North Johnston has first back-to-back wins since 1996

By News-Argus Staff
Published in Sports on August 29, 2004 2:04 AM

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KENLY -- Back-to-back wins.

The concept has been so taboo with regard to North Johnston football that the Panther seniors were playing youth football the last time it happened.

But on Friday night against Topsail, the Panthers rolled over Topsail 42-19 for their first win streak since 1996.

The Panthers have won four straight home games dating back to last season, making Ben E. Strifret stadium a place 1-A opponents aren't looking forward to visiting anytime soon.

The usual suspects were there for North, as Brad Holloman and Adrian Briscoe anchored North's run-heavy offense. The duo accounted for five of North's six touchdowns, while wideout Damien Allen played a caught two passes for 73 yards, including a 23-yard touchdown grab with five seconds left in the first half to put North up 21-7.

The Panthers may be beginning to show that they are for real.

"Being able to put that one in right before halftime, I think was the big turning point for us tonight," said Panthers head coach Ken Avent. "Topsail has been kinda tough on us lately; to beat them tonight was big mentally."

The Panthers avenged last season's lackluster performances against the Pirates by topping 40 points for the second game in a row. During the entire 2003 season, North never scored more than 36.

Briscoe accumulated a stout 224 total yards on offense and kickoff returns. while Holloman threw for 83 yards and ran for 41.

"I think the way our offense works is whatever the defense will give us," said Avent. "We had a couple of big runs, and when we needed a pass, we hit a couple passes. Offensively, I was very pleased."

A 90-yard touchdown run by Jonathan Britt was called back to open the game, but North Johnston rebounded from that with a 14-play, 78-yard drive that Briscoe capped with 12-yard sweep to the end zone and a 7-0 lead.

After Topsail took a 7-6 lead in the second quarter, North Johnston went on a 29-point scoring binge that knocked the Pirates out of the game. Holloman passed ofr a touchdown and ran for another as the Panthers took a 21-7 lead to the locker room andnever lost the momentum.

Briscoe picked up the majority of his yards in the second half, as he broke free for a 45-yard touchdown run on the first play of the third quarter and ran 61 yards to the Topsail one-yard line two drives later. Andrew Travis and Andre Pickett rushed for touchdowns for Topsail in the second half.

North plays at winless South Lenoir this Friday.

Topsail 0 7 6 9 -- 19

North Johnston 6 15 21 0 -- 42

First Quarter

NJ -- Briscoe 12 run (kick failed) 2:15

Second Quarter

T -- Turner 6 run (Sniff kick) 5:33

NJ -- Holloman 40 run (2 pt good) 3:48

NJ -- Allen 23 pass (Stancil kick) :05

Third Quarter

NJ -- Briscoe 45 run (Stancil kick) 11:43

NJ -- Holloman 1 run (Stancil kick) 6:08

T --Travis 2 run (kick failed) 3:39

NJ -- Britt 1 run (Stancil kick) 2:35

Fourth Quarter

T -- Pickett 2 run (2 pt failed) 11:55

T NJ

First Downs 10 10

Rushes-yds 40-146 33-261

Passing yds 36 83

Total yds 182 344

Att-comp-int 3-14-1 3-4-1

Fumbles-Lost 2-1 4-0

Penalties-yds 8-45 8-50

Punts-Punt Average 4-30.5 2-30

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING -- North Johnston -- Britt 7-54, TD; Wise 5-0; Holloman 2-41, 2 TD; Briscoe 11-166, 2 TD; Neal 2-3; Wentz 3-0; Campbell 3-(-3). Topsail -- Travis 11-33, TD; Turner 7-33, TD; Trotto 5-17; Pickett 9-35, TD; Litton 2-7; Batts 6-21.

PASSING -- North Johnston -- Holloman 3-4-83-1, TD. Topsail -- Litton 3-14-36-1.

RECEIVING -- North Johnston -- Sanders 1-15; Allen 2-73, TD. Topsail -- Travis 1-30; Brown 1-3; Darringer 1-3.