By By BRIAN HAINES, Sports Writer
YEATESVILLE — After starting off the season with seven straight losses the Roanoke football team ran a reverse, and with its 46-31 win over Northside on Monday night, the Redskins have now won three straight games.
The idea of ripping off a hat trick would have been laughable in September, but now head coach Brian Paschal and his Redskins (3-7, 3-3 Four Rivers) have virtually clinched a spot in the NCHSAA 1-A playoffs.
“I think we’re in,” Paschal said. “It doesn’t take much to make the playoffs these days. Right now I think we are fifth in the conference, that doesn’t sound great but three weeks ago we didn’t have a win.”
After a booking agent mistake failed to bring officials to the game on Friday, the Panthers hosted the Redskins on Monday.
Roanoke QB Reginald Parker, along with running backs Dwayne Morning and Dyquan Cross, led the charge in a game that featured tons of offense, but not much defense by either team.
Parker finished the game connecting on 10 of 16 passers for 155 yards and four touchdown passes. Wide receiver Aaron Baker was Parker’s favorite target as he grabbed three of those four TD passes. Dwayne Morning caught the other one.
Northside was led by running backs DeMarques Martin (1 TD) and TaMichael Tonge (1 TD) and QB Isaiah McCullor (5 of 12, 106 yards 2 TDs).
While the Panthers (2-7, 0-7 Four Rivers) offense was clicking, their defense was nowhere to be found on their Senior Night.
“Defense has been our Achilles Heel all season,” Panthers coach Keith Boyd said. “We’ve been putting points on the board every game … We are getting people where we need them, we are just not making the tackles.”
The Panthers, who have lost six straight games, will try and rebound Friday when they play for the Anchor Bowl on the road at Southside.
Roanoke will look to extend its winning streak to four when it hosts Williamston.
Northside Roanoke
12 First Downs 11
31-253 Rushes-Yards 35-241
106 Passing Yards 155
5-12-2 Pass-Comp-Int 10-16-1
0 Punting 2-9
0 Fumbles-Lost 1-0
8-55 Penalties 10-95
Roanoke 16 22 8 0 — 46
Northside 15 8 0 8 — 31
Scoring Summary
N — DeMarques Martin 2 run (Cecilio Cota kick failed), 9:28, 1st.
R — Jojo Wallace 7 run (Reginald Parker two points), 8:53, 1st.
N — Cota 27 field goal, 3:53, 1st.
R — Aaron Baker 26 pass from Parker (Parker two points), :22, 1st.
N — Damount Harvey 26 pass from Isaiah McCullor (Cota kick failed), :10, 1st.
R — Dwayne Morning 11 run (Baker two points), 9:27, 2nd.
R — Baker 15 pass from Parker (Morning two points), 5:29, 2nd.
N — TaMichael Tonge 20 run (Tonge two points), 4:53, 2nd.
R — Baker 6 pass from Parker (Parker two points), :18 2nd.
R — Morning 54 pass from Parker (Parker two points), 9:12, 3rd.
N — Harvey 21 pass from McCullor (McCullor two points), 4:55, 3rd.