Wednesday, September 2, 2026

Northridge High School Jaguars Sports (Tuscaloosa, Alabama)

FootballSports

Jags hold off Tigers for first win of 2026, 38-34

Michael Clements

The Northridge Jaguars hosted the Demopolis Tigers at The Ridge on Friday evening. The Jags held a double-digit lead three times in the game and eventually ended up with a four point victory. Every time the Jags seemed to be pulling away, the Tigers found a way to get back in the game and make Northridge earn their first victory of the season. Even though the Tigers outgained the Jaguars, 548 to 417 total yards, Northridge came out on top where it mattered most, the score, 38-34.

The Tigers grabbed a 6-0 lead on a long catch-and-run touchdown pass with 3:17 to go in the first quarter. The PAT failed, which left the Tigers with the 6-0 advantage.

8-28-2026 — Tuscaloosa, Ala. — Northridge’s Demeriyan Cotton hauls in a pass during the Jaguars’ game against the Demopolis Tigers.

A little over two minutes later, Max Bruinton found Demeriyan Cotton over the middle for a 51-yard catch-and-run touchdown. Hicks Finison was on target, adding the PAT for a 7-6 Jaguar lead with 1:01 remaining in the first quarter.

At the 7:30 mark of the second quarter, the Bruinton-Cotton aerial assault connected again, for a 22-yard touchdown. Finison added the PAT, to give the Jags a 14-6 lead.

8-28-2026 — Tuscaloosa, Ala. — Northridge’s Jaden Wright intercepts a pass during the Jaguars’ game against the Demopolis Tigers.

On the Tigers’ ensuing possession, Jaden Wright picked off a Demopolis pass and returned it to the Tiger 22-yard line. On the next play, Bruinton found Tate Espey over the middle and Espey maneuvered his way into the end zone. Another Finison PAT increased the Northridge lead to 21-6 with 5:00 remaining in the second quarter.

8-28-2026 — Tuscaloosa, Ala. — Northridge’s Tate Espey hauls in a pass that he would carry in for a touchdown during the Jaguars’ game against the Demopolis Tigers.

The Tigers managed to get in range to tack on a field goal with 48.1 seconds to go in the half. Even though the Jags lost a fumble with 35 seconds remaining in the quarter, the defense prevented any further damage from the Tigers and Northridge entered halftime with a 21-9 lead.

Demopolis wasted little time drawing closer to the Jags, with an 81-yard catch-and-run touchdown with only 39 seconds off the third quarter clock. Wright got his second pick on the 2-point conversion attempt pass, leaving Northridge with a 21-15 lead with 11:21 to go in the third quarter.

8-28-2026 — Tuscaloosa, Ala. — Northridge’s Christian McLaurin pulls down a runner during the Jaguars’ game against the Demopolis Tigers.

Finison gave the Jags a bump on the scoreboard with a 39-yard FG with 8:02 to go in the third quarter.

Demopolis closed the gap to three points with a short TD run with 2:46 remaining in the third quarter, 24-21. Trindon Henderson kept the lead to three with a block of the Tigers’ PAT attempt.

8-28-2026 — Tuscaloosa, Ala. — Northridge’s Demeriyan Cotton hauls in a pass during the Jaguars’ game against the Demopolis Tigers.

Cotton found the end zone for the third time with only eight seconds gone in the fourth quarter. The short TD run and Finison’s PAT bumped the Northridge lead back up to 10 with 11:52 to go in the final stanza.

The Tigers returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown – or so it would seem. Thankfully for the Jags, Demopolis was the recipient of a yellow handkerchief award and the points didn’t stick to the scoreboard. However, the Tigers would eventually add a short quarterback run for a touchdown. The successful PAT narrowed the Northridge lead 31-28 with 5:48 remaining.

8-28-2026 — Tuscaloosa, Ala. — Northridge’s Julian Crenshaw takes a hand-off from Max Bruinton during the Jaguars’ game against the Demopolis Tigers.

On their ensuing drive, Julian Crenshaw punched it in from 2-yards out and the Finison PAT stretched the Jag lead back to 10 with 3:00 to go.

Demopolis methodically moved the ball down the field on their next possession and scored on a short run with 35.9 seconds remaining in the contest. The PAT was no good (partially blocked), leaving the Jags with what would be the final score and the victory, 38-34.

Bruinton connected on 10 of 12 passes for 200 yards and three touchdowns. Cotton was the leading receiver with seven receptions for 168 yards and two touchdowns. Espey had one reception for 22 yards and it was a touchdown. Dre Young and Jordan Lewis each had one reception for five yards.

Crenshaw had 15 carries for 91 yards with one touchdown. Da’marcus Wilder had 16 carries for 88 yards. Cotton had three carries for 39 yards with one touchdown. Semaje Rainey had one carry for nine yards.

Trindon Henderson led Northridge with nine total tackles (5 solo, 4 assists). Anthony Hyche (5/2), Crenshaw (6/1), Jackson Pilsch (4/3), Cullen Pilsch (5/2) and Devin Brown (3/4) recorded seven total tackles each. Wright had six tackles (4/2) and the two interceptions, one of which was returned for 40 yards. Jaylen Marshall (4/1) and Zaine Rymond (3/2) totaled five tackles each.

The Jaguars will host the McAdory Yellow Jackets Friday at The Ridge, in their first area contest of the season.