RALEIGH -- Ravenscroft's defense showed up in championship fashion Friday night to lead the Ravens to a 14-7 first-round NCISAA 3-A football playoff win over Charlotte Providence Day School.
The visiting Chargers gained over 300 yards total offense, but the Ravens' defense came up with goal-line stops at the end of the first half and again with just 19 seconds left in the game. Ravenscroft will travel to Charlotte Christian, the reigning state champion, for next week's game.
"You earned that victory," Ravenscroft coach Ned Gonet told his 8-4 team.
"We stepped up and now we know we can get it done," Gonet said. "Alex Spears at linebacker is the heartbeat of the defense, with others playing well in our scheme."
Trailing 14-7 with just under 4 minutes to play, Providence took over on its own 9. After earning a first-and-goal at the 7, quarterback Price Litton ran the ball three times, and then tailback Josh Covington (132 yards) tried to score from the 2 but was met at the 1 by cornerback Temple Sloan and lineman Chase Douglas to end the drive.
Junior running back Connor Gonet scored both touchdowns for the Ravens, one on a 9-yard pass from sophomore quarterback Quinn Billerman and the other on a 26-yard run to open the second half.
Gonet rushed for 117 yards, and Billerman completed 12 of 13 passes for 146 yards.
