As most North Carolinians headed to unite with friends and family this Thanksgiving weekend, a ever-shortening list of high school football teams headed to the fields Friday night to continue the battle toward the state championships.

And no matchup was more anticipated in the Charlotte area than the showdown between Independence and Butler, both ranked in the top five of News 14 Carolina's 14 to Watch.

The showdown was a given for the Western region playoffs, with the winner advancing to next week's state semi-final.

At Memorial Stadium for the coin toss, Butler wins, but defers – a call they would later regret.

On the first kickoff of the game, Lawrence Martin received it on the 6-yard line and started the run back. He busted through a number of missed Bulldog tackles and took it 94 yards for the touchdown to open the game. And just like that, it was 7-0 Independence.

With Butler's first possession, they drove down the field. Christian Lemay headed toward the goal line, but was hit by Breon Thorton and coughed it up. Kyle Greg picked up the fumble for the Patriots.

As Indy threatened again, Harold Blythe scored the touchdown, making it a 14-0 Patriot lead.

And they wouldn't let up. After stopping Butler again, Carrothers called his own number and scampered in from 8 yards out, making it 21-0 Indy.

Butler just seemed out of sync on the offensive side of the ball. Lemay threw an interception to Victor Hampton, giving it right back to the Patriots.

And they took advantage on the very next play. A 51-yard touchdown from Carrothers to Kierre Brown down the sideline, and it was 28-0 Indy.

Butler finally got on board late with a 21-yard touchdown by Christian Lemay, but they trailed 35-7 at the half.

And the second half was more of the same. Carrothers and the Indy offense was just too much as Independence advanced with the big 49-7 win over Butler.

In the Triangle, Wake Forest-Rolesville was where virtually everybody expected them to be, especially as a News 14 Carolina top-10 pick.

But the same couldn't be said for Apex, which shocked Hoggard last week in Wilmington. Friday night, they were looking to pull another upset over the Cougars.

Picking up the action in the first quarter, Apex was up 7-0 early.

But it didn't last. Brexton Young had a 2-yard plunge into the end zone, tying the score and igniting the fans.

In the second quarter, Wake Forest-Rolesville quarterback Tim Hartman rolled right, finding Torrey White for the catch. He ran out of bounds, off the field and down the track – he's just in that good a shape – Cougars up 14-7.

To the third quarter, Hartman handed it off to Trea Jones, who rambled untouched into the end zone.

A few plays later, it was Tim Hartman putting the icing on the cake with a 1-yard touchdown run, and the Cougars went up 27-7.

They went on to win by a final of 35-7.

Among the headliners in the Piedmont Triad, the Page Pirates hosted the Bob Paroli-led Falcons of Seventy-First.

Seventy-First was up 14-3 at the half, with Page quarterback Will Newman injured on the first play of the game. The Pirates turned to backup quarterback Bruce McKoy.

Page came out in the second half and made some noise as McKoy connected with Jeremy Collie. He found daylight for a 50-yard gain, giving Page good field position. But the Pirates stumbled. McKoy, with the keeper, broke several tackles, then fumbled.

In the fourth quarter, Seventy-First had the ball and good field position. Quarterback Gerald Brayboy called his own number, finding room around the right end for a Seventy-First score, making it 21-3.

Seventy-First ended the game with a Page defeat – 28-3.