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1970 NHS Season Statistics

Evansville Courier & Press Newspapers ALL CITY/METRO Selections

RESULTS

SCORING

PASSING

Individual stats for rushing and receiving are unavailable at this time.

Highlights included: 1970 marked the first losing season in the 13 year history of the program.  But the season was not without highlights.

Steve Johnston's 85 yard scoring dash in the season opener against eventual city champion Rex Mundi gave the 6,500 fans at Enlow Stadium something to get excited about.  His 106 yard rushing effort and 2 TD's along with an interception on defense helped keep North in the game despite suffering two blocked punts in the first quarter.  When Johnston followed up Paul Dimmett's defensive fumble recovery with a 5 yard TD run against Terre Haute Wiley, it gave the Huskies an 18-16 lead with less than 10 minutes to play.

North was 0-3 after three games but had played a bit better than their record indicated.  When Coach Riley decided to revert to a T formation against Central in week four, it marked the first time in over three seasons that North had scrapped the single wing offense.  The result was a 32-7 second half blow out against the Bears.

Alternating Dave Terry and Steve Johnston underneath center, the Huskies trailed Central 7-6 at half time.  On the first possession of the second half however, sophomore FB Steve Sanders broke loose for a 63 yard run to the 4 yard line.  He followed that run up two plays later with a 2 yard TD plung.  On North's second possession of the half, QB Johnston broke loose for a 73 yard touchdown run.  After that, the Bears' were broken and North pounded out their first victory of the season.  With the T in place and Johnston directing the offense, not only did they beat the Bears, but they also managed victories over Reitz and Terre Haute Gerstmeyer in two of their next three games. 

On a cold night in mid-October, the team bus had trouble starting and North was late arriving at Reitz Bowl.  With the Panthers a heavy favorite, the Huskies served notice that their T offense was ready to roll on the opening drive.  Steve Johnston capped off a 13 play, 60 yard posession with a 5 yard run to give North the early lead.  In a first half defensive struggle, 15 point favorite Reitz was only up 8-7 at the break.

When DG Ron Schrer forced and recovered a Panther fumble on the first play from scrimmage in the second half, HB Howard Whitsell rammed the next play 9 yards straight up the middle for the go ahead touchdown.  With Schrer and DT Craig Fitch causing fits for the vaunted Reitz running game (North held the Panthers to 107 yards rushing on the night--less than half their average), North counterattacked with long offensive drives into scoring position.  When K Mike Lawson booted a 33 yard field goal to put the Huskies up 17-8 with 3 minutes to play in the third quarter, it proved to be more than enough points to win.

Forcing Reitz to punt with 11 minutes to play, North then ate up the clock on an 11 play, 84 yard drive that concluded with RB Roger Barnett's 14 yard TD run.  With only two minutes remaining, North held on to upset the Panthers 23-15.

The following weekend, Steve Johnston and the T formation appeared ready to roll over Terre Haute Gerstmeyer.  Taking the opening possession and driving 59 yards on 15 plays, Howard Whitsell's 1 yard TD plunge looked to be the first of many scores to come.  However, that would prove to be North's last long scoring drive of the season.  Three more times that night the Huskies drove the ball inside the Black Cats' 20 yard line.  All three times the Huskies fumbled the ball away.  When Mike Llewllyn fell on a blocked punt to score a safety and make the score 9-7, the Huskies had to nurse a two point lead into the game's final quarter.

With just under a minute remaining, the Big Green defense had held Gerstmeyer to -32 yards rushing on the night.  When the Terre Haute QB handed the ball to the reigning regional 100 yard dash champion on his own 35 yard line, the 9.8 second sprinter managed to break away down the side line for what looked like it would be a certain game winning touchdown.  LB Steve Sanders managed to run down the Black Cat runner from behind, force a fumble, and recovered the ball on the Husky 10 yard line.  North knelt down twice and enjoyed their final win of the season.

Fumbles would plague the Huskies over the season's final three games and they would finish at 3-7.

RUSHING 

RECEIVING

DEFENSE--2 pts each for solo, cause or recover fumble, sack, int, blk kick; 1 pt each for assist and tackle for loss

No Defensive Statistics are available at this time.

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