The Region 1-AAAAA champion Northside Eagles hosted the Chapel Hill Panthers in the first round of the AAAAA State Playoffs at the MAC on Friday night. With a victory, the Eagles would reach 10 wins in a season for the twelfth straight year.
After the Eagle defense forced a Panther punt to open the game, Northside went on a 10 play / 65 yard drive to get on the board first at the 5:51 mark of the first quarter when junior QB Briar Van Brunt ran in for a touchdown from 5 yards out. Senior Devon Pike kicked the PAT and the Eagles led 7-0. Later in the second quarter, Van Brunt hooked up with Quin Greene for a 34 yard touchdown pass. Pike’s PAT made the score 14-0. The Eagle D forced another punt, but this time the Northside rush forced the Panther punter to try to scramble for the first down but the Eagles easily dragged him down on the Northside 9 yard line. Four plays later, Van Brunt snuck in from 1 yard out and Pike’s PAT made the score 21-0 with 4:11 left before half. However, on the ensuing kickoff, Panther QB Trent White returned the KO 95 yards for a touchdown to cut the Eagle lead to 21-7. The Eagles then threw an interception but the defense again forced the Panthers to punt, but the short kick bounced off the back of an Eagle defender giving the Panthers good field position at the Northside 45. Five plays later, White ran in for a touchdown from 2 yards out with 8 seconds left in the second quarter cutting Northside’s lead to 21-14 at the half.
The Eagle defense controlled the Panther rushing attack all night, and in the third quarter they also held Chapel Hill to 15 yards of total offense. Brison Williams had an interception and Phillip Jones recovered a fumble for the Eagle defense on the night. On the Eagles opening possession of the second half, the offense drove the ball 35 yards in 7 plays before coming to a fourth and one situation at the Panther 40 yard line. The Panthers filled the box with all 11 players so senior Travis Boyd bounced the inside handoff to the outside and raced untouched for a 40 yard touchdown with 8:29 left in the third quarter. Pike’s PAT increased the Eagle lead to 28-14. The Eagles sealed the game with 9:07 left in the game when Shaquille O’Neill scored on a 2 yard run after an 8 play / 63 yard drive. Pike’s fifth PAT on the night gave the final score of 35-14. Northside backups went on long drive to get down to the Panther 2 yard line with a little over a minute left in the game, but the Eagles then just killed the clock for 2 plays to end the game.
The Eagles now advance to the second round of the playoffs and will host Union Grove for the second straight year at the MAC.