7A-WEST : Northside outlasts Fayetteville
Posted on Saturday, October 11, 2008
FAYETTEVILLE — Fort Smith Northside and Fayetteville aired out their differences Friday night.
Northside quarterback Dax Dupire completed 32 of 43 passes for 450 yards and 5 touchdowns passes to rally the Grizzlies from a 21-7 second-quarter deficit to a 42-35 victory over Fayetteville at Harmon Field.
Dupire’s 56-yard touchdown pass to K. J. Roberts with 4: 11 remaining helped push the Grizzlies ahead for good as Northside Coach Darrell Henry ran his record to 4-0 as Harmon Field.
“We tried to keep the rhythm of the game at a high pace and keep running the plays fast,” Henry said. “We hoped that we could wear them down and get their corners to where they couldn’t run with us. I think Fayetteville got a little tired in some places and the pace helped us.
“ They got us down and we couldn’t move the ball early, but Dax got us in a rhythm and, boy, he played well and really showed some leadership, threw the ball well and kept competing.” Fayetteville, which dropped its fourth consecutive game, changed to the 3-5 defense in hopes of igniting a struggling unit, but Northside’s Spread attack was too much.
“Northside executed and they were almost perfect when they needed to be, and the big plays hurt us,” Fayetteville Coach Daryl Patton said. “Northside did a great job offensively. Third-and-9, fourthand-10, they pick up the yards.” Fayetteville quarterback Brandon Allen completed 23 of 45 passes for 299 yards with 3 touchdown passes and 2 interceptions. Demetrius Dean led Fayetteville with 5 receptions for 96 yards and caught all three of Allen’s scoring tosses.
Roberts produced 6 catches for 100 yards and 2 touchdown for the Grizzlies (5-1, 3-0 ). Arthur Poole had 8 receptions for 102 yards and 1 score.
The Bulldogs (2-4, 0-3 ) took a 7-0 lead on a 20-yard fade from Allen to Dean. It was the first lead for Fayetteville since taking a 7-0 advantage in the first quarter at Russellville in Week 3.
Allen connected with Coy Holmes for 30 yards on second-and-9 to keep the opening drive going.
Northside’s ensuing possession ended on a missed field goal from 28 yards.
Fayetteville entered Friday’s game last in the 7 A-West in turnover ration at minus-10 but managed to capitalize on a Northside gaffe in the opening quarter. Fayetteville’s Adam Ratcliff picked off Dupire, setting up Fayetteville at the Northside 23. A pass-interference call helped shorten the field for the Bulldogs, and Bobby Petrino plowed in from 1 yard out to cap the drive, pushing the gap to 14-0.
Northside stormed back with 21 points in the second quarter.
Darrell Thompson scooped up a Fayetteville fumble following a completion and ran 32 yards to chop the margin to 14-7.
Fayetteville responded on its next possession. Dylan Hale crashed up the middle and ran 47 yards on second down. Allen finished off the drive with a 7-yard touchdown pass to Dean at the 7: 22 mark for a 21-7 lead.
A blown assignment by Fayetteville’s defense led to Dupire’s 68-yard touchdown pass to Allen Johnson with 5: 52 left in the first half. The Grizzlies knotted the score at 21 with 2: 57 left in the second quarter on a 27-yard scoring toss from Dupire to Roberts.
Fayetteville took a 28-21 lead on Allen’s 6-yard touchdown pass to Dean with 6: 18 left in the third quarter, but Dupire connected with Poole for a 25-yard touchdown pass to tie it again.
Allen’s 1-yard keep with 48 second left in the third gave the Bulldogs a 35-28 lead heading into the fourth quarter, but Northside regained the momentum on a 2-yard scoring toss from Dupire to Semaj Edwards with 9: 09 left in regulation.
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