JACKSONVILLE – The storybook first season for the Jaguars came to a close here last night (Friday).

Northampton County High School – in its inaugural year as a single entity representing the entire county – dropped a 50-6 decision at Southwest Onslow in the third round of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association 1-AA football playoffs.

Things didn’t start well for the Jaguars, who were playing away from Roy F. Lowry Stadium for the first time in the playoffs.

Damonta Winbush went 60 yards on the first offensive play for Southwest Onslow and struck paydirt with 8:03 left in the first quarter. Nick Matics added the conversion and the Stallions led 7-0.

On their next possession, the Stallions again found the end zone. Southwest drove 85 yards on 10 plays, capped by a Shak Persey two-yard run with 36 seconds left on the first quarter clock.

Matics tacked on the PAT and the Stallions led 14-0.

Maleek Platt blocked a Northampton punt on the Jaguars next possession and the Stallions took over at the Northampton 19-yard line. Persey scored on a one-yard run. Winbush the added the two-point conversion and the home team led 22-0 with 9:34 to play in the first half.

The next time the Stallions found paydirt it was after a 76 yard drive that took nine plays. Jide’ Brown was on the receiving end of a 13-yard touchdown pass from Persey. Matics added the conversion and Southwest built a 29-0 lead with 4:45 to play in the second quarter.

The home team wasn’t done as they added one more score in the first half.

Winbush capped a six-play, 60-yard drive with an 11-yard scamper. He also added the conversion run as Southwest built a 37-0 lead with 1:25 to play in the second quarter.

That score stood through the intermission.

Matics came through for the Stallions in the third and fourth quarters with field goals of 24 and 44 yards. That allowed Southwest to build a 43-0 advantage.

A Northampton fumble gave Southwest the football inside the Jaguar five-yard line late in the game. Eric Buissereth scored on a one-yard plunge. Matics added the kick and the Stallions led 50-0 with 2:33 to play.

Northampton got on the board with 2:09 left in the game when Brian Lassiter capped a three-play, 43-yard drive with an 11-yard scamper. The conversion failed, establishing the 50-6 final score.

Northampton had 191 yards rushing during the game and minus two yards passing. Lassiter led the way with 75 yards on 15 carries.

Southwest Onslow racked up 377 total yards, 308 of which came on the ground. Winbush led the way with 113 yards on nine carries.

Northampton ends the season 11-3 overall while Southwest improved to 12-1. The Stallions play at James Kenan in the Eastern finals next week.

 

(Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald Senior Analyst Gattis Hodges contributed to this story.)