Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Grizzlies rout War Eagles
FORT SMITH — Mike Falleur said last spring how much he liked the Zero Week. Apparently, so does his team.
Fort Smith Northside exploded for 56 first-half points en route to a season- opening 69- 0 blowout of Rogers Heritage Friday at Mayo-Thompson Stadium.
About everything that the Grizzlies wanted to do against the War Eagles, they did. Northside had 24 first downs and gained 521 total yards (374 rushing, 147 passing).
The Grizzly defense created four turnovers, including two defensive touchdowns in the game’s first three minutes. In posing the shutout, the defense allowed just 10 first downs and 200 total yards (159 rushing, 41 passing).
“To come out and start fast like we did was great,” the Northside coach said. “The defense got those two early scores and I was wondering if we were ever going to play on offense. Of course, we didn’t do everything right tonight – we have some things we have to correct. For the first game of the season, I am pleased.”
Heritage coach Tony Travis said his team must overcome the poor performance.
“When the game kicked off, we were not ready to play and that is on me,” Travis said. “People are going to open up the papers see the score and think same-old Heritage. We have to start to change that and it starts on Monday. We have to work to get this turned around.”
The Grizzlies (1-0) outgained the War Eagles (0-1) 388-136 in the first half. Northside (1-0) also converted three turnovers into scores in the first half, including Heritage’s first two possessions of the game.
On the game’s third play from scrimmage, quarterback Zack Brown fumbled, and linebacker Chase Needham scooped and scored from 30 yards out for a 7-0 Grizzlies lead 88 seconds in the game.
A minute later, Northside’s Anthony Travis picked off a Brown pass and scampered 30 yards for
the second defensive touchdown. Henry Hernandez booted the PAT kick and it was 14-0 with 9:28 left in the first quarter.
“Almost had three turnovers because we fumbled the kickoff and were lucky Northside didn’t recover that (at the Heritage 4-yard line),” Travis said. “So, the first three possessions were a Fumble- Six, a Pick- Six and a kickoff fumbled out of bounds inside our own 5.”
From there, the Northside offense began to take over. Finally getting a possession midway in the opening period, the Grizzlies drove 66 yards in six plays, capped by a 22-yard keeper by quarterback Derrick Wise.
That score would be the first of eight straight possessions the Northside offense would score a touchdown.
Wise did not play after the Grizzlies led 35-0 after a quarter. In fact, most starters did not play after halftime, except for the kickoff return team to start the second half and the punt team when Northside finally punted in the fourth quarter.
Wise hit J.T. Thorne for a 57-yard score late in the first period to give the Grizzlies the 35-0 lead. After that Dreydon Norwood and Matt Hollenbeck took turns at quarterback they both would lead the Northside offense to scores.
Eleven different runners had carried for the Grizzlies, led by reserve back Rakaim Jackson with 94 yards on 10 carried while Norwood added 78 yards on five carries.