By Gray Haynes

The North Webster Knights traveled back down Highway 2 Friday night to Sterlington to battle the Panthers. The Knights started off hot in the game until miscues put them in a hole. The opening kickoff pinned the Knights deep. The first play from scrimmage was snapped from the 18 yard line. J’Quarian Easter fixed that on the first play of the game. The Knights’ senior took a handoff up the middle and broke toward the right sideline for a gain of 57 yards. However, on a third down play, the Knights’ pass was intercepted by Sterlington at the 22 yard line to end the drive. The always stingy Knights’ defense gave the ball right back to the offense. Sterlington faced a 3rd down and 14 and attempted a pass over the middle. Two-way standout, Jardin Gill, intercepted the pass and took it to the Sterlington 25. After a facemask penalty was tacked on to the end of the interception return, the Knights got the ball back at the 10. Another two way standout, Jeremiah Washington, dove over the pile from the 2 yard line to put the Knights on the board. Jake Pipes added the extra point to make the score 7-0 Knights in the first quarter.

Perennial powerhouse, Sterlington, took the ensuing kickoff to the Knights’ 30 yard line where the offense took over. The Panthers met nose tackle, Bryce Parrish, and linebacker, Jeremiah Washington, on three straight plays. On 4th and 1, the younger Parrish brother, Brayden, also introduced himself to Sterlington and stopped the Panthers which gave the ball back to the Knights. On the next play, Sterlington showed why they are a perennial participant in the state championship game as they intercepted a pass at the 25 yard line and returned it for a touchdown. The PAT tied the score at 7 still in the 1st quarter. The Knights went right back to work. Braylon Washington took the kickoff at about the 20 yard line and ran over a few people on his way to a 70 yard kick return down to the Sterlington 10. After three different ball-carriers took the ball down to the 1, quarterback, Justin Stewart, called his own number from the 1. He slipped as he took off and never regained his feet and was spun around at the goal line. His left arm was over the goal line, but his right arm was short. Unfortunately for the Knights, the ball was in his right arm. Sterlington would get the ball back under the shadow of their own goalpost at the 1. Sterlington tried a run up the middle to get away from their own goal line, but Jeramiah Washington seemed to know exactly where the ball carrier was going and met him in the hole for a safety. The score was 9-7 in favor of North Webster.

Sterlington did not panic at all. They forced a punt after the free kick and methodically marched down the field. They scored on a 4 yard run over the right side to make the score 13-9 early in the 2nd quarter. The two point attempt was no good to leave the score at 13-9. After the kickoff, the Knights took over on offense at their own 22 yard line. Easter took the ball over the left side and found a seam. 64 yards later, he was dragged down from behind at the Sterlington 14. On a 4th and long, the Knights dropped back for a pass. The quarterback attempted to throw the ball as he was hit, but the officials determined that the ball laying on the turf was a fumble. Sterlington picked it up and returned it for a touchdown. The PAT was good to make the score 20-9. The Knights still weren’t done fighting. On a 3rd and long, Braylon Washington took the handoff at the 33 yard line. He seemed to be bottled up after a short gain, but he found a way out of the pile and took the ball to the house on a 67 yard run up the left side. The two point attempt was no good to make the score 15-13 in the second quarter. Sterlington took the kickoff and executed the two minute drill to perfection. They completed a few passes to get down near the 30. They mixed in a run and ended up scoring on a sweep with a few ticks left on the clock in the first half. The PAT was good to make the score 20-15 in favor of Sterlington at the half.

Sterlington took the second half out to the Knights’ 47 yard line and began another methodical march down the field. They found the end zone and made the two point conversion to make the score 28-15 early in the second half. The rest of the third quarter was much of the same. A tired North Webster defense had trouble stopping all of the offensive weapons of the Panthers, and the Knights’ offense couldn’t muster any more big plays. The final score of the game was 48-15 in favor of Sterlington, but that score is not indicative of the quality of play that the Knights produced on this Friday night. Next week, the Knights will be at home to face the vaunted passing attack of the Loyola Flyers. It will be Senior Night at Baucum-Farrar Stadium since the week 10 game against Carroll was cancelled.