Sunday, November 1, 2026

Northridge High School Jaguars Sports (Tuscaloosa, Alabama)

FootballSports

Jags end season with 30-27 walkoff at Mortimer Jordan

Michael Clements

The Northridge Jaguars traveled north to take on the Mortimer Jordan Blue Devils on what was both Homecoming and Senior Night in Kimberly, Alabama. And the Jags played the role of spoiler in possibly the most dramatic fashion possible. The season finale saw three ties, at 7-7, 14-14 and 27-27, over the course of the game. The Blue Devils claimed the lead three times, but the Jags just wouldn’t throw in the towel. After being down 10 at 27-17, Northridge clawed back to tie the game at 27-27 with a little over half the final quarter of the season remaining. A defensive stop and a final drive that lasted a few seconds over four minutes, set up a 32-yard game winning field goal from Hick Finison sailed through the uprights as the final horn sounded.

Mortimer Jordan won the opening toss, elected to receive and methodically marched down the field to score with 8:24 remaining in the first quarter. The PAT gave the Blue Devils a 7-0 lead.

10-30-2026 — Kimberly, Ala. — Northridge’s Demeriyan Cotton looks in a pass that would result in the Jaguars’ first score of the game against the Mortimer Jordan Blue Devils.

The Jags responded and evened the score when Max Bruinton connected with Demeriyan Cotton for their first touchdown of the evening. Hicks Finison added the PAT to knot the score at 7-7 with 4:24 to go in the first quarter.

Mortimer Jordan claimed their second lead of the game with 10:42 remaining in the second quarter. A short touchdown run and successful PAT gave the Blue Devils a 14-7 lead.

10-30-2026 — Kimberly, Ala. — Northridge’s Dre Young breaks away from would-be tacklers for the Jaguars’ second score of the game against the Mortimer Jordan Blue Devils.

After Northridge lost a fumble on their ensuing drive, the defense held the Blue Devils and returned the ball to the offense. Following a questionable penalty sequence, Dre Young (the recipient of the aforementioned penalty) hauled in a Bruinton pass in the middle of the field, broke free from four would-be tacklers and raced to the end zone for a 64-yard touchdown reception. Finison’s second PAT knotted the score at 14-14 with 4:55 to go before halftime.

The Blue Devils’ ensuing possession produced a touchdown pass with 15 seconds remaining until halftime. An unsuccessful PAT attempt, resulted in a 20-14 lead for Mortimer Jordan at the half.

10-30-2026 — Kimberly, Ala. — Northridge’s Hicks Finison launches a 30-yard field goal out of the hold of Tregre Benoit in the Jaguars’ game against the Mortimer Jordan Blue Devils.

After receiving the opening kick of the second half, Northridge trimmed the Blue Devil lead to 20-17 when Finison connected on the first of three field goals on the evening. The 30-yarder got the Jags within three at 20-17 with 8:27 to go in the third quarter.

Not long after, Mortimer Jordan’s quarterback completed an amazingly elusive touchdown run with 6:39 to go in the third quarter. The successful PAT gave the Blue Devils their largest lead of the night at 27-17.

10-30-2026 — Kimberly, Ala. — Northridge’s Hicks Finison sends his second field goal, a 35-yarder, through the uprights during the Jaguars’ game against the Mortimer Jordan Blue Devils.

On their next possession, the Jaguars were facing a long fourth down. Carson Mooney came in to punt. (Of note: Tregre Benoit (#41) is the starting punter. And Mooney (#14) is the Jags’ backup quarterback.) Mooney promptly hit Austin Posey down the Northridge sideline for a first down on a 44 yard gain. That play call ultimately resulted in Finison’s second field goal of the evening, a 35-yarder, that brought Northridge back within a touchdown and extra point, at 27-20 with 13 seconds remaining in the third quarter.

10-30-2026 — Kimberly, Ala. — Northridge’s Demeriyan Cotton hauls in his second touchdown catch of the Jaguars’ game against the Mortimer Jordan Blue Devils, as assistant principal Dominic Ingram makes the touchdown call.

As the Blue Devils attempted to drive the field and pad their lead, an overthrown pass was picked off by Northridge’s Kamari Mickens with 10:40 to go in the fourth quarter. The Jags cashed in when Cotton fought off a Blue Devil defender and hauled in his second touchdown reception from Bruinton. The final Finison PAT of the night brought Northridge even at 27-27 with 6:35 remaining in the Jags’ season.

10-30-2026 — Kimberly, Ala. — Northridge’s Hicks Finison launches the game winning 32-yard field goal of the Jauguars’ season finale victory over the Mortimer Jordan Blue Devils.

The Northridge defense rose to the occasion once more, stopping the Blue Devils on their ensuing possession and forcing a punt. The Jags got the ball back with 4:04 remaining on the clock and steadily moved the ball toward the Mortimer Jordan goal line. With 13 seconds remaining, Bruinton moved the ball to the middle of the field and took a knee. Head coach Ryan Lolley was in the ear of the official on the Jag sideline and called a timeout with three ticks remaining on the clock. There was one attempt by the Blue Devils to ice Finison, but it was to no avail. Lane O’Mary delivered the snap, Tregre Benoit placed the ball and Hicks Finison’s kick was true, with the ball sailing through the uprights from 32-yards away, as time expired.

JAGS WIN!!!

Bruinton finished with 316 yards and three touchdowns, completing 16 of 22 passes. Mooney was connected on his lone pass, which covered 44 yards. Cotton hauled in seven passes for 163 yards and two touchdowns. Posey finished the night with four catches for 90 yards. Young had two catches for 84 yards and one touchdown. Tate Espey caugt two passes for 13 yards and Julian Crenshaw had two catches for 10 yards.

Crenshaw led the Jags on the ground, totaling 102 yards on 19 carries. Bruinton added 70 yards on the ground via 14 carries. Jaden Wright was credited with one carry for two yards.

Finison connected on all three of his field goal attempts and three extra point attempts.