NBC’s defense, Johnson too much for Everett | Local
LOYSBURG — Despite a 2-0 record, Northern Bedford coach Garry Black was concerned with his defense heading into the Black Panthers’ rivalry game with Everett on Friday night.
His defense did the job against the Warriors, shutting out the visiting team and allowing only 158 yard and collecting four turnovers in a 41-0 victory to help the Black Panthers improve to 3-0 on the season.
“That’s our best defensive performance of the year, so we’re happy,” said Black after the big win.
The Northern Bedford offense also showed its power, scoring on all six drives in the first half with running back Adam Johnson doing some heavy damage. The junior had 8 rushes for a 156 yards and three touchdowns, while he caught two passes for 83 yards and a touchdown.
“He’s a stud,” added Black. “He is an outstanding football player and he works hard. I am excited that he is a junior and plays for Northern Bedford, and I am glad that we have him for another year.”
Also scoring on rushing plays for the Black Panthers were Rece Dibert and Ashton Detterline.
The Panther defense showed up early with two stops for negative yardage on the Warriors’ first two plays. The third play was even better for the Black Panthers as Aaron Bowers stepped in front of a pass by Sid Grove for an interception and returned it to the Everett 17-yard line.
After Everett’s Gaven Brown sacked Northern Bedford quarterback Eion Snider and an incompletion, NBC was faced with a third and 19. The Panthers pitched the ball to Johnson, who beat everyone around the corner and barreled into the end zone for a 26-yard score with 9:24 left in the first quarter. Collin Yeatts connected for the PAT kick for a 7-0 lead.
Everett put together a drive after the score that was aided by a pass interference penalty on NBC. Grove added a 14-yard run to get the ball into NBC territory, but the drive stalled with Everett forced to punt.
The Panthers took over at the 27-yard line, and Snider started the drive with a 14-yard run. On the second play, Snider hit Johnson coming out of the backfield on the wheel route with the junior using a stiff arm and some zigging and zagging to race into the end zone for a 58-yard reception. The PAT kick was blocked for a 13-0 lead with 3:55 left in the first quarter.
Everett got a first down on its next drive with the help of a 21-yard run by Grove, but his next pass was picked off by Aidan Pittman, who returned the ball to the Everett 11.
After an 8-yard run by Johnson, Detterline got the call for the final three yards with Yeatts kick making the score, 20-0.
Everett had to punt again, and NBC took over at the Panther 38. Snider hit Johnson for a 25-yard, and Johnson went another 36 yards before being pushed out at the one by Grove.
Dibert took the ball in from there for the score and a 27-0 lead with 10:25 left in the second quarter.
Everett got a first down on its next drive on a Grove 9-yard run, but the Warriors fumbled the ball with the Panthers coming up with the loose ball.
After an incompletion, Johnson took the direct snap, followed his blockers on the right side of the line, and ran 37 yards into the end zone. Yeatts’ kick made the score, 34-0.
Everett got a couple first down on its next drive. Brown ran for 15 yards, while Grove connected with Ian Klahre for 17 yards and Kollin Snyder for 11 more.
The Warriors were faced with a third and two, but a penalty forced them back 5 yards. Grove tried to pass, but he was sacked by Keyan Guyer, who was harassing the Everett backs throughout the first half.
On fourth down, Grove’s pass was intercepted by Ben Gable at the Everett 9 to end one of the Warriors’ best threats of the evening.
Northern took over with a little more than two and a half minutes left in the half. Big plays moved the Panthers down the field quickly. Johnson ran for 16 and 3 yards, while Snider hit Gable for 22 yards and Bowers for 25 to get the ball to the Everett 25.
Johnson took it from there, racing 25 yards and into the end zone for the score, and with Yeatts’ kick, NBC led 41-0 with 1:31 left in the half.
“They are pretty good, and we didn’t play well,” said Everett coach Brian Koontz. “We made a lot of mistakes. We need to get better.”
With that lead, the second half started with a running clock with the mercy rule in effect as both teams used JV and other back-up players for most of the second half.
Everett had a strong drive that started at its own 10-yard line and moved down the field methodically. Jakobe Harman had a 19-yard run for a first down, while Tyson Grove added a 14-yard run. Jonathan Cooper had a 6-yard run for another first down, which put the ball at the NBC 11. However, the drive stalled at the nine-yard line as a fourth-down run came up short late in the fourth quarter.
“We came in out in the first half and put 41 on the board on offense,” Black added. “Our JV defense came out in the second half and kept the goose egg. Which is something that we strive for.
“We want to build off tonight. Once we got up, we still want to keep doing things the right way. We want to keep playing good defense.”
GAME NOTES: Northern Bedford is at Moshannon Valley on Friday night, while the Warriors (0-3) are at Bellwood-Antis. … Everett had 113 yards rushing with 60 of them coming on the long drive in the second half. … Sid Grove led Everett with 46 yards rushing, while Klahre had two catches for 21 yards. … Northern Bedford had 313 total yards with Johnson accounting for 239 of them in rushing and receiving yards.
NORTHERN BEDFORD 41, EVERETT 0
Northern Bedford 20 21 0 0 — 41
NB — Adam Johnson 26-yard run (Collin Yeatts kick), 9:24 of the 1st. NB — Johnson 58-yard pass from Eion Snider (kick blocked), 3:55 of the 1st. NB — Ashton Detterline 3-yard run (Yeatts kick), 1:02 of the 1st. NB — Rece Dibert 1-yard run (Yeatts kick), 10:25 of the 2nd. NB — Johnson 32-yard run (Yeatts kick), 7:47 of the 2nd. NB — Johnson 25-yard run (Yeatts kick), 1:41 of the 2nd.
Penalties yards 5-35 4-36