Fourteen-point swing helps Byrnes claim sloppy Week Zero win over Northwestern

Northwestern’s 2014 football campaign ended with a loss to Byrnes at Nixon Field. The 2015 season began the same way.

Both teams scored in the first 47 seconds of the game. Byrnes quarterback Micah Young fumbled – the first of three first half turnovers by the Rebels – and Northwestern scored two plays later, with Howard smashing in from 5 yards out. But the hosts almost immediately pegged even, with Jaylan Foster taking the kickoff back 94 yards down the right sideline for a touchdown.

After Northwestern went ahead 21-14, the Rebels answered again. Foster got wide open for a 22-yard touchdown, before Byrnes crucially fumbled the snap on the extra point to leave the score 21-20. While Northwestern’s offense – alternating quarterbacks nearly every possession – sputtered, the Rebels took control in the third quarter with a short catch and run for a 48-yard touchdown by Chavis Dawkins, and a 9-yard TD run by Young in the fourth.

Northwestern cut the lead to 33-31, but Dawkins again made the Trojans pay for slack tackling with a late score that iced the Rebels’ win.

“We wanted to get this one under our belt, but the kids played hard for four quarters. What more can you ask for?” said Northwestern coach Kyle Richardson. “Really proud of the way the guys played all the way to the end.”

Turning point

Early in the fourth quarter, with Northwestern trailing 26-24, overthrew an open receiver for what would have been a touchdown and the lead. Two plays later, the snap back to punter/QB Gage Moloney was too low and he had to fall on the ball at his 23. Byrnes scored three plays later, with Micah Young pin-balling in from nine yards to put the Rebels up two scores.

“At that point, you can’t make those kinds of mistakes against a football team like this,” said Richardson.

Critical

Byrnes took advantage of Northwestern’s inattentiveness in the secondary. Rebels receivers slipped behind Trojans defensive backs on several occasions, including two touchdowns, and then broke turnstile tackles on several other plays, notably Chavis Dawkins’ 48-yard touchdown run in the third quarter that put the hosts in front for good. The missed tackles on Dawkins’ touchdown with 1:33 left broke the Trojans’ backs.

“We’ve got a lot of don’t-quit on this team,” said Byrnes coach Brian Lane.

Star contributions

Northwestern junior running back Jerry Howard showed his wares in front of a big crowd at Nixon Field, rushing for 96 yards and three touchdowns, and showing an array of stiff-arms and tackle-shrugs that should lead to a lot of yardage this fall.

Northwestern’s defensive line also stood out, to Richardson’s delight. Logan Rudolph had three sacks and Trae’von Hinton finished with two. Rudolph forced and recovered a fumble each, while defensive tackle Jamah Mitchell also had a sack and a forced fumble in a dominant display up front.

Byrnes has a number of skill players that will suit up for college football teams, but one not talked about as much is receiver Bouvier Howard. He has good size and made a number of big plays for the Rebels Friday night, including three catches 38 yards or longer.

Overheard

“We overthrew open guys, they overthrew open guys, fumbles, you have that in the first game when you’re playing top-notch competition,” Lane said, commenting on a sloppy Week Zero opener.

On deck

Northwestern hosts Woodside (from Newport News, Va.) in Week One while Byrnes travels to T.L. Hanna.

Box score

Byrnes 40, Northwestern 31

SCORING SUMMARY

First quarter

NHS - Jerry Howard 5 run (Thomas Gettys kick), 11:27

BHS - Jaylan Foster 94 kickoff return (Thomas Cook kick), 11:13

NHS - Howard 4 run (Gettys kick), 5:03

BHS - Bouvier Howard 49 pass from Micah Young (Cook kick), 3:13

Second quarter

NHS - Will Hagood 1 run (Gettys kick), 11:13

BHS - Jaylan Foster 22 pass from Young (kick failed), 0:16

Third quarter

NHS - Gettys 33 yard field goal, 8:14

BHS - Chavis Dawkins 48 pass from Young (kick blocked), 5:45

Fourth quarter

BHS - Young 9 run (Cook kick), 8:17

NHS - Howard 5 run (Gettys kick), 3:37

BHS - Dawkins 34 pass from James Bernard (Cook kick), 1:33

TEAM STATISTICS

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING NHS: Jerry Howard 18-96, Gage Moloney 13-(-13), Will Hagood 7-(-16), Dequez Harris 1-0. BHS: Re’jon Scott 12-34, Micah Young 9-(-67), Quez Mayes 4-2, Chavis Dawkins 1-5.

PASSING NHS: Hagood 3-9-0, 31 yards; Moloney 16-25-2, 191 yards. BHS: Young 17-21-1-3, 293 yards; James Bernard 2-3-0-1, 38 yards.

RECEIVING NHS: Jamario Holley 4-43, Jordan Starkes 6-118, Grant Kirk 3-18, Kirk Clayton 1-(-2), Julian Shockley 1-12. BHS: Bouvier Howard 5-145, Dawkins 6-117, Jaylan Foster 3-34, A.J. Earnhardt 2-24, Scott 3-11.

RECORDS Northwestern 0-1; Byrnes 1-0.

This story was originally published August 21, 2015 at 10:46 PM with the headline "Fourteen-point swing helps Byrnes claim sloppy Week Zero win over Northwestern."