The Northwestern Trojans showed why they are one of the best high school football teams in the state with a 65-6 win over the Fort Mill Yellow Jackets.
In the final home game of the season, Fort Mill welcomed the Trojans to Bob Jones Stadium for a Region 3-5A clash. It is the first time these two teams have tangled on the gridiron in five years. The Trojans have been putting up points aplenty all season so Fort Mill knew it would be an uphill climb.
Early on, both teams had a hard time holding onto the football. Yellow Jackets got the ball first and went three and out setting up a short field for the Trojans. However, on third and goal at the 8-yard line, Fort Mill’s Joseph Duey would pick off a Findley Polk pass at the 2-yard line.
Fort Mill quarterback Broden Mitcheson would test the Northwestern secondary with a long pass intended for Jeremiah McNeil, but it would be picked off near midfield by Northwestern’s Jayden Baxter. Polk then tested the Yellow Jacket secondary with a long pass down the nearside, but it was broken up by McNeil at the 5-yard line. Fort Mill would get the football back, but couldn’t move against the big and fast Northwestern front four forcing another punt.
However, Northwestern would fumble the punt return at midfield giving the Jackets excellent field position. In what would become the theme of the night, the Trojans defense would stay strong and get the football back for its offense.
Northwestern’s offense found its footing quickly as Polk would hit Kameron Vance from five-yards out. Trojans would go for two and make it making the score 8-0 with 3:39 left first quarter.
After another short Fort Mill drive, Northwestern would punch it into the end zone once again on a 5-yard touchdown run by Zymier Gordon-Miles. With 38 seconds to go first quarter, Northwestern stretched its lead to 15-0.
Again, Fort Mill couldn’t scratch a first down handing the ball back to the Trojans.
Polk would find TaDarrian Knox for 61 yards putting the ball at the Fort Mill 8-yard line. Undeterred, Northwestern would put up another score on a 3-yard run by Nigel Smith. With 8:31 to play second quarter, Northwestern led 22-0.
Fort Mill would change quarterbacks putting Quinn Kelly under center. On his second play, Kelly would flare a pass out into the flat which looked like a forward pass that was tipped by the defensive end. However, the officials ruled it a backwards pass which would roll into the end zone for a safety extending the Trojan lead to 29-0.
The Fort Mill offense would give up the ball again very quickly and Northwestern took little time to cash it in. Polk would hit Kameron Vance again for 62 yards which would have been a touchdown except Brandon Moore ran him down from behind at the 8-yard line. On fourth and goal at the 1-yard line, Northwestern went for it and Gordon-Miles would pick up his second touchdown of the night making it 36-0 with 4:15 to play before halftime.
Another three and out by the Fort Mill offense, Northwestern would score again this time from two yards out by Gordon-Miles for his third touchdown of the night.
With 2:38 left second quarter, the flood gates had opened making it 43-0. Fort Mil again couldn’t move it giving the Trojans the ball back with under a minute to play. Polk would hit Knox on a screen pass behind the line and Knox did all the rest running it in from 45 yards out. At halftime, Northwestern led 50-0.
Northwestern would get the ball first in the second half and continued to run their up-tempo offense despite the score. Polk would take it in himself from 2-yards out. With 7:14 left third quarter, Northwestern led 56-0.
On the ensuing drive, Quinn Kelly would get Fort Mill on the board with a 25-yard strike to Jeremiah McNeil. Noah Hardy’s extra point was blocked making the score 56-6 with 8:14 left.
Northwestern’s next drive would bog down deep into Fort Mill territory giving the Jackets the ball back. However, Kelly’s arm got hit as he threw forcing a fumble that bounced into the end zone for another safety making it 58-6 Trojans.
Even with the backups in and the lopsided score, Northwestern would continue to run up tempo offense punching in another touchdown with 1:24 remaining.
Yellow Jackets fall to 1-6 overall and 0-4 in Region 3-5A play. Fort Mill gets next Friday night off then hits the road to take on Indian Land on Friday, Oct. 25th.
