost again to Butler High School later in the season, losing it's North Carolina winning streak.
Independence lost 28-17 in the State Championship game to New Bern, which snapped Independence string of 7 straight championships.
The men's varsity basketball team also won the NCHSAA State Championship (4-AA) in 1998, and the women's varsity volleyball and softball teams each have state championships to their credits.
Independence also has a budding
swimming program. In 2007-2008, the swim team produced nine academic All-American athletes.Notable alumni
*
Chris Leak , formerUniversity of Florida starting quarterback
*Mohammed Massaquoi , currentUniversity of Georgia starting wide receiver
*Joe Cox , currentUniversity of Georgia backup quarterback
*Chelsea Cooley Miss USA 2005*
Alton James Russ, Jr. , 2007 World Masters Decathlon ChampionReferences
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