LINDEN – Friday the 13th. Steady rain. Wet field.
The play of the North Montgomery football team almost overcame the gloomy factors in a 23-20 Sagamore Conference loss to Danville at Charger Field.
It was certainly a tale of two halves as the Chargers opened up a 20-7 lead and led 20-15 at the half. However, the home team offense went stagnant in the second half, mustering minus 20 yards on a sloppy field and against a fired up Warrior defense.
“That’s a tough one,” North coach Josh Thompson said. “We played our butts off. We struggled offensively in the second half and then we ran out of time. I told them on the field we may see these guys again in two weeks. Sometimes we just have to face our challenges head on.”
Senior running back Colton Mosley put his Danville teammates on his back rushing for 124 yards, 73 in the second half and a big 14-yard touchdown that put the visitors up for good 21-20 with 6:58 left in the third quarter.
The contest looked as if it would be all Chargers (5-4, 4-3 SAC). Led by senior quarterback Ross Dyson North struck for three scores in the first half and went into the locker room up 20-15.
North scored the first time with the ball after blocking a Danville punt. It took seven plays from the Warrior 16 yard line topped off by Dyson going over from the 1.
The visitors took a brief 7-6 lead, following a blocked Charger punt, two plays into the second quarter. Freshman quarterback Carter Ward scored from a yard out.
Momentum was mostly in the home team favor rest of the half. Danville’s offense was stopped twice on downs and also a turnover. The Warriors did score a touchdown after a muffed punt.
North used the big play twice to set up its other two first half touchdowns. Roman Utterback returned to the lineup and snatched a handoff 69 yards to the Danville 2. Dyson took it the rest of the way. The very next possession, very first play, Dyson hit a streaking Kelby Harwood down the right sideline for an 85-yard score with 7:10 left in the half. That was the last time North would light up the scoreboard.
“This is life right here,” Thompson added. “We kind of got kicked in the teeth. We had a good first half, second half didn’t go our way and lose a close game.”
The second half saw three three-and-outs, a safety and turnover on downs for North.
“Our biggest problem was us in the second half. Their kids played with energy and I think we lacked a little energy. We struggled with some exchanges. One of the keys to the game every week is we need to finish drives in the end zone. We didn’t do that. We get one score in the second half and we’re good.”
Danville had more than half of its offensive output in the second half led by Mosley. Eight different ball carriers and four different receivers had touches for the Warriors (7-2, 6-1).
“Our defense always plays really hard. We were in place to make plays. We had too many missed tackles and we were in the right spot at times, but I don’t think we saw the ball carrier. The good thing is our kids are making the right reads. We just have to finish the play.”
Dyson threw for 105 yards and the touchdown on 5-of-10 passing. Ward hit 6-of-15 for 80 yards, a touchdown and interception, but only had to throw once the entire second half. Danville outgained North 302-185 with 222 yards on the ground.
Danville opens sectional play at SAC champion Tri-West Friday. The Bruins shutout the Warriors earlier in the season 21-0.
Thompson’s squad ends up in a three-way tie for third in the SAC and plays host to Western Boone in first round play Friday after beating the Stars 20-17 Sept. 15. The Chargers look for their first sectional title since 2008. North also is on fall break all week leading up to the next game.
“They don’t have school to distract them this week so they only have one thing to think about and that’s what we need to do against Western Boone. We’re going to use that to our advantage instead of hinder us. They’re locked in and ready to go.”
