Things are looking up in Beaufort County. Northside won its first homecoming game in a dozen years and Southside steamrolled Jones Senior to end a three-game losing streak.

Even Washington, which came out on the wrong end of a back-and-forth affair with Ayden-Grifton in its homecoming, looked decent in defeat. Its offensive line competed with a strong, well-coached Charger squad en route to another stellar attacking performance.

The home stretch of the 2017 football season has arrived. Here are the standouts from Week 8:

 

CAMERON CAHOON, NORTHSIDE

Raydarius Freeman was the driving force of Northside’s offense last time out, so losing him to an ankle injury on Friday could have been debilitating to a Panther group already struggling to move the ball.

In came Cameron Cahoon. He thrived in seeing the most offensive action he has all season. The senior was content in picking up a handful of yards per carry, and his persistence was rewarded with the game-winning touchdown. Cahoon also helped provide the pressure that let Northside’s defensive front halt South Creek.

 

TRAJAN RHOME, SOUTHSIDE

Southside’s offense was operating as efficiently as it had prior to the speed bump it hit in the middle of the season. The Seahawks piled up 396 yards of total offense on only 42 plays (9.2 yards per play).

Plenty of players got involved after Southside built a 31-0 lead by halftime. Trajan Rhome led the way despite only being handed the ball six times. He took those half dozen carries for 127 yards (21.2 yards per carry) and scored a 21-yard touchdown in the first quarter.

 

HYKEEM RUFFIN, WASHINGTON

Hykeem Ruffin wasn’t quite as explosive as he was in scoring two 86-yard touchdowns against North Lenoir last week. Even so, the Pam Pack’s featured running back continued his masterful senior season by running in three touchdowns in Friday’s loss to Ayden-Grifton.

His first touchdown answered a pair of Charger scores and put the Pam Pack within one near the end of the first quarter. He punched in his third from just a yard out to give Washington a 34-33 lead with 3:15 to play, but it couldn’t hang on to the lead.

 

TYREE BLOUNT, NORTHSIDE

Tyree Blount did a little bit of everything for Northside to help it to its 14-8 homecoming win over South Creek. The senior was effective when he had his number called and did well on defense to help lock down the Cougars.

Blount’s defensive contributions were important down the stretch. He and the other Panther defensive backs were tested as South Creek passed the ball in its race against the clock. Blount eventually came up with the interception that all but guaranteed Northside’s win.

 

FREDERICK HOLSCHER, WASHINGTON

Just like Washington needed strong play up front, it also needed smart and effective quarterbacking from Frederick Holscher to keep up in a tit-for-tat game with Ayden-Grifton. Holscher has been nothing short of exceptional in the way he’s been able to take the Pam Pack’s system changes in stride.

On top of that, Holscher showcased some of his own playmaking abilities when he made something of nothing by ripping off a 21-yard touchdown run late in the first half.

 

WILL WARREN, SOUTHSIDE

Much like Holscher’s case, it takes smart play at the quarterback position for a team’s offense to operate at a high level. Southside got that in spades Friday at Jones Senior. Will Warren ran the show as the Seahawks totaled nearly 400 yards of offense.

Unlike Holscher’s touchdown, Warren’s was much more likely to be a designed play as the signal caller punched one in from a yard out in the third quarter. He also made a play in the air by finding Shamari White open for a 36-yard connection.