Eagles shut down Veterans for 2nd year in a row

Northside High’s reloaded offense put 42 points on the board in three quarters Friday, and the Eagle defense shut out the Veterans High Warhawks for the second time in as many years at McConnell-Talbert Stadium. Junior running back Willie Jordan scored the first four touchdowns of the 42-0 rout.

This is Jordan’s first chance to be Kevin Kinsler’s featured back, and he carried much of the load while Marcus Ivory and Glenn Smith took turns receiving the football under center. Smith also scored a touchdown running the ball in the third quarter, and with some other Northside players getting their chance to display their talents T.J. Anderson, another junior, went across the goal line in the closing seconds of the third period.

The Veterans Warhawks were coming off a second-straight opening night loss to another county rival, Warner Robins High. Unlike last year, David Bruce’s club scored against the Demons, but just like in 2012 the Warhawks didn’t find a way to dent the board against a defensive unit that also had some reloading to do during the offseason.

Northside’s first scoring drive only lasted three plays, and it covered 59 yards. Ivory completed his first passing attempt, Nate Greene making the catch on Veterans’ 47-yard line.

Jordan rushed 27 yards on his first carry, and then he patiently followed his blockers over left end to score the touchdown at 9:50 of the first period.

Isaac Rivera and John Tignor shared placekicking duties, both making all the PAT tries. Rivera, recovering from injury, made four in the first half and did all the kickoffs into the end zone.

Veterans’ offense worked its way to a first down as quarterback Logan Byrd converted 3rd-and-1 on his own 31. Senior end A.J. Banks began a good game for the Eagles stopping the run and bringing out the punting unit. Tim Yalcin punched one 44 yards to Northside’s 20.

In this ensuing drive, Ivory and Smith flip-flopped at quarterback. Ivory threw to Jurmon Weaver 12 yards for a first down, and then Smith did back-to-back keepers up to the Warhawk 41.

On first down at the 36, Ivory flipped a pass out to an open Jordan in the right flat. Jordan coasted across the goal line scoring six more points, and Northside went on to lead 14-0 at 3:24.

Robert Jones and Josh Vickers provided stops leading to Warhawk three-and-out series in the quarter. In the closing three minutes, Veterans had some help from penalty flags to get the home team to punt the football for the first time.

On the second play of the second quarter, it was 3rd-and-9 when Bobby Hines of Northside tipped a pass into the hands of Jones. The senior linebacker added about 40 yards to the interception, and the Eagles were 1st-and-goal on the 5.

Jordan, on second down, made his third touchdown on a four-yard run at 10:15 (21-0).

Though Andrew Holiday had a first-down reception of 15 yards from Byrd, the Warhawks punted again to the Eagle 30. It became Devonte Taylor’s turn to line up in the Northside backfield, and he ran 70 yards on his first carry … only did didn’t count due to an illegal block foul. On 3rd-and-19 at the NS 21, Ivory and Smith connected for 18 of those yards.

Kinsler kept everyone on the field, and Smith used his running ability for a three-yard pick-up, enough for the first down on his own 42.

Taylor earned a couple of more totes, and with those he had 28 yards up to the Warhawk 29. Between Jordan and Smith, Northside covered the remainder of the field for an 84-yard scoring drive. It was from the 14 that Jordan hit the line of blockers and tacklers, stayed on his feet and found running room to score for the fourth time.

There was still 2:38 left for the first half. Byrd was faced with a 3rd-and-6 call thanks to the play of Jacque Billingsley on the defensive line. On the next snap, Byrd got loose and ran up to the VH 48 to move the sticks. The half concluded, however, with a sack by Banks and a third-down hit by Tyree Williams.

To open up the third quarter, Taylor put a jolt into the full stadium by going 65 yards on the kickoff return. Northside was on the VH 6 but fumbled the football to the Warhawks on the 13.

The visitors couldn’t find running room around big lineman Pernell Hill. Yalcin punted the football 38 yards, but the Eagles operated on the Veterans side of the 50. Maalik Leggette speared Arlie Weber, tight end, on a reception from Ivory, but the play went for a first down on the 33. Smith scored from there, and Tignor kicked his first PAT for 35-0 at 8:52.

Northside wiped out all but seven seconds of the quarter clock on a drive of 12 plays that actually began again in Warhawk ground (the 45). It was an illegal block penalty that put the football back over the 50 on the Eagle 43.

Ivory dumped a pass on to Smith on 2nd-and-21 to get to the VH 49, the quarterback feeling pressure on his last two passes from big stand-up end Cortez Broughton. Arlen Taylor also gave Bruce a key stop for short gain on a ball caught by Weaver.

As Broughton was dealing with double-team blocking, Ivory fired away to A.J. Booker for 16 yards on third down at the 33. Broughton stopped Booker on a two-yard carry, but the senior broke away only to be denied a big gain by A. Taylor.

Instead, it was third and inches, but Ivory converted on the 21. A. Taylor tackled D. Taylor, who took a toss sweep, for no gain. D. Taylor found room to pick up eight yards, and then John Johnson checked in for three carries and 12 yards to the 1.

For Anderson, his touchdown was his only rush in the series, but it led to the 42-0 final.

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