DANE FUELLING
WZBD.com
HUNTINGTON – Two plays, two touchdowns.
That’s all the Huntington North Vikings needed to jump out to a 14-0 lead Friday night on Homecoming Night against the winless Bellmont Braves, going on to win 49-7.
Lathen Janes took his first offensive snap of the night and hit Ethan Johnson for a 25-yard score and after the second failed Bellmont attempt at converting on fourth down, Christian Jemison ran it 96 yards on the second offensive HN play for another score.
The difference in this week’s loss compared to the previous two NE8 losses was that the Bellmont offense was in a position to move the chains. While the first drive stalled on early penalties and handed the HN offense a short field, the Bellmont offense had no problem moving the ball, but the Viking defense came up with the goal line stand and Jemison made them pay.
Jemison finished the first half with 178 yards of rushing on 13 carries. He also had an 18-yard touchdown catch from Janes, who was 8 of 10 for 165 yards in his two quarters of play.
After a third failed attempt to start the game on fourth down, the Braves defense allowed a jump ball touchdown in the end zone to Nate Bowman, one of three Janes TD passes in the half. It was just the sixth play from scrimmage for the Vikings, who led 21-0.
The Braves lost the field position battle after that, punting twice and throwing an interception with five minutes to go in the first half at midfield.
Huntington North scored on all six possessions in the first half and it wasn’t until the second team came in that the Braves were able to make their first defensive stop, forcing a punt. The home team scored its seventh touchdown on the very next play, picking off Faurote for the second time, as Max Double took it to the house for 31 yards.
Shortly thereafter, the game turned in a disappointing way. On a seven-yard run just past midfield, senior lineman Blake Christner was rolled up on the tackle in a gruesome injury that hushed the crowd. The Bellmont team went through a rollercoaster of emotion and some 15 minutes later, Christner was in an ambulance headed to Fort Wayne with a broken leg.
Filled with emotion, the remaining teammates showed as much determination as at any point this season and Faurote hit Mason White on a short pass for a three-yard score in the fourth quarter with the running clock.
Lykins finished the night with 68 rushing yards. The team had a total of 60, with the Vikings picking up three sacks, including consecutive ones for Walter Goodnight.
Faurote finished 21 of 34 for 246 yards in the air. Cole Barger had six catches for 124 yards. His catches of 35 and 47 yards in the first half were excellent catches.
Corbynn Omlor had eight catches for 77 yards.
Jaron Brickley had an exceptional night defensively for the shorthanded Braves with five solo tackles, including a big hit for a TFL that cost HN six yards.
SCORING SUMMARY
Quarter 1
9:55 – Ethan Johnson 25-yd catch from Lathen Janes, Gavin Sink PAT good, 7-0
2:52 – Christian Jemison 96-yd run, Sink PAT good, 14-0
Quarter 2
9:59 – Nate Bowman 28-yd catch from Janes, Sink PAT good, 21-0
7:12 – Christian Jemison 18-yd catch from Janes, Sink PAT good, 28-0
5:30 – Christian Jemison 21-yd run, Sink PAT good, 35-0
2:48 – Christian Jemison 9-yd run, Sink PAT good, 42-0
Quarter 3
6:41 – Max Double 31-yd interception return, Sink PAT good, 49-0
Quarter 4
8:45 – Mason White 3-yd catch from Charlie Faurote, Henry Faurote PAT good, 49-7
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