PREP FOOTBALL: Northview hangs on to beat Smiths Station

DOTHAN — In a game of big plays, way too many mistakes and plenty of momentum swings, Northview’s Derrick Thomas was the difference-maker in leading the Cougars to a 19-15 victory over Smiths Station on Friday night on Knology Field at Rip Hewes Stadium.

Thomas rushed for 130 yards on 24 carries with a touchdown and turned a short catch into an 84-yard score as Wayne White recorded his first win as Northview’s head coach.

“It’s a great feeling, but it’s not about me,” White said. “It’s about those kids, because they worked their butts off.”

Thomas, a senior running back, said offseason work certainly paid off.

“I’m not even tired,” Thomas said.

But Smiths Station must be tired of seeing Thomas.

“What hurt us was 27 (Thomas) breaking the big play,” Smiths Station coach Mark Rose said.

With Northview holding a 7-3 lead late in the first half, Thomas caught a short pass and then made a nifty move to sidestep a defender and took off running all the way down the sidelines 84 yards into the end zone.

While Thomas was the star of the game, a soft collision between Thomas and B.J. Chitty put Northview in trouble on the kickoff after the Panthers had pulled to within 19-15 on a 4-yard run by Marcus Bilbrew with 5:12 left in the game. The PAT was missed.

On the kickoff, Thomas caught the ball over his shoulder and ran into Chitty, who was running up on the ball. Thomas fell to the ground at the 5.

After Thomas gained 4 yards on first down, the Cougars were then whistled for two straight illegal procedure penalties — pushing the ball back to the 3.

After Austine Hill gained a yard to the 4, Northview faced a third-and-12 situation with under four minutes left in the game.

It was then the Cougars caught a big break.

While Northview was letting the play clock run down, Smiths Station was whistled for an unsportsmanlike penalty due to a player calling out the snap count.

That gave Northview a first down at the 19 with just over three minutes left. The Smiths Station coaching staff was whistled for an unsportsmanlike penalty four plays later to move Northview from its 29 to the 44.

However, Smiths Station would get one more crack at the ball as Northview set to punt from its 45 with 18.4 seconds left following a delay of game penalty.

After receiving the punt, Smiths Station set up for its last try at the 35 with 11.5 seconds left.

Quarterback Michael Nolin connected with Rod Austin, who quickly got out of bounds after an 8-yard gain. On the play, Northview was whistled for having too many players on the field, adding 15 more yards to put the Panthers on the Northview 42 with six seconds left.

But it was then Smiths Station’s turn for a miscue as the snap from center was low, causing Nolin to chase the ball in the backfield. Northview’s Craig Shirley and Tony Vickers pounded on Nolin as time expired.

“One of our goals is to get ready every week,” White said. “We can’t make mistakes like we’re making them. We overcame them tonight.”

Vickers came up with an interception for Northview on the first drive of the game, giving the Cougars the ball at the Panthers’ 45.

Northview capitalized on the turnover as Thomas went in from 7 yards out to culminate a nine-play, 55-yard drive. Dustin Holland kicked through the extra point for the 7-0 lead.

Smiths Station’s Tim Toliver went around for 12 yards for an apparent score on the ensuing possession, but a holding call brought the ball back to the 14. On a 4th-and-4 play from the 14, a pass from Nolin to Austin was caught just out of bounds in the back of the end zone as Northview dodged a bullet.

The Panthers got a 24-yard field goal from Brantley Carrero with 7:57 to play in the first half before Thomas scored on his long catch-and-run to put Northview up 13-3 at halftime. The extra point kick was missed following the score by Thomas.

Smiths Station got an 18-yard touchdown run by Nolin with 5:29 to play in the third. The extra point was missed, making it 13-9.

Northview ended a long drive on the ensuing possession with a touchdown when Chitty spun up the middle and into the end zone on a 5-yard run with 9:30 left in the game. The extra point was missed, making it 19-9 before Smiths Station scored its final touchdown.

The Northview drive covered 79 yards in 15 plays, and the Cougars ran out of the wishbone formation several times on short-yardage situation.

“We got in the wishbone because last week we didn’t have the package in and we’ve got to be able to get tough yards,” White said. “We’re trying to be a physical football team.”

Chitty ran for 81 yards and threw for 104 on 2-of-3 passing.

Bilbrew led Smiths Station in rushing with 90 yards on nine carries.