NoJo Panthers Eat Raiders Alive…
September 19th, 2008 Posted in High School Football, North Johnston Football
Tonight saw the Junior Varsity squad from Midway High invade the happy hunting grounds of the North Johnston Panthers. The Raiders brought a good sized squad and I guess their cheerleaders looked pretty good. Except for the guy…In JC we just don’t deal with guy cheerleaders at the high school level. OK OK enough already…to the game.
It was not a night that the Raiders will desire to remember on film. Their defense resembled melted swiss cheese as #35 Phillip Parrish and #6 Brandon Crocker left bruises on every defender they could run on the field. The O-line played an excellent game all the way around. Buddy Lee, Deon Thomas, and Joe Ronczka controlled the line of scrimmage through out the entire night.
The Panthers scored on their first possession when #35 Parrish ran around the left side of the line to score from 33 yards out. The coaching staff elected to go for 2 after the score and failed leaving the score 6-0. The NoJo defense started out the game clicking as well. They held Midway scoreless in the first quarter. However the period ended with the Raiders driving and the ball resting on the one foot line of North Johnson. Not to be outdone yet, #11 the QB for Midway dropped back and delivered a beautiful pass into the right end zone for a touchdown making the score after a failed 2 point conversion 6-6. The next series sees the Panthers go three and out and punt to the Raiders. A few successful plays later and the visitors are all the way down to the NJ 7. Enter #5 Lawrence Daniels, #33 Ronald Jackson, #50 Jeremiah Holland and their co-horts. I told you the defense showed up tonight didn’t I? With 4:17 remaining in the first half and the ball on the 7, the D-line bows it’s neck and keeps the enemy troops out of the end zone by pushing the Raiders back to the 13 and forcing them to turn the ball over on downs.
At the 3:31 remaining mark, #15 QB Boone Langley and the Offense ride onto the field. The first play results in #35 Parrish rumbling down to the Midway 45. Pushing the ball methodically down the field, it isn’t long before pay dirt is hit again. With 3:31 on the clock #6 Brandon Crocker scampers into the right side of the end zone from 31 yards out. Crocker again has his number called on the two point conversion and again, he is successful. Going into halftime the score was NJ 14 and Midway 6.
Believe it or not people, the third quarter of this game was nothing less than football suicide for the Raiders. Repeat after me…you must not turn over the ball, you must not turn over the ball, you must …..I think you get the picture. During the course of a twelve minute quarter, Midway had a grand total of 3 fumbles and 1 Interception. Three of these resulted in very quick touch downs. A brief outline can be found below.
A fumble recovery after only nine seconds of play ends with a 23 yard TD pass from #15 Boone Langley to #43 Blake Faircloth in the right side of the end zone. The extra point attempt by #7 Ian Harned is good and the score is 21-6 NoJo.
Approximately four minutes later with 5:32 on the clock, #6 Crocker picks off the Raider QB on the right side of the line and returns it all the way back for another Panther TD. Score…27-6 NoJo.
35 seconds later, another Raider fumble at their own 27. The offense sputters just a hair and is faced with a 4th and 4 from around the 20 yard line. The coaching staff figures they will throw a little something different at the defense and sends in #14 Shelton Pittman to assume the QB duty. His first snap from center for the evening turns into a hard run around the right side of the line and into the promised land for yet another Panther TD. Score 34-6 NoJo.
Mercifully the third quarter comes to a end and the bench clearing begins in earnest. The fourth quarter of tonight’s game was simply a chance for everyone to see the field. You learn to cherish those instances because all these kids work so hard and fair or not, sometimes it’s not easy to take out the over achievers. Midway did score twice in the final period of play but it was not against the first string D. The final score of the game was 34-22 North Johnston. Great output tonight guys, hope the Varsity squad can deliver a little touch of this down in Spivey’s Corner tomorrow night.
It sure would be nice to get a big win on what would have been Nick Creech’s Birthday.
