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 :? E96 }u{ w:89 $49@@= v:C=D u=28 u@@E32== $9@H42D6]k^AmkAm“xE H2D D@ 2H6D@>6] %96 82>6 :ED6=7 H2D C62==J 7F?[” D96 D2:5 23@FE E96 6IA6C:6?46] “|66E:?8 2== E96 8:C=D 2?5 =62C?:?8 9@H E96J A=2J] xE H2D C62==J ?:46 E@ 6IA6C:6?46 E96 5:776C6?E A=2J DEJ=6 2?5 8C@H H:E9 E96> :? 2 D9@CE 2>@F?E @7 E:>6]”k^Am kAm#:EE6C :?:E:2==J 7@F?5 @FE E92E D96 H2D ?@>:?2E65 E@ A=2J :? E96 82>6 =2E6 =2DE J62C[ 3FE 925 E@ H2:E E@ D66 :7 D96 H2D @77:4:2==J 49@D6?] (96? E96 42== 42>6 E92E D96’5 366? 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… Concord men charged with stealing $591K worth of electricity Friday Five: Dash In, Kellswater Lowe's Foods opening Former Hartsell School educators reunite to share memories Panthers veteran may have upper hand in top position battle Amazon, Corning multi-billion dollar pact to yield 1,000 jobs Historic Biltmore Forest estate tied to Founding Father lists for $9.75 million Tucker Gardens Tour to benefit CVAN Saturday Reed Gold Mine to open Sundays this summer under pilot program Health center’s director denies clinic harmed patients by over-prescribing opioids Commercial structure fire on Derita Road in Concord Cabarrus students dominate Blumey finalist lists; Cox Mill's Woerner earns regional theater award Rider Transit seeks public input on proposed route changes Chicago Bears to leave Illinois for Indiana Cabarrus deputies take part in Special Olympics Torch Run, opening ceremony Cabarrus Calendar 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 Recommended for you Watch Now: Related Video NBA Playoff Predictions: Knicks vs. Spurs Game 5 Analysis NBA Finals MVP Race: Brunson vs. Anunoby Showdown! NBA Finals MVP Race: Brunson vs. Anunoby Showdown! Nations Winning Back-to-Back World Cups: A Rare Feat Nations Winning Back-to-Back World Cups: A Rare Feat 2026 World Cup Rule Changes You Need to Know 2026 World Cup Rule Changes You Need to Know