Back

North Huskies vs Jasper Wildcats - at Bundrant Stadium Oct 11, 2024

Game Stats    Game Recap   

Offense

Team Stats

Defensive Stats

Game Recap

MISCUES COSTLY IN HUSKIES’ 28-20 LOSS

Three first half turnovers, two blocked kicks, and eight second half penalties cost the North Huskies a chance at victory over the Jasper Wildcats.  North generated 330 yards of total offense to 226 for Jasper and recorded 18 first downs to just nine for the Wildcats but wound up on the wrong end of a 28-20 score.

Problems began early on for the Huskies.  For the third game in a row, the defense held the opponent on their first possession and forced a punt.  For the third game in a row, the resulting punt ended up with the Huskies starting the game in horrible field position in front of their goal posts.  The snap from center bounced off the leg of a motion-back and bad field position got worse.  A second down run lost two more yards and a third down pass was dropped by a receiver.  The inevitable punt traveled just 21 yards and it took Jasper seven consecutive running plays to score from the North 23.  A flawless extra point kick made the score 7-0 Jasper with five minutes to play in the first quarter.

NORTH RESPONDS

When the Huskies are not starting from inside their 10-yard line, the North offense can roll.  Senior Jason Rucker returned the Wildcat kickoff out beyond the 30-yard line and the offense ‘clicked’.   Senior Jacob Tenbarge hit junior Cole McBride on an out-rout and the reception picked up 12 yards to convert a third down.  Senior Avier Mitchell picked up 30 yards rushing on his first three carries and the Huskies were knocking on the Wildcats’ door.  Tenbarge took the snap at the Jasper 12, rolled to his left, and found senior Grant Happe alone at the goal line for the first of his two touchdown receptions in the game.  The ensuing extra point kick was blocked when a defender rushed in unimpeded from the left side—a lapse that would be repeated later in the game.  North trailed 7-6 with 2:40 to play in the quarter.

SECOND QUARTER TURNOVERS

The second period proved to be the Huskies’ undoing.  First, the Wildcats intercepted a pass at their 40-yard line and then converted three consecutive third downs—the final one being a 32-yard run on a counter-play.  Second, when a North receiver picked up twelve yards for an apparent first down at the North 32, a fumble quickly turned the play into a short-field for Jasper.  It took the Wildcats just five plays to cover the distance—the final play being a 22-yard touchdown run by their quarterback—and in two minutes and ten seconds of play, they opened a 15-point lead.

Following the kickoff, with under a minute to play, North advanced the ball all the way to the Jasper six-yard line following a 32-yard reception by junior Evan Garrett.  Unfortunately, on the next play, a pass intended for the end zone was under thrown and a Wildcat intercepted the pass at the two.  The Huskies went into half trailing 21-6.

SECOND HALF

The Huskies sent out senior Luke Grayson to play quarterback after the break and the offense stabilized.  North’s first possession generated a pair of first downs before stalling at midfield.  The defense forced a three-and-out and following a short punt, the Huskies finally had a short field to work with.

With Mitchell and Grayson alternating carries, North quickly moved to the 11-yard line.  The first deadly penalty of the half occurred there when an illegal block pushed the ball back to the 21.  Grayson and Mitchell again alternated carries and the ball was back at the seven with the Huskies facing fourth-and-six.  An offsides penalty pushed the ball back to the twelve and a Grayson to Hunter Skelton pass could only pick up ten yards.  The drive stalled at the Jasper two.

RICKY WHITE TO THE RESCUE

Finally faced with poor starting field position of their own to deal with, the Wildcats felt the pressure.  On first down they botched the snap from center and junior linebacker Ricky White zoomed to snatch up the ball as it rolled free in the end zone.  In the game, White would make many great plays on defense (12 tackles—6 solo—a tackle for loss, and a pass defended) but no play would be greater than this one.  After Grayson ran a two-point conversion in, the Huskies had pulled within 21-14 with 3:49 to play in the quarter.

The defense again stymied the Wildcats—this time it was senior Zethan Colon donning Superman’s cape when he single-handedly stopped Jasper on second and third downs.  On third-and-six, Colon dropped a runner for a three-yard loss ‘with authority’.

A DRIVE TO PAYDIRT

The Huskies took over at their 34 following the ensuing punt.  Grayson picked up a first down at midfield when he connected with Happe on a 12-yard pass.  Jason Rucker handled the load after that with six carries that brought on a Husky first down at the Jasper ten.  Grayson then lined up in the shot gun and tossed the ball to his right on a ‘flanker screen’ to Happe.  The senior receiver caught the pass with Skelton and McBride ahead of him to double team the defensive back.  Happe stepped to their left and carried another defender on his back as he fell into the end zone.  The Huskies had pulled with one at 21-20 with 8:12 to play.

As mentioned earlier, the same defender was left unaccounted for as had happened on the first extra point kick and the same result occurred.  The kick was blocked.

WILDCATS ANSWER

The defense had held Jasper in check throughout the second half.  In fact, the Wildcats would only gain two first downs after the break and generate just 89 yards of total offense.  Unfortunately, 57 of those 89 yards would occur on one play in their next possession.  A dive-back broke through the line and with the Husky defense overloaded on the perimeter, he ran all the way to the end zone and Jasper took a 28-20 lead with 6:37 to play.

PENALTIES DECIMATE THE NORTH OFFENSE

Over the remainder of the game, the Huskies would commit five penalties—including three consecutive plays on their next possession—and they would tell the story of North’s attempted comeback.

After the three consecutive penalties set up third-and-forever, the first drive ended with a punt that traveled just 12 yards.  The defense made a stand and got the ball back for the offense at the North 20 with three-minutes to play.  A Grayson run came up short of the first down at the 28 and the defense again held the Wildcats—Ricky White defended a pass on fourth down.   Only 45 seconds remained in the game, and the officials ruled the quarterback across the line of scrimmage as he scrambled to complete a pass to Garnett.  The game ended with the Huskies turning the ball over on downs at the 32.

 BACK TO TOP

BACK TO TOP