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North vs Castle Knights - at Bundrant Stadium Sep 21, 2012

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Offense

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Defensive Stats

Game Recap

MISSED OPPORTUNITIES HAUNT HUSKIES IN 42-7 LOSS

North failed to capitalize on prime scoring opportunities caused by Castle turnovers early in Friday’s 42-7 loss and the failure haunted the Huskies throughout the game.  The #5 rated (5A) Knights zipped down the field in the opening minutes and looked as though they may ride rough-shod over North.  Castle opened up a 13-0 lead before the game was five minutes old.

North answered gamely, however, and quarterback Max Mooney led the way on the Huskies’ second possession.  Running the option play to the right—Mooney’s signature play—he pulled the ball back from the option runner’s hip and cut up field for a first down at the North 46 yard line.  A facemask penalty then pushed the ball into Castle territory.  Mooney picked up four more yards on another run and set up 2^nd and six from the Castle 45.

LONGEST PASS OF THE SEASON

With just a single back behind him, Mooney had five receivers split wide and a gusty wind at his back.  On the snap, speedy sophomore Chase Whitler dashed past his defender on the right hand side and cut toward the center of the field on a post pattern.  Mooney delivered the pass perfectly on target, Whitler hauled in the ball, and North had its longest passing play of the season when Whitler raced into the end zone.  Fellow sophomore Zac Turi split the uprights with the extra point kick and moved his name into a tie with 1975 graduate Brent Hawkins for 5^th place in North’s all-time career kicking points.  North trailed by 13-7 but was ‘back in the ballgame’.

OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS

Defensive tackle Antwan Ogburn served up the Huskies’ first chance to take the lead in the game when he recovered a Castle fumble at the 29 yard line.  Running back Blake Howell picked up seven yards on first down and Mooney turned a busted pass play into a first down at the 16 when he twisted free of a defender and dashed across the line of scrimmage.

In an odd precursor to a night full of miscues, there was a fumbled snap on first down that wasted a play.  Mooney rolled out on a bootleg play on second down and an open receiver let a ball slide off his finger tips.  As a result of the first two miscues, the Huskies were forced to throw on third and long and the Knights were in position—they intercepted a pass in the end zone to end the scoring opportunity.

OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS AGAIN

Ogburn again stripped the quarterback of the ball just three plays into the Knights’ ensuing drive and Homecoming King Trevor Burklow nimbly recovered the fumble at the Castle 15 yard line.  Mooney picked up four yards on the option to the right on first down, but a Howell run was dropped for a two yard loss on second down.  A false start penalty on an offensive lineman then pushed the Huskies back five more yards and a promising opportunity was now facing third-and-thirteen at the 18 yard line.

It was an obvious passing down and the Knights blitzed with all their linebackers in an effort to thwart Mooney’s timing.  The blitz worked, Mooney was flushed from the pocket, and could only manage four yards before being brought down.  On fourth and nine, a 30 yard field goal attempt was high enough and plenty long enough, but missed wide to the left.

North had nothing to show for two Castle turnovers and instead of leading the game 21-13 with a surprised opponent ‘back on their heels’, the Huskies still trailed 13-7.

THE DEFENSE RISES TO THE OCCASION—AGAIN!

Castle took over at their 20 and began to meticulously drive the ball down the field.  Within five plays they were in North territory with a first down at the 43.  The Husky defense stiffened and when faced with fourth-and-one at the North 34, the Knights chose to ‘go for it’.

Castle is ranked #5 in the state in 5A (North’s class) and they are ranked that high for a reason.  They are deep and they are big up front.  Twenty-two different players start for them—no one has to go both ways.  In a game of “power” football, the Knights were certain that they could over power the Huskies.

In the second quarter, with 9 minutes to play in the half, they could not have been more wrong.

Still relatively fresh and not feeling the effects of multiple quarters of play, North’s defensive line surged forward and met their counterparts ‘head on’.  Senior middle linebacker and team captain Drew Watters shot through a gap in the offensive line created by the surge of defenders .   Flying to the ball, he gathered up the elusive Knight runner and slammed him to the ground for a two yard loss.

North’s defense had, for the third time in eight minutes of play, either forced a turnover or made a stop that gave the offense good field position.  Castle’s faithful legions (there were fully 1,500 Knight fans in the opposing stands at Bundrant Stadium) got very quiet when North lined up on offense.

HIGH TIDE FOR THE HUSKIES

Watters, having earned a warm spot in Husky hearts with his defensive gem on fourth down, served notice that he was up to playing with the fifth ranked team in the state on offense as well.  Faced with second and nine at the 37, the senior lined up at his tight end position and got off the ball quickly as he ran a ‘skinny ‘ post up the center of the field. 

This time Mooney was throwing ‘against’ the gusty wind that had supported his earlier touchdown throw and the ball held up a bit in the air.  Watters reached up to grab it above his head and bobbled it once, juggled it twice, and then hauled it into his chest and continued up field.  Before Castle’s safety could bring him down, he had a North first down at the Castle 37 yard line.

It was to be high tide for the Huskies in the game.  With 8:30 to play, North was on the verge of taking the lead as halftime neared.

Instead a run for no gain and a false start penalty combined to bring up 3^rd and 13 at the 40 yard line.  Once again, the Knights knew for certain that North had to throw and they sent a blitz.  In the pivotal play of the game, Mooney was unable to avoid the heavy rush, twisted backwards from a defender, and was then thrown further back in a vicious sack.  From 1^st and 10 at the 37, the Huskies were now facing fourth and twenty-four from their own territory.

Castle’s ensuing drive after the punt went 72 yards for a touchdown on 12 plays that wore down the Husky line.

SECOND HALF

A fake punt gambit on the first possession of the third quarter came up inches short of success for the Huskies and Castle, taking over at their 47, drove down field to make the score 28-7 with 7:50 remaining in the third period.

North summoned up its final successful drive of the evening and the running game was able to hit stride.  Blake Howell moved into fifth-place on North’s list of all-time career rushing yards as he gained 29 yards off tackle on the first play of the possession.  His 2,391 career yards rushing moved him past 2008 graduate Larry Merrieweather. 

Fullback Du’vante Lane, returning to the lineup after a two game absence with a separated shoulder, then went 40 yards up the middle on his longest run of the season.  North was moving the ball at will and had a first down at the Castle 32.  Howell picked up 9 yards on two more carries and “Big” Mike Johnson ran for eleven yards and a first down at the Knight 13 yard line.

THIRTEEN IS AN UNLUCKY NUMBER

The number ‘13’ bears an unlucky connotation.  Tonight it was well deserved.  On first down, Howell was held for no gain and was tackled in a way that bent his ankle underneath him.  He had to be assisted (virtually carried) from the field and did not return to the game. 

On second down at the 13, a pass to Watters into the end zone was unluckily tipped at the last second and prevented a certain touchdown.

On third down at the 13, North fumbled the ball and essentially ended any chances that they might have in the game.

“Big” MIKE PLAYS ON

While North ultimately wore down, a couple players in particular were conspicuous by their heroic efforts to stem the inevitable tide against which they were fighting.  Senior end “Big” Mike Johnson continued to fight ‘the good fight’.  On first down of the ensuing possession, he sacked the Castle quarterback and ultimately the loss of yards forced Castle to punt.

On the next defensive possession, he batted down a pass from his end position and assisted on two more tackles.

Sophomore linebacker Ryan Wargel gamely recorded tackle after tackle as the Knights wore down the defense with their power running game.  Wargel ranged sideline-to-sideline in his efforts to slow down the blue and yellow juggernaut.

MISCUES AND MISSED OPPORTUNITIES

In the end, North lost 42-7.  This was a game that was far more in doubt than the final score suggests.  The tipping point in the battle proved to be little things—false start penalties that set up long third downs, four fumbled snaps, three ‘certain’ pass completions that glanced off outstretched fingers.  The Huskies squandered opportunities on a night that required them to play their best football.

And that is what resulted in a lopsided score—not a mismatch of talent.

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