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Friday, Nov. 28, 2008

Northwestern 45, Lancaster 14

Northwestern will scratch a seven-year itch and head back to the state championship game for the first time since 2001. The Trojans upended Lancaster, 45-14, Friday at District Three Stadium behind five touchdown passes from Justin Worley.

Friday night belonged to the Trojans.

Senior Jarrett Neely has made plays all season for the Trojans. It was his 55-yard punt return in the first quarter that jump-started Northwestern.

Lancaster punted to Neely to end its first offensive possession. Neely gathered the line-drive punt at his own 43 and was at full speed a split second later. His only movement was straight forward. A Lancaster defender latched onto him at the 8-yard line. Neely dragged him to the 2.

Northwestern ran the ball four times before Worley banged through the Bruins defensive line for a 1-yard score. “That punt return was huge,” Northwestern coach Jimmy “Moose” Wallace said.

Northwestern went on to lead 21-0 at the half. The Trojans defense held the Bruins without a first down until early in the third quarter.

Neely lined up in the backfield or as a wideout and returned punts. He had 55 yards rushing and 90 receiving to go with 63 yards on two punt returns.

“I knew I had to make a spark to get us going,” Neely said.

As far as the upcoming state championship game goes, Neely can’t wait.

“I’m ready. I have dreamed of this,” he said.

Wallace was happy for his team and his coaches. Northwestern lost in the Upper State Championship game last year and in 2004. It is time to play for a title again.

“This game got to be real emotional for our seniors,” Wallace said after the game. “They knew this would be their last game on this field. I am so proud of these kids. They have worked so hard. This is every high school team’s dream to get there. I am very, very proud of our coaches.”

Northwestern had to beat a much-improved Lancaster team to advance. The Bruins finished the season 10-4 under coach Bennie McMurray, who has turned the team’s fortunes around.

“If you told me before the season we would have 10 wins and be a game away from a state championship game, you know, I would take it,” McMurray said.

“The kids and coaches did a great job all year. This is something we can build on,” he said.

Lancaster scored two second-half touchdowns. Derrick Kirkland, the third quarterback used by McMurray in the game, found Michael Catoe for a 62-yard touchdown strike with 4:37 left in the third quarter to make it a 28-7 game. Kirkland threw a 43-yard score to Timothy Duncan in the final minute of the game.

Worley, a sophomore playing his first year of varsity football, completed 27 of 37 passes for 351 yards. He spread the ball around and threw touchdown passes to four different receivers.

The Trojans offense is in a groove.

“Something has clicked offensively for us. Here in the playoffs against York, Richland Northeast and now this one. It is good because we are clicking right at the end of the year,” Worley said while surrounded by friends near midfield after the game.

“We knew we had a chance to get this far. We had to rebuild the offensive line and they have played great. Everyone is excited. This is what we have been playing for all year,” he said.

NORTHWESTERN 45, LANCASTER 14

Lancaster.....0.....0.....7.....7.....—.....14

Northwestern.....7.....14.....14.....10.....—.....45

SCORING SUMMARY

N — Justin Worley 1 run (Shawn Ferguson kick)

N — Cordarelle Patterson 49 pass from Worley (Ferguson kick)

N — Jarrett Neely 18 pass from Worley (Ferguson kick)

N — Julian Patton 4 pass from Worley (Ferguson kick)

L — Michael Catoe 62 pass from Derrick Kirkland (Anna Funderburk kick)

N — Labris Adams 18 pass from Worley (Ferguson kick), 1:18

N — Ferguson kick 28 field goal

L — Timothy Duncan 43 pass from Kirkland (Funderburk kick)

TEAM STATISTICS

.....LHS.....NHS

First downs.....7.....20

Rushes-yards.....31-67.....19-80

Comp-Att-Int .....4-11-1.....27-37-0

Passing yards.....115.....351

Fumbles-lost.....1-0.....1-1

Penalties-yards.....5-30.....3-20

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — Lancaster: Jamias Clark 9-27, Zed Truesdale 4-4, Matt Reese 4-14, Kendrick Gladden 7-14, Derrick Kirkland 7-8. Northwestern: Jarrett Neely 9-55, Sanbobis McCleod 4-12, Justin Worley 4-7, Octavius Sherer 2-6.

PASSING — Lancaster : Matt Reese 1-1-3-0, Gladden 1-6-7-1, Kirkland 2-4-105. Northwestern : Justin Worley 27-37-351

RECEIVING — Lancaster : Michael Catoe 2-69, Kendrick Thompson 1-3, Timothy Duncan 1-43. Northwestern : Cordarrelle Patterson 6-79, Labris Adams 6-88, Neely 6-90, Julian Patton 7-68, Delveon McCleod 1-8, Stewart Hunt 1-18.

RECORDS — Lancaster 10-4; Northwestern 13-1