Early onslaught, lockdown defense key Panthers’ rout
So much is expected of star-studded Pickerington North that it’s almost as though the public is purchasing tickets to see a big-time entertainment act and does not want to go off into the night disappointed.
Running back Kevaughn Robinson said the Panthers discussed beginning the game with such a big bang that it would resonate the rest of the evening.
As fast as you can say touchdown march, Tyrik Carter returned the opening kickoff 52 yards and Chris Scott caught a 34-yard touchdown pass on the second play from scrimmage to get North on its way toward a stunning 35-0 victory over Dublin Jerome on Friday night at Jerome.
“We had that conversation before the game — jump,” Robinson said.
The jumping didn’t end there. Two series later, Robinson ended a seven-play drive with a 9-yard touchdown run. His 37-yard run set up the score.
Things got so lopsided that a running clock was instituted with 10:46 left to play when the margin became more than 30 points.
The Panthers’ defense was so dominant that the Celtics (1-1) managed three first downs, and one was by penalty.
Quarterback Jimmy Weirich had a checkered start but completed 13 of 26 passes for 207 yards, including touchdown passes of 34, 18 and 8 yards.
North (2-0) is coming off a playoff season, but the difference is that coach Tom Phillips left to join coach Luke Fickell’s staff at the University of Cincinnati.
The new man is Nathan North head coach Nathan Hillerich
“We welcome that. That’s the great thing about being at Pickerington North — high expectations. We expect to win at Pickerington North. It’s just excitement. It’s great to come in and have great kids.”
Hillerich. He might be young, having graduated from Ohio Dominican in 2008, but he led Hamilton Township into the playoffs his final three seasons there.
What does Hillerich think about the high expectations?
“We welcome that,” he said. “That’s the great thing about being at Pickerington North — high expectations. We expect to win at Pickerington North. It’s just excitement. It’s great to come in and have great kids.”
It was a jolt to a young team when Phillips, who proved that there could be more than one outstanding team in the suburb than Central, left after 10 seasons.
“I think it was the perfect change for us,” Weirich said. “It was weird losing coach Phillips to Cincinnati, but coach Hillerich is young and energetic, and that’s the way we live. His enthusiasm will improve us even more.”
The only negative was the Panthers being called for 11 penalties, and Hillerich made sure the address them and some lapses on special teams in his postgame talk with the players.
“I told them if they play to their potential, clean up the penalties, that it’s a tough team,” he said. “We just want to get better. If we take care of the football we are a tough team to beat.”