CLEVELAND, Ga.— North Hall’s defense in the second half was like the Energizer bunny … it kept going and going and going and going.
The Trojans (3-2, 2-0 Region 6-3A) were relentless, blitzing White County quarterback Tripp Nix countless times while holding the Warriors’ (2-3, 1-1 Region 6-3A) offense to 72 yards in the second half and negative 42 rushing yards in a 35-21 win at Warrior Stadium on Friday.
“I was very proud," North Hall coach Sean Pender said. “The way that we didn’t let what we couldn't control affect how we played. We kept playing every play, every snap, and we just kept getting after it.”
It was the Trojans' third straight win in the series.
North Hall's rushing attack was just as good as the defense. It racked up 368 yards—406 total—scoring on runs of 56, 44, 30, and 59.
Smith McGarvey broke loose on the Trojans' first drive of the second half and took it 30 yards for a touchdown and a 28-21 lead.
But Luke Jenkins's 59-yard TD run with 8:16 left in the third quarter essentially put the game out of reach -- 35-21 -- and shifted all the momentum to the Trojans' sideline.
Jenkins led the Trojans with 138 yards on 12 carries and two TDs. Parker Carlton recorded his third straight 100-yard game, rushing 13 times for 130 yards and a score. QB Smith McGarvey added 91 yards on seven carries and two TDs.
"We know can throw the ball and throw it well," North Hall coach Sean Pender said. "But the way we have been running the ball the last couple of weeks has been huge for us. I'm very proud of that aspect of our offense. It's going to make us a lot more difficult to defend."
However, the first half was a back-and-forth battle.
North Hall was the first to score on a McGarvey one-yard run. White County answered when Nix found Zach Godfrey for a six-yard TD pass to tie the game, 7-7.
In the second quarter, the two foes traded scores. North Hall grabbed the lead on a Jenkins 11-yard run with 11:54 left in the second. Nix connected with Godfrey again on a 38-yard pass to tie the game. Carlton answered the score with a 56-yard TD run with 4 minutes left. Nix responded again, scoring on a 44-yard run with 30 seconds left in the half.
Nix finished the night 19-of-36 for 261 yards and two touchdowns. He rushed 20 times for 35 yards and a score. Godfrey caught three passes for 72 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Warriors.
