Jags double up Bryant for area win, 28-14
The Northridge Jaguars made the short trip from The Ridge to Cottondale to take on the Paul W. Bryant Stampede on Friday night. The matchup was one of two remaining Class 6A Area 4 games for the Jags and was a must-win game for the Jags to keep their playoff hopes alive. The Jags started off with a score on their opening drive and held a 21-0 lead with less than two minutes to go in the first half. The Stampede made a bit of a comeback, getting within a touchdown at 21-14, but the Jags tacked on another score with a little under nine minutes to go and held on for the 28-14 area victory.
The Jags won the opening coin toss and elected to receive. Northridge put together a decent drive to open the game and Magnus Greimel got the Jags on the board with a short run, amidst a mass of humanity that barely allowed vision of Greimel. In usual fashion, Caleb Scofield tacked on the extra point and the Jags took a 7-0 lead with 9:08 to go in the first quarter.
The Jags held the Stampede on a fourth down conversion attempt on Bryant’s first possession. However, the Jags were unable to get anything going and punted back to the Stampede. Bryant’s drive stalled, but it was close enough for a field goal attempt. Northridge’s Cruz Lee blocked the kick and Amani Knox recover the loose ball for the Jags.
The Jags moved the ball down field and Jacob Hall, who has been out with a broken bone in his lower arm, made his return known with a 14-yard run for a touchdown with 4:55 to go in the second quarter. Scofield added the PAT for a 14-0 lead Northridge lead.
Northridge’s third score of the first half came when Rowdy Christensen connected with Mayson Elam at the 4-yard line and Elam outran a defender to the end zone. Scofield added the PAT, stretching the Jag lead to 21-0 with 1:57 remaining in the first half.
A big hit by the Jags on the kickoff, led to the Stampede starting from their own 9-yard line. After a five yard offside penalty on Northridge, the Stampede ripped off an 86-yard touchdown run to get on the board before halftime. The PAT was successful and Bryant closed the Jag lead to 21-7, which remained the score when the first half clock expired.
After trading a couple possessions that ended in a fumble and punts, Bryant got back on the scoreboard with 53 seconds to go in the third quarter, via a 71-yard touchdown run. The PAT closed the Northridge lead to 21-14.
The Jags added their final score of the night when Brylon Tubbs crossed the goal line on a 4-yard run at the 8:56 mark of the fourth quarter. Scofield’s PAT set the final score of the night at 28-14.
The last four minutes of the game saw C.J. Stinson end a Stampede drive when he intercepted a pass for the Jags. And, when Colin Kapilovic recovered a fumbled punt, the Jags were set to kneel a couple times and run out the game clock for the 28-14 area win.
Northridge (5-3, 3-2) will host the Bessemer City Tigers next Friday for homecoming. That will be a must-win, final area game for the Jags who sit at the fourth spot in area play. Bessemer City currently sits at 3-1 and second place in the area, with the Jags and McAdory remaining on the area schedule. Hueytown is currently in the top spot at 4-1 and McAdory is at 3-1 after falling to Hueytown, 27-14 on Friday.