Northwestern torches South Meck with fast start | The Herald

The Northwestern Trojans made quick work of their visitors from the north Friday night, opening up with 31 unanswered points against Charlotte’s South Mecklenburg Sabres and maintaining a lead of at least 25 until midway through the fourth quarter en route to a 38-25 win.

The affair was lopsided early when senior Trojans running back Jerry Howard flipped the field with a 48-yard run, setting up his own 22-yard touchdown run that made it 21-0 to the hosts. It was the second of three touchdowns for the senior running back.

Northwestern got on the board first in the second the half with a 73-yard pass from quarterback Gage Moloney to wide receiver Wally Wilmore, no doubt the best play of the night for the Trojans’ QB who threw his third and fourth interceptions of the season Friday. Up 38-6 after that score, the Trojans rested their starters for the rest of the game.

With most of their starters still on the field the Sabres closed the game with 19 unanswered points.

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Turning point

On the Trojans’ second possession, Sabres defensive back Marcus Geralds intercepted a Northwestern pass deep in Trojans territory. The great field position came to nothing for South Meck, though, as senior defensive back Ali Shockley came off the edge to block a field goal. Fellow senior defensive back D.J. Agurs picked up the ball and toted it 80 yards up the right side of the field for a touchdown, creating a two-score lead that would never truly be threatened.

Critical

Set up by a crushing defense that forced two punts, a turnover on downs, and a failed field goal, the Northwestern offense was able to put South Meck away early with lethal precision.

Star contributions

ECU commitment Howard turned the game into his personal highlight reel. Blasting through the line with force and freezing defenders with razor sharp cuts, Howard exploded for 130 rushing yards and two touchdowns in the first quarter alone.

On deck

Northwestern travels to Duncan to challenge the Byrnes Rebels Friday Sept 9. South Mecklenburg heads to Myers Park High to face its old Charlotte rival.

South Mecklenburg 25 , Northwestern 38

SCORING SUMMARY

South Meck 0;6;6;13--25

Northwestern 24;7;7;0--38

First quarter

NHS—Jerry Howard 18 run (Gettys kick) 10:26

NHS—D.J. Agurs 80 yard return (Gettys kick) 7:33

NHS—Howard 22 run (Gettys kick) 5:38

NHS—Thomas Gettys 30 yard kick 2:32

Second quarter

NHS—Howard 4 run (Gettys kick) 9:47

SMHS—DeAngelo Young 1 run (Failed run) 4:22

Third quarter

NHS—Wally Wilmore 73 pass from Gage Moloney (Gettys kick) 6:59

SMHS—Travis Prince 1 run (Pass failed) 1:19

Fourth quarter

SMHS—Cameron Mack 1 run (Jonathan Doerer kick) 6:11

SMHS—Soloman Ogina 7 pass from Antonio Wallace (run failed) 2:15

TEAM STATISTICS

SMHS;NHS

First downs;16;17

Rushes-yards;44-105;28-158

Passing;16-29-0;17-30-2

Passing yards;200;237

Fumbles-lost;1-0;0-0

Penalties-yards;2-10;9-125

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING SMHS: Travis Prince 24-78; Deangelo Young 9-28; Cameron Mack 1-1; Marqui Williams 3-1; Soloman Ogina 1-0; Antonio Wallace 5-(-1); Jordan McKinney 1-(-2). NHS - Jerry Howard 13-140; Dequez Harris 7-34; Jaiquis Shannon 1-(-3); Trey Robinson 3-(-3); Gage Moloney 3-(-4); Tanner McKinney 1-(-6).

PASSING SMHS: Wallace 29-16-0, 200 yards. NHS: Moloney 23-13-2, 220 yards; McKinney 7-4-0, 17 yards.

RECEIVING SMHS: Adam Ziegler 4-87; Ogina 4-15; McKinney 3-11; Prince 2-36; Donnie Both 2-33; Jalon Clark 1-18. NHS: Wally Wilmore 4-106; Harris 4-60; Jordan Starkes 3-30; Jamar Moore 3-19; Rodney Brown 1-15; Howard 1-9; Callen Horton 1-(-2).

RECORDS South Meck 2-1; Northwestern 2-1.