Northwestern scores early and often to rout Rock Hill in Original Rivalry game
It’s not every year that fans are treated to two helpings of the Original Rivalry. In fact, it’s happened just seven times in the storied history of Rock Hill and Northwestern.
Northwestern scored touchdowns on each of its first three possessions, putting away their cross-town rival with a 50-7 rout on Friday night at District Three Stadium.
“We talked about coming out fast and not letting them think they had a chance to play with us,” Northwestern coach Page Wofford said after the game. “We told them all week that teams improve over the season, and we’ve felt like we’ve improved over the season.”
Northwestern wasted little time on its opening drive, employing a high-tempo trek down the field that ended on a 5-yard fade from Will Mattison to Gerell Watkins in the left corner of the end zone to put the Trojans ahead, 6-0, at the 8:54 mark. The Trojans then extended the lead to 13 on the ensuing drive. Northwestern went 38 yards on four plays, taking 58 seconds off the clock and cashing in on a 7-yard Turbo Richard jaunt.
Mattison then called his number inside the 1-yard line on his club’s third first-quarter drive, bouncing off contact and putting his team ahead 20-0.
Rock Hill forced the fourth Trojan drive of the night to end with a punt, then methodically traversed 70 yards. Matthew Wilson took a snap and bounced in off the left end to close the drive and slice the Northwestern lead to 20-7 at the 7:38 mark of the second quarter.
Northwestern closed the second quarter in style, marching 99 yards in just shy of a minute and a half. Elijah Caldwell hauled in the scoring pass, snaring a 24-yard toss from Mattison to extend his team’s advantage to 27-7 with 1:02 remaining.
The Trojans added on six points on the first third-quarter possession. Northwestern went 53 yards on the drive, with an odd play allowing the score. Qua Howard was stopped in the Trojan backfield but landed on the tackler. Howard got up, then ran 11 yards to the paint and extended the advantage to 33-7. That lead then swelled to 40-7 on the next possession, as Mattison again found Watkins from 24 yards to cap a 90-plus-yard drive.
Northwestern senior and fan favorite Drennon Faile then pulled in his first career score, as Mattison lofted a 3-yard beauty of a fade pass that put his team ahead, 47-7, and brought out Faile’s teammates to celebrate. The Trojans capped the scoring on a 36-yard field goal from Kanoah Vinesett with 3:34 remaining in the contest.
The Trojans put up a dominant offensive performance, tallying 581 yards on 72 plays. Northwestern moved the chains 29 times, versus just nine for Rock Hill. Newly minted Mr. Football finalist Mattison lit up the cold night air, connecting on 21-of-31 attempts for 318 yards and four scores. Caldwell registered 133 yards and one of those scores, with Watkins adding another two to his 76 yards on six grabs. Richard rushed 19 times for 128 yards and a score.
“We’ll have to go back and watch the film. I’m 100 percent sure there are things we’ll have to work on, and we’ll do that,” Wofford said. “I’ll try to enjoy this win tonight and tomorrow, but I know we’re gonna have a playoff run to go, and we’ve got mistakes we’ve gotta correct if we wanna make the run that we think we can make.”
Brandon Watson equaled Wilson’s 59 rushing yards, with Wilson netting his team’s lone score. The stingy Trojan defense limited Wilson to 4-for-15 passing for just 34 yards and surrendered just 203 yards of total Rock Hill offense.
“They made plays and we didn’t,” Rock Hill coach Bubba Pittman said. “Our kids deserved better than that.
“Northwestern’s a good football team and they’re where we wanna be. We’ve gotta continue to grow and find a way to get better.”
Northwestern finishes as the Region 4-5A champion and will host Boiling Springs in the first round of the South Carolina 5A state playoffs next week.
Rock Hill also qualified for the playoffs following Ridge View’s victory over Blythewood. The Bearcats will hit the road to take on Gaffney next Friday. Both games are slated for 7:30 starts.
This story was originally published October 29, 2021 at 11:12 PM.