While the Seahawks and Panthers’ first meeting of the season in the Anchor Bowl was a closely-fought affair that came down to the final possession, Friday’s rematch in the first round of the 1A state playoffs did not follow that pattern. No. 10-seed Northside opened the game with an onside kick that it recovered, setting up a Panther TD. But that early 6-0 lead was the high point for Northside, as Southside, the No. 7 seed in the playoff bracket, quickly asserted its dominance on the way to a 44-12 win. After struggling the past several weeks, the Seahawk offense came alive on Friday, putting up 233 rushing yards to average 7.5 yards per carry. The Southside defense continued its recent good form, holding the Panthers to just 112 yards of offense.

 

IMPACT PLAYERS

Northside won’t want to see Seahawk running back Jaheem Carter anytime soon. After having a breakout game in the 2018 Anchor Bowl with a game-high 83 rushing yards and three TDs, the sophomore had the best game of his young career in the rematch. Carter gouged the Panther defense for 182 yards on just 13 carries, while scoring twice, a 35-yard run and from 11 yards out. Carter has been running the ball well as of late and he will need to keep it up if Southside hopes to advance past Pamlico County this Friday.

What little offense the Panthers were able to muster on Friday came thanks to sophomore Tyler Modlin. The running back was responsible for Northside’s two TDs on the night, a 28-yard score off of a dump-off pass from Zachariah Green to give the Panthers a 6-0 lead, and a 4-yard run in the third quarter. Modlin finished with 46 yards on the ground, more than all players other than Carter, and 28 receiving yards, which were a game-high.