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North vs Jeffersonville Red Devils (Sectional 2nd Round) - at Blair Field Oct 26, 2012

Game Stats    Game Recap   

Offense

Oct 26 NORTH vs Jeffersonville VARSITY Offensive Stats
2012              
Passing              
Player Att Com % Yards TD INT Notes:
MOONEY 16 3 19% 74 1 1 1-57yd TD (Whitler)
       --        
TOTAL 16 3 19% 74 1 1  
             
Rushing              
Player Att Yds Avg TD Long Fum Notes:
LANE 14 138 9.9 1 28 0 1-28yd TD
HOWELL 15 79 5.3 1 16 0 1-11yd TD
WHITLER 3 52 17.3 1 46 0 1-46yd TD
MOONEY 12 51 4.3 0 32 2  
    ####        
      ####        
TOTAL 44 320 7.3 3 46 2  
             
Receiving              
Player Rec To " Yds Avg TD Long Notes:
WHITLER 1 3 57 57.0 1 57 1-57yd TD (Mooney)
WATTERS 1 5 9 9.0   9  
JENKINS 1 1 8 8.0   8  
UNDERWOOD   6   ####      
         --      
TOTAL 3 15 74 24.7 1 57  
  * thrown to        
             
Returns              
Player Type No. Yds Avg. TD Long Notes:
WHITLER KO 1 27 27.0   27  
HOWELL KO 2 50 25.0   39  
DAVIS KO 1 10 10.0   10  
WHITLER Punt 1 15 15.0   15  
TOTAL   5 102 20.4 0 39  
             
Kicks              
Player Type No. Yds Avg. Long   Notes:
TURI KO 5 215 43.0 55   1-Touchback; 1-squibbed
WHITLER Punt 3 97 32.3 35    
TOTAL   8 312 39.0      
             
Scoring              
Player Total TD rush TD rec TD ret 2pt XP XP kick Safety
WHITLER 12 1 1 0 0 0 0
HOWELL 6 1 0 0 0 0 0
LANE 6 1 0 0 0 0 0
TURI 3 0 0 0 0 3 0
TOTAL 27 3 1 0 0 3 0

Team Stats

Oct 26 NORTH vs Jeffersonville Team Stats  
2012        
  NORTH   JEFFERSONVILLE  
12 FIRST DOWNS 19  
11 Rushing 14  
0 Passing 4  
1 Penalty 1  
320 RUSHING YARDS 258  
44 Rushing attempts 37  
7.3 Avg yds per rush 7.0  
74 PASSING YARDS 156  
16 Attempts 29  
3 Completions 13  
19% Completion % 45%  
24.7 Avg yds per completion 12.0  
0 / 0 Sacked / Yards Lost 1 / -8  
394 TOTAL YARDS 414  
60 Plays 66  
6.6 Avg yds per play 6.3  
3 TURNOVERS 2  
2 Fumbles lost 1  
1 Passes HAD intercepted 1  
7 Points scored off turnovers 14  
6 / 45 PENALTIES / YARDS 13 / 90  
7 / 13 3rd down conversions 4 / 12  
1 / 3 4th down conversions 3 / 3  
       
SCORING        
QTR TIME PLAY SCORE  
1st 3:59 Momoh 27 yd Field Goal 0 - 3  
  3:19 Whitler 46 yd TD Run 6 - 3  
    Turi XP Kick 7 - 3  
2nd 11:55 Hines 6 yd TD Run 7 - 9  
    Momoh XP Kick 7 - 10  
  10:34 Chandler 45 yd TD Reception (Fridley) 7 - 16  
    Momoh XP Kick 7 - 17  
  10:01 Hines 19 yd TD Run 7 - 23  
    Momoh XP Kick 7 - 24  
  9:09 Whitler 57 yd TD Reception (Mooney) 13 - 24  
    Turi XP Kick 14 - 24  
  8:31 Howell 11 yd TD Run 20 - 24  
    Turi XP Kick 21 - 24  
3rd 9:58 Lane 28 yd TD Run 27 - 24  
    XP kick blocked 27 - 24  
  7:55 Allen 24 yd TD Run 27 - 30  
    XP kick no good 27 - 30  
4th 6:26 Hines 1 yd TD Run 27 - 36  
    Momoh XP Kick 27 - 37  

Defensive Stats

  NORTH VS JEFFERSONVILLE  10/26/2012 - DEFENSIVE STATS
                   
PLAYER SOLO ASST. T-FL SACK C FUM R FUM INT BK POINTS
DREW WATTERS 11 6 2 0 1 0 0 0 34
CHASE WHITLER 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 16
DUVANTE' LANE 6 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 15
RYAN WARGEL 6 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 15
CURRAN DAVIS 3 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 13
MIKE JOHNSON 3 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 9
JUSTIN LOCKETT 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 7
AUSTIN PAYNE 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 6
JAYDEN BESHEARS 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 6
ANTWAN OGBURN 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 5
MAALIK BUTLER 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4
MITCHELL JENKINS 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2
MAX MOONEY 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2
MASON JENKINS 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
TOTALS 49 21 4 1 1 1 1 0 135

Game Recap

HURRICANE SANDY HURTS HUSKIES IN 37-27 LOSS

The North Huskies lost a battle in the rain to Jeffersonville 37-27 in the Sectional second round.  It marked the Huskies’ second season in a row with a 5-5 record and the first consecutive five win seasons since the ’06-’07 campaigns.

HURRICANE SANDY SAYS ‘HELLO’

The weather was a hindrance to both clubs early in the game.  As Hurricane Sandy made her presence felt across the eastern half of the country, those who found themselves in the stands at Blair Field would have found it hard to believe she was 700 miles away.  The pouring rain made the footing treacherous and the ball handling sloppy.  Over the course of the game, North would fumble nine times (losing two) and Jeffersonville would fumble six times (losing one). 

It proved to be a game in which mistakes determined the outcome more so than execution.

SLUGGISH FIRST QUARTER

The first three possessions of the game (two for North, one for Jeffersonville) resulted in punts.  Quarterback Max Mooney twice lost his footing in the mud of Blair Field on key downs and “BigMike Johnson spoiled the Red Devils first opportunity with a ‘Big’ sack of the quarterback on third down.

It was not until Jeffersonville’s second possession that events started to pick up speed.

Despite lining up in what film review showed to be multiple illegal formations, the Red Devils put together a drive for a field goal with 3:59 to play in the quarter.  The drive was ‘kept alive’ by a questionable pass interference call on 4th and 23 at the North 32.  It then stalled in the rain at the 10 and resulted in a 27 yard kick to make the score 3-0.

WHITLER BESTS THE CONDITIONS

The rain lessened just a bit and the Huskies made good use of the momentary respite.  Senior Blake Howell fielded the ensuing kickoff at the Huskie 8 yard line and returned it to near midfield.  Unfortunately, the Huskies were whistled for holding on their first play from scrimmage and found themselves facing 1st and 25.  The Huskies were up to the challenge.

Howell took a pitch to the left side on a sweep and found some room along the sideline.  He gained 16 yards on the play and North was in Jeffersonville territory for the first time in the game.

When QB Max Mooney lined the team up in their option spread “Show-Gun” formation, the fireworks began.  Sophomore Chase Whitler, lined up in the right side slot back position, made his way to the left on the snap, took a reverse handoff from Mooney, and then sprinted to his left.

He had to give ground to a rushing defensive end and ducked under the outstretched arm of the defender.  Pivoting at that point, he dashed forward at a 45 degree angle to the line of scrimmage as he tried to put some distance between himself and the defenders. 

Shaking one would-be tackler, he then dashed straight up field along the Husky sidelines.  At the 15 yard line, he used two team mates as ‘shields’ who screened off two Red Devils as he cut back into the middle of the field, and waltzed into the end zone untouched.

Zac Turi’s extra point gave the Huskies a 7-3 lead with 3:19 to play in the quarter.

SECOND QUARTER WHIRLWIND SCORING

Where the early possessions had seen both teams struggling to make head way against the stormy conditions, the next six minutes of football saw both teams capitalize on one another’s mistakes.  Jeffersonville began the salvo.

Taking to the air and passing on eight plays of a ten play drive, the Red Devils scored on a six yard run to retake the lead 10-7 as the second quarter got under way.

The conditions continued to deteriorate and that fact was apparent on both of North’s next two possessions.  Following the kickoff, a fumbled snap by the Huskies gave Jeffersonville the ball at the North 45.  They scored on the very first play with a 45 yard touchdown pass and made their lead 17-7.

North fumbled the handoff between the quarterback and the running back on their next possession and Jeffersonville got the ball back at North’s 30 yard line.

This time it took them just 33 seconds to make the score 24-7.

WHITLER GOES BALLISTIC

Just when it looked like the Huskies might get buried, Chase Whitler again came to the rescue.  On second and 10 at the 43, Whitler split out wide to the right as Mooney lined the team up in the ‘I’ formation.  Mooney took the snap and faked a handoff to the right to Howell and then dropped back two more steps and turned to look for Whitler.

Crossing over the middle on a post pattern, the fleet footed sophomore was being trailed by not one, not two, but three Red Devil defenders.  Mooney’s play-action fake had ‘held’ the defensive backfield long enough that Whitler’s blazing speed had allowed him to get past three defenders.  Mooney’s pass hit Whitler in stride at the 40 yard line and he maintained his narrow distance between him and his would-be tacklers all the way to the end zone.

Turi’s extra point made the score 24-14 and the Huskies were ‘back in the ball game’.

CURRAN DAVIS’ BIG NIGHT

In the regular season finale against Central, no defender had had a bigger night than Curran Davis.  The coaches had put him in formations that allowed his big, physical presence to have an impact on the “outside” game of the Bears.  Friday night allowed him to repeat his performance.

On the first play of Jeffersonville’s ensuing possession, Davis slammed into a Red Devil running back as he tried to get outside and turn up field.  The ball popped loose and Davis snatched the ball away.  It was the first of two turnovers (the other being an interception later in the half) that Davis would force on the night.

THE OL’ ONE-TWO

Davis’ fumble recovery gave the ball to the Huskies at the Jeffersonville 29 and the Huskies fell back on “Old Reliable”—the one-two punch of fullback Du’vante Lane and tailback Blake Howell.  Over the last three seasons, that tandem of running backs has produced an astounding 46 touchdowns between them and over 3,500 yards of rushing.  No combination of ‘Fullback & Tailback’ has produced so much offense together for North since the days of Derenzo Bushrod and James Bell at the turn of the century.

On first down, Mooney read the option to perfection as he moved to his right, handed the ball to Lane as the dive back, and Du’vante rambled 18 yards to the 11 yard line.

Blake Howell then got the call and followed a wall built by sophomore guard Buddy Waelde, junior Dylan Powell, and senior Dylan Simmons into the end zone for a touchdown.  Turi’s 28th extra point of the season moved him into Seventh in the all-time ‘Kicking’ points scored for a season and North trailed 24-21.

Jeffersonville and North had combined to score 35 points in just 3:20 of game time.

DEFENSE SOLIDIFIES

It looked as though the scoring might continue at its blistering pace when the Red Devils next got the ball.  Four consecutive runs had moved the ball back into North’s end of the field.  When they converted a fourth-and-three at the North 38, it appeared that the Huskies were going to give up another score.

Jeffersonville has two primary ball carriers.  One is a conventional tail back—slight in build and blazing fast.  The second is a “Big Back”—normally a Tight End, he stands 6’5” and weighs 250 lbs.

On first down, the ‘Big Back’ took a pitch around left end and built up a head of steam as he ran to daylight. 

And then Curran Davis closed down the daylight.

Davis discarded a screening blocker and nailed the runner for a four yard loss.

On second down, it fell to senior linebacker Drew Watters to shut the door.

Watters had entered the game ranked number 6 All-Time in career solo unassisted tackles (tied with team mate Mike Johnson with 115).  Watters was ‘everywhere’ on Friday night.  Before the game was over he would record 13 solo unassisted tackles, 6 assisted tackles, 2 thrown-for-losses, and cause one fumble.  On second down, he recorded a BIG thrown-for-loss that effectively ended Jeffersonville’s drive.

ONCE MORE, CURRAN DAVIS COMES THROUGH

When North was unable to move the ball in the rain, Jeffersonville fielded the punt cleanly and returned it to the Husky 37 yard line with just 1:30 to play in the half.  A 3rd down ‘pop’ pass caught North unawares and the Red Devils were at North’s 24 with 35 seconds to play.

Jeffersonville’s passing game is ranked number three in Indiana 5A.  They have a combination of quarterback and wide receiver that have played together for three seasons and they know one another well.  That awareness nearly paid off—until Curran Davis again stepped into the fray.

BigMike Johnson flushed the quarterback out of the pocket with a ferocious push and a spin past two blockers.  He very nearly sacked the quarterback, but the runner squirmed free and began to search downfield as he rolled to his right.

The receiver, sensing his quarterback was in trouble, broke off his route and wheeled back to the right in order to act as a deep target if his quarterback could get a moment free.

Any long time football fan could tell that these two players shared a ‘chemistry’ that allowed them to help one another out in times of trouble. 

The quarterback spotted his receiver and winged the ball 30 yards to the end zone.  The receiver was open when he threw the ball and for a moment it appeared that North would trail by 10 at halftime.

The ball ‘held up’ in the wind for just the briefest moment and it allowed Curran Davis to scope out the situation.  Closing on the receiver as quickly as he could and using his big frame to his advantage, Davis plucked the ball out of the grasp of the receiver for a touchdown-saving interception in the end zone.

Having been down 24-7, North went into half time down just 24-21.

SECOND HALF

Jeffersonville came out throwing in the second half—and promptly went three-and-out.  A short punt gave North prime field position to start the second stanza.

Senior Du’vante Lane chose this possession to be his ‘shining moment’.

Lane has long been the ‘fullback’ in North’s offense.  Fullback is a ‘dying art’ around football fields.  It requires a back to be part blocker, part receiver, part runner, and part strategist.  The fullback is often used as a decoy on play-action fakes and the lead blocker on sweeps.

Fullback is not a ‘glory’ position, but any team that has a good one knows that they are worth their weight in gold.

For three seasons, Du’vante Lane has been ‘gold’ in the North backfield.

On this night, despite the mud and the turf covering his uniform, the Huskies’ gold-nugget shined brightly.

LANE ‘TOTES THE ROCK’

On second and 13, Lane picked a fumbled exchange between himself and Mooney and turned a certain five yard loss into a three yard gain.

On third and 10, Lane lined up as the deep back in the “Show-Gun” formation, took a pitch to the right, broke around the end in front of the North sidelines, and gained 15 yards to the 28 yard line.

Toting the Rock’ for the third consecutive play, Du’vante drove through ‘the six hole’ behind tackle Logan Mullen and tight end Drew Watters.  Seeing daylight in the center of the field to his left (where center Dylan Simmons had laid out the middle linebacker), Lane cut back and raced toward the end zone.  With two defenders on his heels, Lane used a high knee action to keep his pursuers from grabbing his ankles.  He ran upright into the end zone and North regained the lead at 27-24 with barely two minutes gone in the half.

THE ‘BIG BACK’ ANSWERS

Following a squib kick that gave them the ball at the 40 yard line, Jeffersonville changed tactics.  Whereas they had begun the half throwing the ball, on this possession they relied solely on the run.  On four consecutive plays, their Tail Back ran the ball.  On four consecutive plays, his line opened up holes into the North second layer of defense.  On four consecutive plays, Drew Watters made the tackle—albeit well downfield due to the blocking.

With the ball at the North 32, the Red Devils switched tactics and lined up in a Wildcat formation. 

A Wildcat formation is a direct snap from the center to the intended ball carrier and the remaining three ‘backs’ are all deployed as blockers.

The ‘Big Back’ was the recipient of the snap and he hit the North line with a full head of steam built up.

The first time they ran the play, it gained 8 yards straight up the middle.

The second time they ran the play, North was ready for the plunge and seemed to stop the Big Back’s momentum.

Unfortunately, he slipped from the grasp of four Huskies and bounced his run outside to his right.

And raced 24 yards to the end zone.

Despite a missed extra point, Jeffersonville led 30-27 with 7:55 to play in the quarter.

LONG DRIVE WITH NO RESULTS

North rallied and utilized Lane to great effect on the ensuing drive.  On a critical third-and-ten, Mooney ran the Option play to the right and handed the ball to Lane as the dive back.  He blew through the hole between Powell and Simmons for 12 yards and a first down.

The same play opened up for 27 yards on the next down and Lane was tackled at the Red Devil 30.

It would prove to be North’s “last best chance” to win the game.

Three running plays gained a few yards and an offside penalty set up fourth and long.

An interception on fourth down was returned to midfield and the rain began to pour down again.

MOONEY’S INTUITION

The Huskies continued to ‘fight the good fight’ despite the conditions and there was one more moment in which they had a chance to get back in the ballgame.

North took over the ball with 1:39 to play in the 3rd quarter and Max Mooney made the most of a busted play on 2nd and nine at the North 22 yard line.  Flushed from the pocket by a blitzing linebacker, the senior quarterback stepped to his left and saw an opening.

Many times in his career Mooney has turned ‘busted’ plays into ‘big gains’ with his uncanny sense of when and where to run. 

Knee surgery in March had robbed him of some of his speed this season, but his sense of timing never failed him.  The most ‘intuitive’ quarterback that North had put on the field in the last five seasons, Mooney’s intuition served him well again on this play.

Rather than throwing into the wind, he pulled the ball down and raced toward the line of scrimmage.  Reaching that point, he ‘hip swiveled’ a would-be tackler and then broke into the clear.  It would prove to be his longest run of the season (that wasn’t called back by penalty) as he dashed 32 yards up the left hand sideline.  He was forced out of bounds at the Jeffersonville 46 and Mooney had single handedly ‘breathed new life’ into North’s chances.

FOURTH QUARTER

As the game rolled into the fourth quarter, first Howell and then Lane slammed through the Red Devil defense for first downs.  The Huskies were down to the 28 yard line and trailing by just 3 points.  A first down run lost three yards, a second down pass was batted down, and a Whitler reverse gained just one yard.

On fourth and long, the coaches called for a Screen pass.

Given the conditions, it seemed the correct call.  A short pass against a blitzing defense in the rain would have greater likelihood of success than a long pass beyond the first down markers.

Film review of the game showed that the play lined up perfectly.

1.       Mooney took the snap and gave ground to his left as he back pedaled.

2.       The line held their blocks just long enough to keep the blitzing defenders from guessing the play.

3.       North’s downfield receivers, Messrs. Underwood, Watters, and Lane all formed a perfect wall, each of them spaced a few yards apart to act as blockers for a runner.

4.       The receiver was open to receive the ball and film showed a perfect path to the end zone given the wall of blockers.

The slick ball glanced off the hands of a normally sure-handed receiver and fell incomplete.

Hurricane Sandy had taken the last gasp of air from the Huskies chances at victory.

ONE LAST STAND

Husky Hearts” had one last display of their resolve on the ensuing possession.  Curran Davis dropped a runner with an open field tackle.  Senior Antwan Ogburn made a big-time stop at the line of scrimmage against the Red Devils’ ‘Big Back’.  In a display of power against power, Ogburn had shown himself to be the most powerful.

Later in the possession, Drew Watters continued his run of being in the right place at the right time with an open field tackle and Jeffersonville was forced to contemplate a third-down-and-five at midfield.

The Huskies had stopped the Red Devils momentum at the North 48 and just needed one more stand to get the ball back.

As it turned out, the following play would prove to be the ‘back breaker’.

In the Wildcat formation, the Red Devils handed the ball to their ‘Big Back’ and he shot through the middle of the line.  Only a Chase Whitler ankle tackle at the five prevented the runner from scoring.  Jeffersonville scored on the next play and the game was virtually over with 6:26 to play.

North would twice more penetrate into Jeffersonville territory and throw passes into the end zone, but, in the rain, the passes would fall harmlessly to the ground.  Needing ten points to win, neither drive produced points and the Huskies finished their season 5-5.

HUSKY HEARTS

North had entered its last two games as substantial underdogs of ten points or more.  With too much heart to be intimidated by the experts, North had whipped one of the opponents and played the other to a standstill in a rainstorm.

Senior leaders Mike Johnson, Mitchell Jenkins, Blake Howell, Curran Davis, Du’vante Lane, Drew Watters, Dylan Simmons, Antwan Ogburn, Logan Mullen, Brock Underwood, and above all, Max Mooney would not let this team quit.

They displayed Husky Hearts for the ages.

 

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