Many casual observers had any playoff run penciled out for the Northside Vikings football team after injuries to several key players.
Don’t tell that to the remaining Viking squad. They have the pencil firmly in the sharpener.
Jumping out to a 21-0 lead at the halftime break, Northside dispatched the visiting Brookville Bees 34-6 in the second round of the Group 3A playoffs Friday night at Jim Hickam Field.
The 3A playoff run has gone through the matchup between the Bees and Vikings for several years, and on a frigid night with temperatures in the low 30s, this one was all Northside.
Once again it was the Viking defense that paved the way to victory, and backup quarterback Tra’ Jackson that keeps putting the punch into the Northside offense.
The two teams bucked heads during a scoreless opening quarter, but Northside got the offense rolling to start the second frame.
Jackson broke free on a quarterback keeper on the first play for a 34-yard run that set the Vikings up at the Bee 8-yard line. Jackson followed two plays later on a 4-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Hayden Porterfield that put the Vikings up 7-0 after the Cameron.Murray conversion was true.
Viking running back Corey Williams made it 14-0 with just under three minutes left in the half on a 15-yard TD scamper.
The Northside defense rose to the occasion for a three-and-out stop on Brookville’s next possession, and Jackson wasted no time orchestrating the third touchdown. Going to the aerial game, it took the Vikings just three tosses to reach the end zone, the last on a 23-yard pass to lightning fast JoJo Wampler with just over a minute left, sending the teams to the locker room with Northside in control 21-0.
Any chance of a Brookville comeback was dealt a serious blow before the second half kickoff ever left the tee.
In circuit court it’s called ‘failure to appear’. Friday night it was a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty against Brookville head coach Jon Meeks after the Bees were nowhere to be seen after the 20-minute halftime show and the subsequent 3-minute warmups. More than 5 minutes later, Brookville returned and the Bees had to kickoff from their own 25-yard line to start the second half.
Northside used the Bee misstep to their advantage. Although there was no scoring in the third quarter, Northside controlled field position for most of the frame and kept the clock running. Brookville did not cross midfield until 2:24 was left in the third.
Williams essentially put the game away for Northside when he scored on a 3-yard run to start the fourth quarter that put the Vikings up 28-0.
Brookville scored one for pride’s sake with just over two minutes left on a 1-yard plunge by Quan Myers, but Jackson showed he’s got a talented defensive side when he intercepted a Bee pass in the final seconds for a 70-yard pick-six that settled the outcome.
Jackson, taking the place of injured Viking quarterback Josh Hardister, had 62 rushing yards to go along with a 9-for-12 passing effort that paced the Viking offense.
Northside advances to the third round this Friday night when the Vikings travel to Ridgeway to face #2 seed Magna Vista. Northside defeated Magna Vista 19-7 last year on their way to the Group 3A state championship.
– Bill Turner
