GAINESVILLE — After last year’s 42-12 win by Chestatee in the battle for Highway 60, North Hall returned the favor, and then some, on Friday courtesy a 63-7 win at The Brickyard on both teams’ season opener.
Senior running back Daniel Jackson was the catalyst for the Trojans’ high-powered wing-T attack, rushing for four touchdowns and 138 yards on just four carries. Jackson also caught two passes for 80 yards and a score — and, if that was not enough, he also added a 90-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.
Jackson lit up North Hall’s new video scoreboard nearly every time he touched the ball and wasted no time, as he took his first carry of the night 74 yards untouched to put North Hall ahead 7-0 with 9:58 remaining in the first quarter.
The War Eagles halted the Trojans’ next possession, however, and appeared to be gaining momentum — until a Chestatee fumble, the first of four for the War Eagles, yielded possession deep in Chestatee territory.
The Trojans made no mistake, punching in a 2-yard run, courtesy of senior fullback Drew Faulkner, to put the Trojans up 14-0 with 2:35 remaining in the opening quarter.
David Seavey then made it 21-0 for the Trojans on a 20-yard touchdown run with 11:55 remaining in the first half.
Seavey finished the game with seven rushes for 67 yards and two touchdowns, while also going 2-of-5 through the air for 80 yards and one score. Faulkner rushed for 51 yards and a touchdown on seven carries, while Isaac Carney added 42 yards on seven carries for the Trojans.
North Hall fully opened the floodgates in the second quarter, as they went on to score four more touchdowns, taking a 49-0 lead into the half. Seavey and Jackson each ran for two scores a piece in the second quarter, and also linked up for a 61-yard touchdown pass which gave North Hall a 49-0 lead heading into the half.
On the opening play of the second half, Daniel Jackson returned the kickoff 90 yards, for a 56-0 advantage.
Chestatee finally broke through the stiff Trojan defense in the third quarter, as Christian Charles broke off a 51-yard run for a score to ruin the North Hall shutout.
Both teams emptied their sidelines for the fourth quarter, and North Hall tacked on another touchdown, as Jacob Dickey took his only carry for a 47-yard touchdown and a 63-7 lead.
Chestatee’s Charles finished the game 7-18 with 66 yards through the air, and added 89 yards on 15 carries on the ground where he also scored.
North Hall’s kicker, Erin Sanchez, went a perfect 9/9 on extra point attempts, while the War Eagles’ Edwin Morales made his only extra point attempt of the night.
North Hall (1-0) looks to keep rolling next week as it travels to face Jackson County in a non-region contest. Meanwhile, Chestatee (0-1) looks to bounce back next week when it plays the Tigers in Dawson County.
SCORING SUMMARY
NORTH HALL....14....35....7....7 -- 63
CHESTATEE........0......0....7....0 -- 7
First Quarter
N-Daniel Jackson 74 yard run (Sanchez kick) 7-0, 9:58
N-Drew Faulkner 2 yard run (Sanchez kick) 14-0, 2:35
Second Quarter
N- David Seavy 20 yard run (Sanchez kick) 21-0, 11:55
N- Daniel Jackson 42 yard run (Sanchez kick) 28-0, 11:04
N- Jackson 61 yard pass from Seavy (Sanchez kick) 35-0, 5:58
N- Seavy 4 yard run (Sanchez kick) 42-0, 1:28
N- Jackson 10 yard run (Sanchez kick) 49-0, 0:03
Third Quarter
N- Jackson 90 yard KO return (Sanchez kick) 56-0, 11:44
C- Charles 51 yard run (Edwin Morales kick) 56-7, 10:24
Fourth Quarter
N- Jacob Dickey 47 yard run (Sanchez kick) 63-7, 5:58
