Nicholson powers Nottingham to narrow win over Lawrence
LAWRENCE » There’s no secret to what the Nottingham High football team wants to do on offense.
Sophomore running back Dionte Nicholson is getting the ball and coming downhill.
Nicholson scored the gamewinning touchdown with 1:18 remaining and the Northstars edged Lawrence, 12-7, after nearly letting Friday night’s game slip away.
Nicholson finished with 225 yards on 42 carriers, the last of which went for a three-yard touchdown.
“It was a lot of grinding and pounding,” Nicholson said. “They loaded the box on me and I had to take control of what I could do. Any team that we play is going to load the box on me and I have to deal with it.”
Nottingham (6-1) dominated time of possession and yardage, yet found itself needing to come up with a scoring drive after the Cardinals’ dormant offense almost produced a smash and grab victory when Davon Hemingway sprinted 75 yards for a touchdown with 10:03 left in the fourth quarter.
Lawrence’s Deon McLean intercepted Nottingham quarterback George Hreiz — in for Logan Barber after he was knocked out of the game in the first quarter — at the twoyard line with just over three minutes remaining, but the Nottingham defense forced a three and out and got the ball back for the offense at the Cards’ 34.
“The plan was to get a safety,” senior linebacker Kier Jenkins said. “Once that couldn’t happen, we had to get a three and out and turn it over. I honestly believe our defense is the best. Hands down.”
There was no question who was getting the rock for Nottingham.
On the first play after the punt, Nicholson raced 33 yards to the Lawrence one-yard line before Hemingway caught him from behind. After getting stuffed on second down, Nicholson found the end zone on third down.
“I’m going crazy because I thought I got in, but they told me I was at the one,” Nicholson said. “I was like, ‘I’m getting this. I need this.’ I was going to finish that. I didn’t get down here for nothing.”
Lawrence (3-4) still had 1:13 to work with and the ball at its own 36, and quarterback Ryan Kaelblein moved the home team to the Nottingham 25 before Jordan Lawery sealed the ’Stars victory with an interception on 4th-and-eight.
“The kids did everything they could do,” Cards coach Nate Jones said. “The effort was there. Nottingham’s a good team. They made a play and walked away with a victory.”
Alix Oge connected on field goals of 35 and 36 yards in the second quarter to give Nottingham a 6-0 lead at halftime.
Hemingway ended up with 123 yards rushing on 12 carries with most of that coming on his 75-yard touchdown run.
Nottingham (6-1) 0 Lawrence (3-4) 0
Oge 35 field goal Oge 36 field goal
6 0 0 0 6 — 7 —
Hemingway 75 run (Wilson kick) Nicholson 3 run (pass failed)
12 7