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North Huskies vs Central Bears - at Central Stadium Oct 14, 2016

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Offense

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Defensive Stats

Game Recap

LATE LEAD SLIPS AWAY IN 24-13 LOSS TO BEARS

North led 13-10 with ten minutes to play, but late scores by Central stole the victory in a 24-13 win for the Bears.  Senior Sean Coane scored North’s only touchdown and kicker Nem Gvozdic booted a career high two field goals in the game.

3-0 HUSKY LEAD AFTER FIRST QUARTER

North took the opening kickoff and featured a new offensive formation.  Sophomore A.J. Wheeler took over as quarterback in the classic “I” formation with Coane featured at the tailback position.  The first play showed the potential of the offense as Coane took a handoff into the line behind senior guard Evan Fehd and ran 23 yards to midfield.  The Huskies drove all the way to the Central 15 but a holding penalty ten yards behind the line of scrimmage resulted in moving the ball back to the forty yard line.  The drive stalled at the Central 24 and Gvozdic made a 31 yard field goal to give North a 3-0 lead

DEFENSE HOLDS

Centrals vaunted running attack was featured prominently in their first possession.  The Bears’ freshman running back carried the ball on nine straight plays as Central drove to the North 29.  On second down, sophomore Andrew Hendrickson shot through the line and dropped a runner for a four yard loss.  The Bears completed a pass to set up fourth down and four at the North 14, but a heavy rush from end Eric McClain forced the quarterback to scramble to his right and throw an incomplete pass.  North took over on downs.

COANE IS MR. VERSATILITY

Following a botched handoff on first down, the Huskies faced second and eleven at their seven yard line.  On the snap, a runner started one direction on a sweep and then handed the ball to Coane on a reverse.  The defense responded by collapsing towards the runner near the line of scrimmage.  Coane suddenly stopped running, retreated a step or two into the end zone, and then arced a pass downfield nearly 50 yards to senior Tyreak Cogdell.  The receiver leapt high into the air and came down with the ball.  Losing his balance he fell to the ground at the Central 40 yard line for a 53 yard gain on the play.

The Huskies then reverted to running the ball between the tackles and pounded the ball to the two yard line on seven straight running plays.  On second and goal at the two yard line, Coane took a handoff up the middle for a touchdown.  Gvozdic’s kick made the score 10-0.

DEFENSE BENDS BUT WON’T BREAK

Central again chose to run the ball with the freshman tailback featured in their offense.  Seven plays had them knocking on North’s door at the 14 yard line.  On first down, McClain shot past his blocker and dropped the freshman tailback for a four yard loss. 

Facing second and long, the Bears’ quarterback went back to pass.  Sophomore Braylen Neighbors, having his best game of the season, burst through a double team block and sacked the quarterback for a nine yard loss. 

On third and 23, Coane made a brilliant open field tackle at the 17 when the freshman runner found room on the outside and the play likely saved a touchdown.  Central was forced to settle for a field goal.

DEFENSE COMES UP BIG AGAIN

With just two minutes remaining in the half, North opened up its offense and began passing to try and get another score before half.  A pair of passes from Wheeler to senior Zack Martin moved the ball into Central territory.  The strategy backfired, though, when Central intercepted at the 39 with a minute to play.  A screen pass on third down allowed the Central tailback to get free and he rambled to the North 30. 

Central had time for two more plays and the ball on the 30.  Senior Courtland Darrett ended the threat when he picked off a Bears pass for an interception at the goal line.  North went to half up 10-3.

SECOND HALF

The Bears came out of the break determined to run the ball.  With their talented freshman carrying on eight of thirteen plays, they moved to the North ten.  On third and seven, senior D’amonte Sylvain snagged a runner on a sweep for a one yard loss.  Central attempted a 20 yard field goal that went wide left.

North’s good fortune, however, was short lived.  Following a first down penalty for holding, the Huskies faces first and twenty and attempted a pass that was intercepted.  The Bear defender ran the pass back for a touchdown and the game was tied at 10-10.

GVOZDIC GETS NORTH A LEAD

As the third quarter came to an end, senior David Roach returned the favor when he picked off an errant Bears pass at the Central 46 and raced his was 33 yards to the 17 yard line.  A personal foul on the play spotted the ball at the Bear 7.  Three plays for short gain were negated by a false start penalty and North faced fourth and goal at the nine yard line.  Gvozdic came on and became the first Husky kicker since Zac Turi in 2013 to kick two field goals in a single game.  North led 13-10 and seemed in control of the game.

WHAT A DIFFERENCE TEN SECONDS MAKES

Disaster struck on the ensuing kickoff when Central’s freshman tailback took in Thomas Samuel’s kickoff at the three yard line.  Having misplayed catching the kick, the return man scooped the ball off the turf and reversed his field as the defense swarmed toward him.  The kickoff team allowed the runner to get outside—having broken formation when the ball appeared to be loose on the ground—and the result was a 97 yard kickoff return for a touchdown.  North went from leading to trailing 17-13 in ten seconds of play.

CENTRAL CONVERTS A TURNOVER WITH DECEPTION

The Huskies picked up a first down on third and six and had the ball at their 30 with 8 minutes to play.  Quarterback A.J. Wheeler dropped back to pass and looked for Ryan Huebner downfield.  Throwing deep to the Central 41, the pass was intercepted by the Bears.

Five straight running plays by their tailback moved the ball to the North 35.  On first down tackles Kaleb McTier and Braylen Neighbors combined on a tackle to hold the runner to a short gain.  On second and six, Neighbors stopped the runner on a solo tackle to bring up third and four.  Senior Cage Street met the runner head on as he stepped through the line of scrimmage and Central faced fourth and one. 

Street again met the runner at the line of scrimmage on fourth down but it appeared the Bears had a first down by an inches.  A penalty for holding negated any gain and Central faced fourth and eleven and called time out.  With barely three minutes to play, they lined up to punt.

The snap for the punt did not go to the punter.  The blocking back received the snap and every Central player ran to the right as the punter faked having received the ball and ran that direction.  The blocking back stepped quickly to his left—against the grain of his fellow team mates—and got outside the defense.  He ran 36 yards for a touchdown.  Central led 24-13 with 2:59 to play.

The Huskies got the ball twice more but were unable to move and the game ended 24-13.

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