By Gray Haynes

Friday night, the North Webster Knights traveled south to face the Church Point Bears in a Division III Non-Select Bi-District matchup.  Church Point won the opening coin toss and elected to defer their option to the second half.  The Knights took the opening kickoff and brought it out to their own 17 yard line.  The Knights began a 16 play drive that took them down to the Church Point 25 yard line and ate up nearly eight minutes of the clock in the opening period.  The Knights attempted a pass and first and ten, but the ball was intercepted by the Bears in the end zone.  That brought the ball out to the 20 yard line where Church Point took over.  The Bears, behind a huge offensive line, ran down the field in five plays where their quarterback scored from the 50 on an option play over the right side.  The extra point made the score 7-0 with a little over 2 minutes left in the first quarter.  The Knights took the kickoff and unsuccessfully tried the middle of the Church Point defense.  The Knights were forced to punt to open the second period.

Church Point began their possession on their own 35 yard line.  It only took Church Point five plays to score with the drive culminating on a sweep to the left side.  The extra point made the score 14-0 with 9:53 left in the first half.  The Knights took the kickoff out to the 38 yard line to begin their next drive.  That drive only lasted three plays before the Knights were forced to punt again.  Church Point took over on their own 31 yard line.  After picking up a first down and taking the ball near mid field, the Knights’ defense held tough and forced the Bears to punt from their own 45 yard line.  On the punt, the Knights’ senior tight end and defensive end Sonny Arnold sliced through the middle of the line and blocked the punt.  The Knights’ offense would take over with excellent field position at Church Point’s 40 yard line with 6:52 left in the half.  The Knights went with a different approach sending out three wide receivers to spread the field.  On a mix of passes and quarterback runs, the Knights took the ball down to the two.  Quarterback, Justin Stewart, called his own number and followed fullback, JaMyrion Jackson, into the endzone.  The extra point made the score 14-7 with 2:44 left in the half.  Church Point was not content to sit on their lead and take it to the half.  They marched down the field and scored on a slant pattern from the five yard line with 44 seconds left in the half.  The extra point made the score 21-7 in favor of Church Point.  

Since they deferred their option to the second half after winning the opening coin toss, Church Point received the opening kickoff of the second half.  After a short kick, Church Point took over at their own 42 yard line.  The Knights’ defense, after some halftime adjustments, held the Bears on three downs and forced a punt from near midfield.  The short punt was downed near the 20 yard line where North Webster took over.  The Knights were forced to punt on a 4th and ten.  Church Point marched down the field deep into Knights’ territory.  A touchdown was called back due to a holding penalty.  After a series of penalties and good defensive plays, the Bears found themselves facing a 3rd down and 22 from the 30 yard line.  Church Point’s quarterback found his receiver on a slant route coming from left to right.  The receiver did the rest of the work taking it in for the score.  The extra point made the score 28-7 with 4:08 left in the 3rd period.  The Knights marched down the field with a mixture of runs and passes until they stalled out at the 32 yard line failing to convert on a 4th and one with 11:33 left in the game and the score 28-7.

The North Webster defense was forced to take some chances to try to force a turnover on the next Church Point possession.  Church Point took the ball down the field with the big play being a counter play which took the ball down inside the five yard line.  The Bears scored a few plays later to make the score 35-7.  The Knights took over and were forced by the score and the clock to get out of their game and throw the ball every down.  Church Point intercepted a pass and took it deep into North Webster territory.  The Bears scored another touchdown late in the final period to make the final score 42-7.  Although the game was much closer than the game indicated, Church Point has a very good team.  The Knights’ family wishes them luck as they progress through the playoffs.  After the game, Knights’ head coach, Christopher Wilson, thanked the seniors for, “leaving the program better than you found it.”  The Knights look forward to bringing back several returning players as they begin working toward next season.