Featured Spotlight Hickory Ridge's Ritter played in flag football at NFL Pro Bowl Andrew Phillips Special to the Independent Tribune Mar 4, 2026 Mar 4, 2026 Updated Apr 11, 2026 0 Makaila Ritter played in the Flag Football Showcase at the NFL Pro Bowl. Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Andrew Phillips Special to the Independent Tribune Football season may be over, but one Hickory Ridge athlete recently got a chance to play the game of a lifetime on the biggest stage of her life.kAm|2<2:=2 #:EE6C :D 2 D6?:@C 2E w:4<@CJ #:586 w:89 $49@@=] ~? u63] b[ 2D A2CE @7 E96 }u{ !C@ q@H= 24E:G:E:6D :? $2?E2 r=2C2[ r2=:7@C?:2[ D96 H2D @?6 @7 ba A=2J6CD 7C@> 24C@DD E96 4@F?ECJ E@ A=2J :? 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A:4<65[ D96 D2:5 E92E D96 H2D 6I4:E65 7@C E96 @AA@CEF?:EJ] w6C 72>:=J H2D E9C:==65 H:E9 96C 9@?@C 2D H6==]k^Am People are also reading… NC doctor receives reprimand after telling patient to put hand sanitizer in ear Cabarrus Schools open house schedule and resources page Lil' Roberts Place to end 16-year run - ‘One hell of a ride’ Concord seeks artists for traffic signal box art project Friday Five: New restaurants, National Night Out and bestseller coming KHA presents Cannon Mills: Yesterday's Memories in Photography Cabarrus County Football Jamboree set for Aug. 14 at Jay M. Robinson Cabarrus County reminds drone operators of 'no-fly' zones downtown Panthers training camp - Brooks is back, fist fly and more Whataburger set to open near Concord Mills Thursday "Three Musketeers" opens OCT's 51st season in Concord Friday Five: Walmart in the sky comes to Concord Commons Cabarrus County Fair seeks exhibitors as Aug. 24 entry deadline approaches City of Concord honors quarterly high performers for outstanding service Multicultural Community Choir reunites, honors founder Rev. Ruth Brooks kAm“x 42?’E D2J H6 H6C6 DFCAC:D65 6I24E=J[” #:EE6C’D 72E96C qC25=6J D2:5] “x 8F6DD E96 3:886DE C624E:@? 7@C >6 H2D E96 AC@F5 525 >@>6?E] $66:?8 J@FC 52F89E6C 244@>A=:D9 DF49 2 3:8 E9:?8] $96’D H@C<65 92C5 7@C 6G6CJE9:?8 D96’D 5@?6[ D@ :E H2D G6CJ 56D6CG:?8]”k^Am kAm#:EE6C[ H9@ A=2J65 6G6CJ A@D:E:@? 6I46AE BF2CE6C324< 7@C E96 #28:?’ qF==D E9:D A2DE 7@@E32== D62D@?[ H2D E96 DE2CE:?8 46?E6C @? E96 }ur p==\$E2C E62>] $96 42F89E EH@ A2DD6D[ @?6 @7 H9:49 H2D @? E96 E62>’D @?=J D4@C:?8 5C:G6 @7 E96 82>6] $96 D2:5 E92E E96 3C:89E =:89ED 2?5 3:8 DE286 5:5?’E :?E:>:52E6 96C]k^Am kAm“v@:?8 :?E@ :E[ x E9@F89E x’5 36 6IEC6>6=J ?6CG@FD 2?5 FAE:89E[ 3FE H96? x 8@E @FE E96C6[ :E C62==J H2D?’E 2D 3:8 :? >J 9625 2D x >256 :E] x 76=E C62==J 42=>[ 9@?6DE=J]”k^Am kAm%9@D6 3C:89E =:89ED :?4=F565 2 ?2E:@?2= E6=6G:D:@? 2F5:6?46 H2E49:?8] %96 82>6 H2D E6=6G:D65 @? t$!}[ ;FDE 367@C6 E96 !C@ q@H=] (9:=6 E6=6G:D:@? C2E:?8D 2C6 92C5 E@ 56E6C>:?6 6I24E=J[ E96 6?E:C6 !C@ q@H= 24E:G:E:6D H6C6 H2E4965 3J a >:==:@? A6@A=6] %92E >2<6D E96 82>6 62D:=J E96 3:886DE 2F5:6?46 D96 92D 6G6C A=2J65 7@C] u@C 96C A2CE[ |2<2:=2 D2:5 36:?8 @? E6=6G:D:@? H2D 2 8@@5 6IA6C:6?46]k^Am Makaila Ritter (12) is shown on the sidelines during the game broadcast. From Cabarrus County Schools kAm“xE H2D C62==J 4@@=] p7E6C E96 82>6 6G6CJ3@5J H2D E6IE:?8 >6 D2J:?8[ ‘x D2H J@F @? t$!}[ E92E’D D@ 4@@=]’ xE’D C62==J ?:46 E@ 36 23=6 E@ 36 @? E96C6]”k^AmkAmp=E9@F89 E96 82>6 H2D E96 >2:? 7@4FD @7 96C (6DE r@2DE EC:A[ |2<2:=2 D2:5 E96C6 H2D A=6?EJ @7 E:>6 E@ 5@ @E96C E9:?8D] |:?:\8@=7 2?5 E62> 5:??6CD H6C6 EH@ @7 E96 24E:G:E:6D E92E D96’== C6>6>36C[ 3FE D96 D2:5 96C 72G@C:E6 >6>@CJ H2D E96 @FE:?8 E92E E96 E62> E@@< :? $2? uC2?4:D4@]k^Am kAm“(6 925 2 3@2E E@FC[ D@ H6 8@E E@ E96 v@=56? v2E6 qC:586 2?5 2C@F?5 E92E[ 2?5 H6 H6?E E@ p=42EC2K 2E DF?D6E[ 2?5 :E H2D D@ 362FE:7F=] xE H2D D@ DFCC62=]”k^Am kAm%96 82>6 H2D E96 4F=>:?2E:@? @7 2 9:89 D49@@= 7@@E32== 42C66C E92E H2D D@>6H92E F?6IA64E65] vC@H:?8 FA[ |2<2:=2 A=2J65 D@446C 2?5 32D<6E32==] $96’D 2 DE2CE6C @? w:4<@CJ #:586’D 4@?76C6?46 492>A:@? 32D<6E32== E62> E9:D D62D@?] (96? D96 H2D `b[ D96 82G6 FA D@446C E@ 4@?46?EC2E6 @? 32D<6E32==] w@H6G6C[ D6G6C2= J62CD 28@[ H96? w:4<@CJ #:586 DE2CE65 :ED 7=28 7@@E32== AC@8C2>[ E96 @AA@CEF?:EJ E@ A=2J 9:89 D49@@= 7@@E32== 42>6 FA] w6C >@E96C H2D 96D:E2?E 2E 7:CDE]k^Am kAm“(96? D96 H2?E65 E@ A=2J 7=28 7@@E32==[ x E@=5 96C ?@ 2 4@FA=6 @7 J62CD 28@[” |6=@?J #:EE6C D2:5 23@FE 96C 52F89E6C’D H:D96D]k^Am kAm“x H2D ?6CG@FD] x 5:5?’E H2?E 96C E@ 86E 9FCE[ 3FE D96 H6?E 7@C :E] x H6?E E@ 96C 7:CDE 82>6 2?5 H2D =:<6[ E9:D :D 2H6D@>6] $@[ D96 H@? E92E 32EE=6 36EH66? >6 2?5 96C]”k^AmkAm|2<2:=2 5:5 H:? E96 32EE=6[ 2?5 925 2 7@@E32== 42C66C E92E 6?565 H:E9 2 ?2E:@?2= 9@?@C 2?5 2 >6>@CJ @7 2 =:76E:>6 ]]] @C 5:5 96C 42C66C C62==J 6?5n #646?E=J[ D6G6C2= 2C62 4@==686D 92G6 2??@F?465 E92E E96J H:== DE2CE 7:6=5:?8 G2CD:EJ 7=28 7@@E32== E62>D] p>@?8 2C62 D49@@=D[ (:?82E6[ |2CD w:==[ {66D\|4#26 2?5 q2C36C\$4@E:2 2== A=2? E@ 7:6=5 E62>D E9:D 4@>:?8 DAC:?8[ H:E9 >@C6 D49@@=D @? E96 H2J :? 7FEFC6 J62CD] |2<2:=2 D2JD E92E :7 E96 @AA@CEF?:EJ AC6D6?ED :ED6=7[ D96 H@F=5 36 G6CJ :?E6C6DE65 :? A=2J:?8 2E E96 ?6IE =6G6=]k^Am Makaila Ritter is shown here during a Hickory Ridge basketball game earlier this season. Andrew Phillips, Special to the Independent Tribune kAm“xE’D 364@>:?8 DF49 2 3:8 DA@CE[ 2?5 x H2?E E@ 36 :?G@=G65 :? E92E 2?5 96=A H:E9 E96 8C@HE9 @7 E96 DA@CE 3642FD6 x E9:?< :E’D C62==J :>A@CE2?E ?@E @?=J 7@C >J 286 8C@FA @7 A6@A=6 3FE 2=D@ E96 J@F?86C 286 8C@FA @7 A6@A=6]”k^Am 0 Comments Get in the game with our Prep Sports Newsletter Sent weekly directly to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Most Popular Cabarrus County Football Jamboree set for Aug. 14 at Jay M. Robinson Football season in Cabarrus County will unofficially kick off Friday, Aug. 14, when eight local high school teams take the field for the 2026 … Brad Alford selected as next Commissioner of the NCHSAA The North Carolina High School Athletic Association board of directors has unanimously selected Brad Alford as the association's next commissioner. 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Cabarrus County Football Jamboree set for Aug. 14 at Jay M. Robinson Football season in Cabarrus County will unofficially kick off Friday, Aug. 14, when eight local high school teams take the field for the 2026 …
Brad Alford selected as next Commissioner of the NCHSAA The North Carolina High School Athletic Association board of directors has unanimously selected Brad Alford as the association's next commissioner.
Cabarrus players hard at work getting better in the summer In the summer, Cabarrus players and athletes work to get better.