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North Huskies vs Castle Knights - at Knights Stadium Oct 28, 2016

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Offense

Team Stats

Defensive Stats

Game Recap

CASTLE HANGS ON TO BEAT NORTH 21-14

Despite playing their best game of the season, the Huskies lost 21-14 to Castle in the Sectional.  The Knights were able to thwart three drives by North in the fourth quarter to preserve their win.

THE ‘I’ PAYS DIVIDENDS EARLY

Four minutes into the game, Castle’s punter ‘shanked’ a kick that went out of bounds near midfield, and North had excellent field position.  The Huskies had sophomore quarterback A.J. Wheeler under center and returned to the “I” formation offense that had nearly pulled off an upset a week earlier against Central.

The “I” formation allowed the Huskies to deploy senior Sean Coane in a variety of formations:  he could line up at tailback, as a slot back, split wide as a receiver, or as a tight end.  Rather than taking every snap from center and having to work to get open space, the “I” allowed the talented senior to receive the ball already outside the interior of the defense on short passes, screens, tosses, and sweeps.  He could even be used as a decoy to lure defenses away from an intended receiver.

The formation paid dividends early as North marched 54 yards on 11 plays and took a 7-0 lead with 3:29 left in the period.  Wheeler spread the ball around and targeted three different recievers during the drive as Coane also carried the ball five times—including the final yard for the score.

STREET’S FINAL GAME A GREAT ONE

Coane wasn’t the only celebrated senior putting finishing touches on a glorious career.  Fellow captain Cage Street was determined to do his most to try and keep this from being his last game in the green and white.

When Castle returned the ensuing kickoff to their 41, their offense quickly moved the ball to the Husky 44 yard line.  When the Knights’ fleet footed running back got outside on a sweep, it appeared he might go all the way.

Street tracked him down with a brilliant open field tackle.

On first and ten at the 34, Street defended a quick pass to a slot receiver and the toss fell complete.

On second and ten, Street stopped a runner with a bone jarring hit and held him to a short gain.

On third and seven, Street fell back into coverage in intercepted a pass at the North 24 to turn the ball back over to the offense.

SECOND QUARTER BELONGS TO THE KNIGHTS

Castle’s defense stiffened and the Huskies’ defensive backfield experienced some let downs as the game moved into the second period.  Following a North punt, Castle got a pair of big plays from their all-time leading wide receiver.  He beat the Husky defense on back to back plays and went 37 yards on the first play and scored from 28 yards on the second.  The score was tied at 7 with 7:42 to play in the half.

The Huskies moved the ball quickly on their ensuing possession as senior Zach Martin took a quick pass and streaked 17 yards to the 38.  Wheeler then tossed a pitch to Coane that sprung him outside the defense and he rambled 31 yards to the Castle 31 before being wrestled out of bounds.

A Castle linebacker ended the North scoring threat, however, when he picked off a pass and ran 47 yards to the Husky 33.  The following play saw Castle’s talented wide receiver catch a wide open pass in the end zone to give the Knights a 14-7 lead. 

SECOND HALF

The defense yielded ground slowly but steadily on the first possession of the third period.  Street accounted for five tackles in the drive that made it to the North six yard line including a touchdown saving tackle on third and ten.  As a result of Street’s play, the Knights attempted an 18 yard field goal that missed wide to the right.

The offensive line appeared to take control of the game at that point and suddenly North seemed to have the momentum with them.  Coane shot through the line for 20 yards on the first play of the drive.  Wheeler then hit him with a pass on a crossing route that picked up another 27 yards.  Three passes to Zach Martin netted another 31 yards and North faced first and goal from the one.  Coane scored his second touchdown of the game and Nem Gvozdic’s kick knotted the score at 14-14 with 5:03 to play in the third quarter.

DICKENS’ BIG STOP

Given the success of the offense and Street’s spirited play on defense, it appeared that the game was swinging to North’s favor.  After Castle got a long kickoff return, the defense made a stand just inside North territory that brought about the Huskies’ most memorable play of the evening.

With a first down at the North 40, Castle ran off tackle.  Street and fellow senior Braden Huber stopped the runner to bring up second and six.  Senior Courtland Darrett then defended a pass to set up third down.  Street tracked down a receiver on a screen pass and tackled him short of the first down marker to bring up fourth down and two.

With everyone in the stadium standing and cheering, Castle faked one handoff and then handed the ball to another running back on a mis-direction play.  It appeared the gambit had worked as the runner approached the line of scrimmage with a full head of steam.  His momentum seemed that it would be sufficient regardless of who hit him.

Senior Kamron Dickens stepped into the gap.  He threw his shoulder forward, drove with his legs, and lifted the runner into the air while twisting him to his left.  The runner’s momentum then carried him parallel to the line of scrimmage rather than forward.  A measurement of the first down sticks showed the runner to be inches short of a first down.

Dickens had stepped into the breach and stopped the threat.

NORTH LETS ITS GUARD DOWN

Alas, following the brilliant play, the Husky defense was forced to punt the ball away when Castle’s defense stiffened.  Returning the punt to midfield, Street and sophomore Braylen Neighbors stopped a runner for no gain on first down.  A holding penalty later brought up third-and-nineteen, but the Knights’ all-star quarterback found their all-time receiver for 24 yards to set up first down at the North 33.  They ran the exact same play on the following down and it went 33 yards for the score.  Castle led 21-14 entering the fourth quarter.

FOURTH QUARTER DRIVES CANNOT CONVERT

Three times North had the ball in the final period.  All three drives came up empty handed.  One was thwarted by an interception and the final drive made it all the way to the Castle 15.  A penalty moved the ball back, a quarterback sack moved it further back, and a halfback option pass with Coane throwing back to Wheeler fell incomplete.  A corner route pass to the end zone intended for senior Tyreak Cogdell went incomplete and North’s season ended with fifty seconds on the clock.

ALL-TIMERS

Coane finished the game as North’s 8^th highest All-Time career yards rushing leader and among the top 10 running backs in scoring.  Street ended his career as the Huskies All-Time single season and career leader in solo-unassisted tackles.

The Green and White will truly miss this batch of seniors who played and battled so hard.    

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