Warriors tear North Paulding Wolfpack to shreds in Homecoming face-off
The Wolfpack defense takes down a Warrior right before NC scores the second touchdown of the game.
October 18, 2016
NC played the 2016 Homecoming football game on Friday, October 14, dominating the visiting North Paulding Wolfpack 42-10.
The defense stepped up and played one of its best performances of the season, holding a North Paulding offense that averaged 33 points a game to a field goal and garbage time touchdown. The Wolfpack fumbled the ball twice, one of which junior Deshaun Harris returned for a touchdown, and only totaled 16 rushing yards.
The NC student section celebrates kick-off with the traditional baby powder cloud.
The Warriors knew that with only four region games left after a McEachern loss, the team needed to win out to earn home field advantage in the playoffs, and the team delivered on Homecoming night in front of a packed stadium.
Students filled the stadium decked out in Greek gear to celebrate Homecoming week.
After the Wolfpack picked up some big yards on the first few plays, the NC defense settled down and shut down North Paulding’s explosive offense for the remainder of the night. After going three and out from their own five yard line, the Warriors offense went off and never looked back, attacking the blitz happy Wolfpack defense with downpour of quick screens and runs to get the ball outside and away from linebackers. Sophomore Christian Singleton took one screen 30 yards to set up the first touchdown of the game, a one yard Jai Erwin plunge for six.
Quarterback Will Lovett scored on a sneak on the next position, and the Warriors would go up 15-0 after Lovett tossed a dropped extra point snap to Erwin. On the Wolfpack’s next possession, star receiver Chad Terrell fumbled the ball, and NC safety Deshaun Harris returned it 35 yards for a touchdown. The Warriors and Wolfpack both kicked field goals at the tail end of the first half, leaving the score 25-3 at halftime.
During halftime, Warrior nation crowned the Homecoming princesses for each grade and named senior Celina Cotton the Homecoming queen.
Senior Celina Cotton accepts the crown and sash, symbolizing her win of the class of 2017’s Homecoming Queen.
The Warriors expanded the lead with a 17 yard Christian Singleton touchdown to put the game almost completely out of reach with ten minutes remaining in the third quarter. Senior linebacker and running back Erwin picked up his third score of the day, catching a screen on the twenty yard line, cutting up and avoiding the safety streaking down, and rumbling in to set up a running clock for the remainder of the game.
Junior Deshaun Harris grabbed up his second turnover as he snagged a bad pass over the middle of the field and took the ball back to the Wolfpack 13. The Warriors eventually kicked a field goal to go up 42-3, the first time NC has scored over 40 points all season. North Paulding scored its only touchdown of the game a few minutes later against a reserve Warrior defense, and NC ran out the clock for the last three minutes to finish out homecoming with a 42-10 victory, pushing the Warriors to 5-2 (1-1).
Head Coach Shane Queen led NC to a 42-10 victory.
NC will play its last home game this Friday against Marietta in another must win region matchup against a strong Blue Devil squad.
