Northside’s slim postseason hopes were effectively dashed Friday night at Mayo-Thompson Stadium.

After allowing an early touchdown to the Grizzlies, Cabot scored three consecutive first-half TDs as the Panthers built a 21-7 lead. They went on to defeat the Grizzlies, 40-7, on Northside’s Senior Night.

With the loss, Northside (2-7, 0-6 7A-Central) was officially eliminated from the playoff race and will miss the postseason for the first time since 2013. The Grizzlies will wrap up the season next Friday at city rival Southside.

As has been the case each of the past several weeks, the Grizzlies started out strong.

On the second play of the game, Northside safety Montay Parks intercepted a pass beyond midfield and returned it to the Cabot 32. It was Parks’ seventh pick of the season.

The Grizzlies quickly marched down the field following Parks’ pick. On a third-and-long, senior quarterback Matt Hollenbeck hooked up with senior receiver Preston Baugh for a 24-yard gain to the Panther 11.

Three plays later, facing another third down, this time at the 4, quarterback Drey Norwood entered the game and faked a handoff. He took a couple of steps before executing a jump pass, which went right to a wide open Jackson King in the end zone.

Slate Stanton tacked on the PAT and Northside was up 7-0 nearly four minutes into the game.

But Cabot answered on the next series, needing just five plays, including a 65-yard pass from quarterback Tyler Gee to De’kairo Rudolph down to the Grizzly 2. Gee finished off the drive with a 1-yard TD keeper, and Rhett Thurman’s PAT tied it at 7-all.

Cabot quickly got the ball back into Northside territory on a fumbled snap from the Grizzlies. But Northside held on downs, with linebacker J.J. Mills providing blanket coverage on a fourth-down incomplete pass.

However, after the opening drive, the Grizzlies were unable to move the ball the rest of the first half. They punted on each of their last five first-half possessions.

Cabot (6-3, 3-3) broke the tie early in the second quarter on a 4-yard TD keeper from Gee.

Then, with 3:20 left in the first half, Gee finished off an 11-play drive with a 9-yard TD strike to receiver Kyler Carmack, as the Panthers built a 21-7 lead.

Cabot then continued to extend that lead in the third quarter, scoring 10 points after recovering a pair of Northside fumbles. The Panthers added a field goal late in the third and had a touchdown in the fourth.

Panther running back Graham Turner finished the night with 140 yards on 21 carries. Gee passed for 144 yards on 8-of-18 attempts.

Cabot’s defense held Northside to 104 yards of total offense.

Baugh caught three passes for 33 yards, and King had three receptions for 11 yards. Hollenbeck completed 5-of-9 passes for 45 yards.
