But in his comments after the game, the first-year coach refused to go that way.
After giving up all of the points and almost 300 yards of total offense before the intermission, the defense held the home team to 47 yards and only two first downs (one by penalty) in the second half. Three first-half interceptions and a pair of lost fumbles by the Viking offense helped pave the way.
“The honest truth is I think they woke up,” Neal said of the second half turnaround by the defense. “I hate to say that. They did play better in the second half, but that doesn’t matter if you give up a 27-point lead in the first half.”
A 95-yard punt return late in the first quarter by junior Bryan Person gave the visitors their only points. Junior tailback Jarrod Burch provided much of the offense for the Vikings picking up 89 yards in 15 carries.
The first series on offense by each team set the tone for the first-half domination by the Chargers.
A 19-yard scamper by Burch and back-to-back completions by quarterback Glenn Moore to Shon Hodges and Jarrod Smearman gave the Vikings a first down at the Charger 32. But on second down, Moore was hit by the Chargers’ Brandon Johnson while going back to pass and fumbled the ball over to the home team on its own 40.
Shawn Dixon, who battered his way to 119 yards in 15 carries, started the Charger drive with a gain of 25 yards and finished it with a 14-yard run up the middle. Trahern Chaplin kicked the extra point, making it 7-0.
A fumble of the ensuing kickoff by Burch was recovered by P.J. Worthy, giving the ball back to Northwood on the Union Pines 14. On the first play after a holding penalty against the Chargers, quarterback Ben Haines found the 6-foot-5 Chaplin open in the end zone for the touchdown.
The Vikings were forced to punt on their next possession, and on the second play, the Mr. Outside of the Chargers, Rodney Perry, started off left tackle and raced 80 yards for a touchdown, making it 20-0.
Person’s kickoff return began with a bobble, causing the Charger kickoff return team to overrun the play. He took the ball down the left sideline, breaking free for good from a couple of Chargers on his own 35. There was an anxious moment, as one Viking appeared ready to deliver a block from the back near the end of the run.
“We actually had the return set up to go the other way,” Neal said. “He (Person) just took it the other way and made a play.”
Smearman converted the extra point, making it 20-7.
When the Viking defense made its first hold and punter Chaplin had to fall on a low snap at his own 36-yard line, it gave the visitors a ray of hope. But on the second play, the pressured Moore forced a pass into the hands of the Chargers’ Johnson. Two series later he was intercepted again. Both turnovers led to Charger scores, making it 34-7 at the break.
With Charger coach Bill Hall pulling back on the throttle a little bit, the aroused Viking defense put up a line of punt-punt-fumble-punt-fumble for the five Charger possessions of the second half. Defensive lineman Rob Raymer and linebacker Cordero Belk were credited with the fumble recoveries.
“I challenged the guys to pitch a shutout in the second half,” said Viking defensive coordinator Robbie Suggs. “That was the defense that showed up at the scrimmage (at South Stanley). I have no idea where it was in the first half.
“I can’t ask anything more than they gave in the second half. They came out like men possessed.”
The Union Pines offense had its best second-half opportunity after Raymer recovered a fumble by Dixon on the Northwood 30 on the first series of the fourth quarter.
John Moore, now at quarterback, connected with Burch on a 17-yard pass and run on the first play. Four carries by Burch gave the Vikings a first-and-goal at the four-yard line. But a holding penalty set them back to the 14 and three carries by Moore on keepers and a short pass completion to Greg Thompson were not enough to get them into the end zone.
“We had people open,” said Neal of the opportunities to gain yardage through the air throughout the game. “Everybody watching could see that. Like I told the boys, for whatever reason, we couldn’t get the ball to them. Hopefully, a little more time will help that come about.
“I’m not going to blame the kids. I’ll give Northwood some credit, they made us look bad.”
For the game, Northwood ended up with 249 yards rushing and 322 net yards. Perry was the leading ball carrier with 132 yards in nine carries. Union Pines gained 102 yards on the ground and 164 net yards overall. Glenn Moore completed five of 11 passes for 39 yards with four interceptions.
Next Friday, Union Pines entertains Pinecrest in the third edition of the renewal of the Battle of the Pines. It will be the season-opener for Pinecrest, which won the 2001 and 2002 games.
Union Pines 7 0 0 0 — 7
Northwood 20 14 0 0 — 34
Scoring – (N) Dixon 30 run (Chaplin kick); (N) Chaplin 21 pass from Haines (Chaplin kick); (N) Perry 80 run (run failed); (U) B. Person 95 kickoff return (Smearman kick); (N) Dixon 5 run (Chaplin pass from Haines); (N) Perry 11 run (kick failed).
Team Stats – First Downs – (U) 8 (N) 13; Rushing – (U) 26-102 (N) 41-249; Passing – (U) 7-15, 4 int. 62 yds. (N) 6-9, 73 yds.; Penalties – (U) 5-55 (N) 7-60; Fumbles-Lost – (U) 3-2 (N) 6-2; Punts – (U) 4-38.0 (N) 4-37.0; Individual Leaders – Rushing – (U) Burch 15-89, G. Moore 6-19 (N) Perry 9-132, 2 td., Dixon 15-119, 2 td., Sturdivant 4-12; Passing – (U) G. Moore 5-11, 4 int., 39 yds., J. Moore 2-4, 23 yds. (N) Haines 6-9, 73 yds., td.; Receiving – (U) Hodges 3-18, Smearman 2-21, Burch 1-17, Thompson 1-6 (N) Chaplin 2-52, td., Perry 1-18, Clagg 1-7.
