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North Huskies vs Central Bears - at Central Stadium Oct 18, 2024

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Offense

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Game Recap

HUSKIES REBOUND WITH 35-7 WIN OVER CENTRAL

The North Huskies won their fourth consecutive North Side Trophy with a running clock 35-7 victory over the Central Bears.  North had scored 155 straight points (over 3 contests) against the Bears until giving up a fourth quarter score Friday night.

The two teams committed 27 penalties for a total of 252 yards in the contest as tempers flared throughout the game.  North forced three turnovers in the second quarter as Central committed an unheard of 14 penalties in the second period.  Senior Mathew Pegram intercepted a pass and recovered a fumble within four minutes of play as North jumped out to a 35-0 lead in the first half and forced a running clock after the break.

GRAYSON TAKES OVER

Senior quarterback Luke Grayson, getting his first start at quarterback this season led the team on a 65-yard opening drive that consisted of nine plays and ate up nearly four minutes of clock.  Grayson connected with junior wide receiver Evan Garnett for the final 30 yards.  Garnett, running a post pattern in the center of the field, snagged the ball at the five-yard line and dashed into the end zone untouched.  Sophomore Derek Kirsch converted the first of five perfect extra point kicks and North took a 7-0 lead.

After junior cornerback Aman Kincaid defended a fourth down pass by the Bears, the Huskies took over at the North 38.  A pair of hand offs to senior Jason Rucker gained a whopping 49 yards and North was back in the red zone.  On first down, Grayson was hit in the backfield but refused to go anywhere but forward.  Putting his head down he plowed forward into the line and carried three defenders to the one-yard line.  On the next play, he duplicated the effort and North led 14-0.

GARNETT MAKES A PLAY

When Central’s next drive stalled at the Husky 30-yard line, the next possession featured Grayson on every play as North went 70 yards in just six plays.  After the powerful senior picked up a first down with an 11-yard run at the Central 33, he took the next snap and stayed in the pocket.  From behind a perfect wall provided by the offensive line, he launched a deep pass to Garnett—who was running a corner route on the right side of the field.  The ball was thrown to the junior’s back-shoulder and he separated from coverage, hauled in the ball while staying in bounds, and spun back toward the center of the field.  He gave the Huskies a first down at the six.  Grayson faked a handoff on first down, kept the ball himself, and bowled over two defenders to make the score 21-0 with 8:40 to play in the half.

FOURTEEN PENALTIES ON CENTRAL

At this point in the game, the ‘wheels fell off’ for the Bears.  Starting from their 37, they lost 18 yards on an intentional grounding call on a trick play.  A North roughing the passer penalty still managed to give Central a first down, but an illegal motion penalty followed by an ineligible receiver downfield forced them to make a desperation play on second and long.  Mathew Pegram stepped in front of the intended receiver and picked off the pass at midfield.

A Central offsides penalty gave North a first down at their 44.  Grayson and Garnett hooked up for a 19-yard pickup only to have a Husky holding penalty threaten to kill the drive two plays later… until a Central pass interference penalty set up a first-and-goal at the eight.  Rucker received the benefit of not-one-but-two text book ‘trap’ blocks from seniors Ben Brasher and Alex Wheeler and darted to the left flag to give North a 28-0 lead with 2:48 to play.

MORE OF THE SAME

Senior linebacker Ethan Bowden stormed into the line and caused a fumble on the first play of the Bears’ next possession.  Pegram recovered the ball at the Central 30 and it appeared North would go up five scores before the half.  When the Bears roughed the passer and then were whistled for a personal foul after the play ended, North had a first and goal at the seven-yard line.  Unfortunately, a pair of Husky holding penalties stalled the drive and a field goal attempt went wide left with 1:46 to play before the break.

Just when it appeared that Central might gain some momentum, another ineligible receiver downfield wiped out a big gain.  A desperation throw on third and long resulted with Aman Kincaid intercepting his second pass of the season and North took over at the Central 38 with forty-two ticks left on the clock.

AND… WE HAVE A SECOND HALF RUNNING-CLOCK

Yet another personal foul by the Bears on first down moved the ball to the Central 16.  Grayson zipped a pass to junior Cole McBride over the middle and picked up 12 yards to the four-yard line.  The quarterback then ran behind an overpowering surge by the interior line of senior Brady Reeves, sophomore Lane Hewig, and Ben Brasher and scored his third rushing touchdown of the half.  The Huskies went into the locker room with a 35-0 lead and knew that the second half would be played with a running-clock.

SECOND HALF

The second half featured the North junior varsity team against the Bears’ varsity.  The Husky underclassmen held their own until a flurry of fourth quarter penalties (including two personal fouls) gave Central 40 of the 84 yards gained on their only scoring drive.  The game finished with a score of North 36 Central 7.

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