NEW MARKET — For a second time this season, Kelby Harwood and Jack Warren led North Montgomery past Southmont.
The Charger duo each scored a touchdown and accounted for big play after big play as North Montgomery downed its county rival 24-21 in the opening round of the Class 2A sectional.
“The kids played great, they held on,” North Montgomery coach Josh Thompson said. “A few miscues, but we talk about this every week. You’re going to face adversity, can you overcome it? I think we did tonight, and kudos to our kids for that.”
Warren found Harwood for a 27-yard score late in the first quarter and ran in the two-point conversion to put the Chargers up 8-0.
Southmont responded with a Heath Tolliver touchdown run and conversion to tie it 8-8.
North Montgomery took a 16-8 lead into the half behind a 28-yard touchdown pass from Warren to Jayden Thompson and a defensive stand — forcing Southmont to turn the ball over on downs inside the Charger 10.
“You could have sworn we get that touchdown right before half, and we did not,” Southmont coach Desson Hannum said. “That was a big play in the game that could have really turned the momentum to our favor.”
Forcing its third-straight three and out, it appeared as if the Southmont defense had figured out North Montgomery’s offense as time ticked away in the third quarter.
Facing a fourth and 13 from their own 14 yard-line, North Montgomery’s Harwood made a split-second decision that changed the game.
The senior, who has handled punting duties all season, faked the punt and took off left for a 26-yard run and Charger first down.
“I saw it was open and called the play,” Harwood said. “Gage (Taylor) made the line blocking call and it worked. When it’s your senior year you need to make a play sometimes and this one worked.”
It was Harwood’s only rush of the night. He totaled 51 receiving yards on five catches, and caught a two-point conversion.
“We looked at putting in some fake punts this week, but we’ve also talked about if you see something, take it,” Thompson said. “Sometimes you have to let your athletes and playmakers make plays for you, and that’s what he (Harwood) did.”
The fourth down pickup eventually led to a Warren touchdown run and two-point conversion that put North Montgomery ahead 24-14 with 11:55 to play.
“A game like this comes down to a couple of plays typically,” Hannum said following the loss. “It’s going to be back and forth and even for most of the game. Both teams are going to have momentum. You’ve got to be able to kind of hold your own during those times, and it just seemed like when they needed to make a play, they made it. And we just didn’t make the play. We had our opportunities tonight several times, and it just didn’t go our way.”
Trailing by 10, Southmont responded with a 15-play drive that Avery Stadler capped with a 5-yard touchdown run with 5:21 to go. The Mounties never touched the ball again though, as the Chargers picked up a pair of first downs to ice the game. Stadler led Southmont with 97 rushing yards on 24 carries.
North Montgomery out-gained Southmont 305-247. Warren totaled 96 passing yards and rushed for another 75. Dakota Glasson added 59 yards on the ground and Thompson 48. Tolliver added 66 rushing yards for Southmont.
The Chargers are now 3-0 all-time in tournament play against Southmont. The Mounties season ends at 3-7, while North Montgomery improves to 4-6 and will host Lewis Cass (5-5), who beat Seeger 42-28, next week.
“You draw a county school for a sectional game, you don’t have to say much to get up for this game,” Thompson said. “The tough part is going forward, what are we going to do to be ready for what appears to be Lewis Cass. Are we going to be ready to play Lewis Cass like we were tonight, and not have a huge letdown.”
