Northwestern pushes past Nation Ford into title game (video)

Northwestern played its last football game of the season at District Three Stadium Friday night.

But the Trojans have one final contest to play, next Saturday’s 4A Division II state title game at Williams-Brice Stadium against Lexington when Kyle Richardson’s team will try to win the school’s fifth state title. Northwestern held off a game Nation Ford squad to win 30-22 in a game highlighted by smothering defense on both sides. That was surprising considering two of state’s best offenses took the field.

“Second half was wow. Wow,” Richardson said about the Trojan defense. “Every week it seems there’s another offense that takes all the spotlight and this defense looks around and goes, ‘what about us?’ That happened again tonight.”

Northwestern led 16-14 at the half, but Nation Ford had the ball first in the second. The visitors shut out Northwestern in the quarter, but couldn’t take advantage, punting on three of its third quarter possessions and tossing an interception on the fourth. Both teams’ defenses were incredibly disruptive and there were only a couple combined first downs in the third quarter. Northwestern went for a fourth-and inches at the Nation Ford 19, but Dequez Harris was stuffed on an outside run and Nation Ford took over.

The Trojans wouldn’t have to wait long to grow their lead, though. Junior running back - freight train - Jerry Howard busted loose on a 28-yard run up the middle to make it 23-14 early in the fourth quarter. Then Northwestern’s defense stood up again, forcing a Nation Ford punt after Alan Alford sacked Cole Martin.

A great punt pinned Northwestern at its 5-yard line but Howard didn’t care, trucking up the middle before pulling away from the chasing Falcons for a 95-yard touchdown run, his third of the contest, and ultimately the game-winning score.

“I just had to keep the mindset of keep pushing and keep pushing my guys, my teammates,” he said.

Nation Ford still had time to score late, Hank Tuipulotu catching his second touchdown pass of the game with 13 seconds left. But Northwestern recovered the onside kick and celebrated a return to the state title game, the program’s sixth visit to a championship game in the last eight years.

Turning point

Howard’s 95-yard touchdown run severely hurt Nation Ford’s chances of a first state championship appearance in school history. The impact was heightened when the Falcons scored late and Tuipulotu caught the 2-point conversion to make it a one-score game.

Critical

Both defenses played exceptionally, with Nation Ford holding Northwestern to just 92 yards passing.

Northwestern’s defensive line terrorized the Falcons, led by Logan Rudolph, who unofficially had four sacks. Nation Ford quarterback Cole Martin seemed to never have more than 2 seconds to make a decision, and though he still threw for nearly 400 yards, the senior really had to work for them. The sack yardage meant Nation Ford finished with negative rushing yards.

“We had to make adjustments with that and we had some trouble with that. It’s pretty obvious, you could see that,” said Nation Ford coach Michael Allen. “Those guys are pretty dang good, man.”

Star contribution

Howard was outstanding, especially as Northwestern’s passing game never really got going in the face of relentless pressure from the Nation Ford front line.

“We basically just scratched the pass and put it in his hands,” said Richardson.

The junior finished 276 yards and three touchdowns on 20 carries, an average of 13.8 per pop. Nation Ford’s Allen said it was impossible to take Howard down with just one person.

“It felt amazing to be needed, to have to step up and just be the man,” said Howard.

When Martin did throw, it often was to junior receiver Alex Stennett, who had eight catches for 131 yards and a touchdown - in the first half. He finished with 10 grabs for 139 yards, evidence of the job the Trojans did of slowing him in the second half.

Overheard

“I love this football team and we’re having fun together and we wanted one more week together,” said Richardson. “And we found a way to get it.”

On deck

Northwestern plays Lexington in the 4A Division II state championship next Saturday in Columbia. Lexington edged Spartanburg 38-35 Friday night on a short field goal with 3 seconds left.

Box score

Northwestern 30, Nation Ford 22

Northwestern;0;16;0;14- 30

Nation Ford;0;14;0;8- 22

SCORING SUMMARY

First quarter

N/A

Second quarter

NHS - Jerry Howard 1 run (Thomas Gettys kick), 10:51

NFHS - Hank Tuipulotu 2 pass from Cole Martin (Lexi Dressing kick), 7:26

NHS - Grant Kirk 21 pass from Gage Moloney (kick failed), 5:20

NHS - Gettys 29-yard field goal, 0:01

Third quarter

N/A

Fourth quarter

NHS - Howard 28 run (Karrington Prioleau kick), 7:15

NHS - Howard 95 run (Prioleau kick), 4:24

NFHS - Tuipulotu 24 pass from Martin (Tuipulotu 2-point conversion), 0:12

TEAM STATISTICS

NHS;NFHS

First downs;21;16

Rushes-yards;33-304;31-(-1)

Passing;15-22-1;29-45-2

Passing yards;92;393

Fumbles-lost;0-0;1-0

Penalties-yards;3-24;6-105

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING Nation Ford: Tyree Chaplin 9-22; Rayquwan Taylor 10-30; Cole Martin 12-(-53). Northwestern: Gage Moloney 12-28; Jerry Howard 20-276; Dequez Harris 1-0.

PASSING Nation Ford: Martin 28-44-1, 368 yards; Tuipulotu 1-1-0, 25 yards. Northwestern: Moloney 15-22-1, 92 yards.

RECEIVING Nation Ford: Alex Stennett 10-139; Hank Tuipulotu 10-102; Josh Shade 6-125; Jordan Helms 3-27. Northwestern: Jordan Starkes 3-29; Jamario Holley 3-11; Julian Shockley 4-18; Howard 3-3; Grant Kirk 1-21; Cory McCoy 1-10.

RECORDS Nation Ford 9-5; Northwestern 13-1.

This story was originally published December 4, 2015 at 11:09 PM with the headline "Northwestern pushes past Nation Ford into title game (video)."