NORTHSIDE SCORES 56 FIRST-HALF POINTS EN ROUTE TO BLOWOUT WIN

Before Northside’s offense could even get onto the field for Friday’s season opener, the Grizzlies were already handed a 14-0 lead. That came courtesy of two defensive touchdowns on Rogers Heritage’s opening two possessions. But the Grizzlies’ offense went on to do their part, scoring five more TDs before halftime as Northside rolled up a 56-0 lead en route to a 69-0 win at Mayo-Thompson Stadium. “Give thanks to the defense for allowing us a chance to actually get points without us (the offense) having to do anything,” junior receiver J.T. Thorne said. “I owe it all to the defense with Greg (Washington), Boo (Anthony Travis) and all of them.” The Grizzlies got their first touchdown on the third play from scrimmage, when Heritage fumbled. Northside junior linebacker Chase Needham scooped up the loose ball at the Heritage 30 and raced into the end zone. Henry Hernandez tacked on the PAT for a quick 7-0 lead. “Honestly, I think it was an un-describable moment,” Needham said of his TD. “Really, you just had to be there to know what it felt like; I can’t think of a way to explain it right now, but I think we really came together as a team and played as a solid unit. “We progressed off of last year’s games. ... I think everybody who watches us will be in for a treat this year.” Just three plays later, the Grizzlies (1-0) struck again on defense. Senior linebacker Anthony “Boo” Travis jumped the route on a pass play at the Heritage 30 and found paydirt. Two defensive touchdowns from 30 yards out. It was 14-0 just like that. The Grizzlies’ offense finally took the field when the defense forced a punt on Heritage’s third series. Northside took just six plays to make it 21-0, when quarterback Derrick Wise raced in from 22 yards out on a keeper. After another punt, the Grizzlies put together a six-play TD drive yet again, this one covering 86 yards. It was capped by a 36-yard TD from junior tailback Demario Shepard. The PAT from Hernandez made it 28-0 with less than 10 minutes elapsed. Northside then made it 35-0 by the end of the first quarter. With 31 seconds left in the quarter, Wise went back to pass and found a wide-open Thorne at, indeed, the Heritage 30. Thorne, a junior receiver, finished off the 57-yard pass play. “That was a pretty pass and everything,” Thorne said. “I thought I was going to fall for a minute, but (Wise) put it right in a perfect spot where I was able to get it and take off for the touchdown.” Grizzly senior tailback Eli Bolton then tallied the first two TDs of the second quarter, covering 2 and 21 yards. Bolton’s second TD was set up by an interception from linebacker Conley Bone. Hernandez went a perfect 6-of-6 in PAT kicks after Bolton’s first TD; then Slate Stanton came in to kick the PAT on Northside’s seventh TD, extending the lead to 49-0. The Grizzlies capped the near-perfect first half with yet another touchdown, this coming with 1:19 left until intermission. Sophomore Dagon Moore plunged in from 5 yards out; then Moore stayed on the field to kick the PAT, giving Northside a 56-0 advantage. Even with a running clock in the second half, the Grizzlies continued their onslaught, scoring on each of their first two drives. Backup quarterback Drey Norwood finished off the first series of the second half with a 12-yard keeper for a TD. Then after Northside forced its fourth turnover of the night, a fumble recovery from Demaris Medlock, sophomore Rakaim Jackson capped the series with a 9-yard TD, and Stanton added the PAT to complete the scoring as Northside’s new videoboard got quite a workout. Jackson ended up as the leading rusher with 94 yards on 20 carries. A total of 11 different Grizzlies carried the ball as they rushed for 381 yards while adding 147 yards through the air. Thorne caught four passes for 78 yards. Wise was 6-of-7 passing for 106 yards. Northside held Heritage (0-1) to 254 yards of total offense.

NORTHSIDE SCORES 56 FIRST-HALF POINTS EN ROUTE TO BLOWOUT WIN

BUCK RINGGOLD

Times Record | 8/25/2018

PHOTO CREDIT: Brian D. Sanderford