North's first scrimmage under the leadership of new head coach Bret Szabo had its share of highlight reel plays as the Huskies varsity tallied four scores to just three for Jasper. 

The first offensive possession, though, was a bit of a "feeling out" for a comparatively new offensive line.  The first series saw juniors Cody Smith and Riley Draper at tackle and Buddy Waelde at center, sophomore Bryce Brown at one guard and senior Dylan Powell at the other guard.  Running 12 of their first 15 plays from a "spread" formation with seniors Jesse Millikan (QB) and Maalik Butler (RB) in the backfield, the Husky offense generated only two first downs.

It wasn't until the defense took the field that some of the highlights started to stand out.  Jasper had taken their opening series and driven down field with consecutive first downs on the strength of a grind-it-out running game.  When they reached the North 38 and faced a fourth down, it was Draper who sounded the first "big hit" of the evening.  Jasper's big running back initially saw some light in the center of the line, but Draper shed his would-be blocker and "planted" the running back to stop the series cold.

On the next series, Jasper "opened up" the offense a bit and it was the defensive backfield that stood out.  Senior cornerback Justin Lockett broke up one long pass and junior Chase Whitler prevented a score with a tremendous open field tackle on another pass play.

The second possession featured ten plays from the 10 yard line and North stuck predominantly with the "spread" formation.  Butler took an option toss to the right on the second series and struck paydirt with a 5 yard touchdown run.  The first "offensive" highlight reel play came on the tenth and final play of the possession for the Huskies when Whitler ran a corner rout into the left side of the end zone on third and 15 and Millikan slipped outside a pass rush and launched a perfect strike for a touchdown.

DEFENSE DELIVERS THE HITS IN SECOND POSSESSION

The Husky defense yielded a quick score on the second play of Jasper's turn from the 10 yard line, but the defense quickly tightened up and shut down the Wildcats.  Four "highlight" hits took place in the last five plays of the possession.  On the first, Waelde stopped a fourth-and-goal dive play at the three--and he stopped it "dead cold" with a ferocious hit on the running back.

Jasper moved back to the 10 with a new set of downs and this time junior Riley Fidler came up from his defensive back position in run support and dropped a runner for "no gain" on first down.  After a dive play gained four yards, the Wildcats had two plays remaining in their possession.  Junior Ryan Wargel came up big when a sweep around left end broke free and looked certain to score.  Wargel's interior pursuit enabled him to nail the would-be-scorer at the one yard line. 

With one play remaining in the possession, the Wildcats lined up on fourth and goal from the one.  As their quarterback rolled right to pass, junior Zac Turi blitzed from his backside linebacker position and "laid out" the quarterback with a hit that jarred the ball loose and caused a fumble.  It was the hardest hit of the evening by either squad.

OFFENSE PICKS UP IN FINAL POSSESSION

North's offense seemed to pick up its intensity during the varsity's third and final possession.  Running their first five plays from an offset "I' formation with Millikan under center, the offense breezed down the field on five plays and Butler took a pitch around left end for the final 14 yards and his second score of the evening.  Turi then took over as quarterback for the remaining eight plays of the possession and the offense did not appear to miss a lick.

Passing on six of Turi's eight plays, the junior quarterback completed four passes for 49 yards.  He opened his series by completing a 20 yard pass to Whitler on a crossing rout over the middle and his second toss went over the middle to junior Ty Winchell who turned the play into a 16 yard "catch-and-run" touchdown.

As a whole, the Huskies seemed to find their stride as the evening progressed which is often the case with teams that are rebuilding their offensive and defensive lines.  If the second and third varsity possessions are any indicator, those lines are coming together quickly.