By Gray Haynes Friday night, the North Webster Knights traveled to Monroe to take on the St. Frederick Warriors. The game looked like it was going to be a scorefest through the first quarter, but it ended up becoming a defensive struggle as both teams settled in and adjusted. The game started with North Webster returning the opening kickoff out to their own 36 yard line. On the first play from scrimmage, quarterback Justin Stewart found wingback Ja’Kayden Jackson for 14 yards. Then, Steward scrambled for 8. On 3rd and 5 J’Quorion Easter picked up 20. It seemed like the Knights’ offense could not be stopped on this night. Jackson ran for 14, then Easter picked up 6 more; Stewart picked up another 6, and Ke’Shawn Evans took the ball across the goal line from 6 yards out. The PAT was no good. The Knights were up 6-0 to start the game. St. Frederick started from scrimmage at their own 30 yard line. They picked up 15, then 13, and then scored on the fullback dive of the triple option from 42 yards out. The PAT was good making the score 7-6.
North Webster took the ensuing kickoff out to their own 28 and moved the ball into Warrior territory. After reaching the St. Frederick 38, the Knights failed to convert on a 4th and 2 and gave the ball back to the Warriors. St. Frederick was able to pick up a few first downs, but eventually the Knights’ defense forced a punt from the 42. The Warriors’ punt pinned the Knights deep in their own territory. The Knights began their drive in the shadow of their own goal post at the 2. North Webster was able to move the ball out to the 16 where they faced a 1st and 10. Stewart found Jackson streaking through the St. Frederick secondary for 84 yards and a touchdown. The two-point conversion was good to make the score 14-7 in favor of North Webster. St. Frederick took the ensuing kickoff out to the 40 and matriculated the ball down the field culminating in a score from 4 yards out. The PAT was good to tie the score at 14 with about a minute and a half left in the 2nd quarter. Jardin Gill nearly broke away on the kickoff return but was tripped up at Warriors’ 45. The Knights were able to run the ball down to the 22 before the Warriors intercepted a pass at their own 5 yard line. They returned the ball back to the 40. A penalty on the interception return gave the home team the ball at the North Webster 45 with less than a minute left in the half. The Warriors had time for two plays before the half ended with the score knotted at 14.
St. Frederick took the second half kickoff out to the 45 where the returner was tripped up. The Warriors marched the ball down the field using the triple option. After the drive stalled out around the 15 yard line, The Warriors attempted a field goal on 4th down. Bryce Parrish got a big paw on the kick from the middle, and Chandler McKenzie sped around the end to also get a hand on the kick. After the scrum for the blocked kick, the Knights took over near midfield. They could get nothing going, and the two teams traded punts for the rest of the 3rd quarter. Both defenses seemed to have taken over this game.
The first play of the final period was a punt from North Webster to St. Frederick. The Warriors lined up in the I formation and began running their triple option. When they fumbled a pitch, the Knights pounced on the ball. The referee came in and spotted the ball and signaled that North Webster had possession. After a lengthy discussion with St. Frederick’s head coach, the referee decided that he had inadvertently blown his whistle and gave the ball back to the home team. The Warriors immediately attempted a halfback pass into excellent coverage. The receiver was able to haul in the pass for a gain of 44 yards down to the North Webster 20. Five plays later, the Warriors found the endzone from 1 yard out. The point after touchdown made the score 21-14 in favor of the home team with about 10:30 left in the game. The Knights were forced to punt from their own 35 and never got the ball back as St. Frederick mounted a run-oriented drive that ate up the clock. St. Frederick ended the game with two kneel downs from inside the North Webster 10. Next week, the Knights will be at home celebrating homecoming against Lakeview.
