By By STEVE FRANKLIN, Sports Writer
YEATESVILLE — Northside used all three facets of the game — offense, defense and special teams — to find the end zone in the first quarter of a 59-8 season-opening rout over Mattamuskeet Friday night.
The Panthers got on the board in the game’s first three minutes thanks to a blocked punt by Trent Midgette. Midgette bullied his way up the heart of the Lakers’ interior line and deflected the ball off kicker Aaron Beard’s foot. The ball trickled to the 11-yard line where it was picked up by Northside’s Michael Chase, who carried four defenders more than five yards into the end zone to give the Panthers an early lead.
Two minutes later, Northside sophomore quarterback Darrius Murray darted down the left sideline for a 31-yard touchdown run to put the Panthers up 14-0.
Murray completed the Panthers’ scoring trifecta one minute and 55 seconds later with a spectacular defensive play. The Panthers’ safety stepped in the way of a pitch from Mattamuskeet quarterback Laquan Collins that was intended for running back Laquan Clayton and knocked the ball to the ground. The ball took one hop off the ground, back into Murray’s hands, and he darted down the sideline 47 yards for the score.
The Panthers managed to push one more score across the goal line late in the first quarter as TaMichael Tonge raced in from 11 yards out to make it 27-0.
The dominance continued in the second quarter as Murray scored his third touchdown of the game, this time darting 60 yards for a touchdown run.
The Panthers made it 39-0 just before the half, as D.J. Satterhwaite intercepted a pass by Lakers’ backup quarterback Aaron Beard and returned it 28 yards for a touchdown.
In the second half, Boyd loosened the reigns and put in a unit comprised of both varsity and junior varsity players. Still, the thumping continued. The Panthers put two more touchdowns on the scoreboard in the third period as Daykuan Mackey scored on a 19-yard run, and Isaiah McCullor plunged in from three yards out.
In the fourth quarter, the Panthers made it 59-0 on a 22-yard touchdown run by junior varsity quarterback Damont Harvey.
To their credit, Mattamuskeet kept fighting, and finally found the end zone in the final two minutes of the contest as Clayton raced down the left sideline for a 65-yard touchdown.
Murray led the Panthers with 91 yards on just two carries, while Harvey added 56 yards on the ground and Mackey picked up 43 yards.
Clayton led the Lakers — who managed just 146 yards of total offense — with 111 yards on 15 carries.
Northside will return to action next Friday when they host North Duplin, while Mattamuskeet will be idle next week, before returning to the field Sept. 5 to take on Creswell.
Mattamuskeet Northside
6 First Downs 12
39-141 Rushes-Yards 26-239
5 Passing Yards 0
2-8-3 Pass-Comp-Int 0-0-0
1-24 Punting 1-39
2-2 Fumbles-Lost 2-4
6-55 Penalties 4-20
Mattamuskeet 0 0 0 8 — 8
Northside 27 12 14 6 — 59
Scoring Summary
N — Michael Chase 11 punt block return (Murray run), 9:11 1st.
N — Darrius Murray 31 run (Kick failed), 7:12, 1st.
N — Murray 47 fumble recovery (Kick failed), 5:17, 1st.
N — TaMichael Tonge 11 run (Cecillo Cota kick), 1:24, 1st.
N — Murray 60 run (Kick failed), 5:33, 2nd.
N — D.J. Satterhwaite (Kick failed), :55, 2nd.
N — Daykuan Mackey 19 run (Cota kick), 8:24, 3rd.
N — Isaiah McCullor 3 run (Cota kick), 1:30, 3rd.
N — Damont Harvey 22 run (kick failed), 2:17, 4th.
M — Lautez Clayton 65 run (Aaron Beard run), 2:04, 4th.
Tale of two halves for Seahawks
By BRIAN HAINES, Sports Writer
CHOCOWINITY — After going 0-11 last year, Southside started the 2008 season exactly where it left off as the Seahawks got off to a disastrous start in its first game of the year against North Duplin.
While Southside began on the wrong foot, it was able to regroup at halftime and put in a strong second-half effort in its 35-12 loss to the Rebels on Friday.
The first quarter was a nightmare for coach Hines and his Seahawks as the Rebels, who finished second in the state last season amongst 1-A schools, got a big kickoff return and started their first drive on the Seahawks’ 14-yard line.
One snap later, running back Devin Oliver gave the Carolina Conference Rebels a 6-0 lead as he gashed the Southside defense for a 14-yard TD.
Southside’s offense went south early as it fumbled on its first two possessions, and needed a timeout to get its punting team in order on its third.
Turnovers haunted the Seahawks as they fumbled seven times in 12 possessions, and lost four of them.
After recovering the first fumble on the Southside 20, the Rebels went right back to work and pieced together a five-play drive that ended with an Akeem Cox six-yard TD run.
Cox was impressive on Friday as he racked up 177 rushing yards on 20 carries while scoring three touchdowns.
All three of Cox’s scores came in the first half, as he helped North Duplin overcome a first-quarter injury to quarterback Alan Schilling. Marcus Kaneguy took over at the QB spot and did a solid job as the Rebels were 5-10 through the air for 66 yards.
Down 28-0 at halftime, the Seahawks came back out on the field with pride, and pieced together a solid effort led by running backs Derrick Cannon and Dash Spruill.
Spruill scored the first TD of the season for Southside as he dashed around the Rebels for a 33-yard score.
Cannon, a freshman, scored on nine-yard run, and showed signs of potential in his Seahawks’ debut.
Hines said the Seahawks’ play in the third and fourth quarter was encouraging.
The Seahawks will look to earn their first win of the season, and the Hines’ era next Friday when it hosts Rosewood.
North Duplin Southside
12 First Downs 10
37-288 Rushes-Yards 35-171
66 Passing Yards 40
5-10 Pass-Comp-Int 3-9
2-28 Punting 3-34
4-2 Fumbles-Lost 7-4
14-115 Penalties 4-20
North Duplin 14 14 7 0 — 35
Southside 0 0 6 6 — 12
Scoring Summary
ND — Devin Oliver 14 run (kick failed), 11:39, 1st.
ND — Akeem Cox six run, (Oliver two points), 6:01, 1st.
ND — Cox 14 run (kick good), 11:51, 2nd.
ND — Cox 13 run (kick good), 8:40, 2nd.
S — Dash Spruill 32 run (Spruill kick failed), 4:30, 3rd.
ND — Oliver 39 run (kick good), 2:33, 3rd.
S — Derrick Cannon 9 run, (Hayden Higgins kick failed), 1:12, 4th.