NCA 38, Delta Streets 18
Newton County Academy football coach Stevie Nelson has said that his team was going to have to be a run-oriented team this season.
That was certainly the case on Friday night as the Generals ran for 475 yards and Cooper Savell had a career-high 272 yards and three TDs in a 38-18 win over Delta Streets.
NCA improves to 2-1 on the season and will host Humphreys Academy in a key district matchup on Friday night.
Minus a few defensive miscues, Nelson said he was pleased with the way the Generals played on Friday night, especially his offensive unit.
“First off, I was pleased with the way we played,” Nelson said. “It was a grind and that’s how we are going to have to play this year. We had a lot of five to eight yard gains and would line up and do it again. I was really pleased with the way the offensive line stayed on blocks and that was an improvement for us. It’s just the way we are going to have to play this year, a blue-collar style of football and then pass it every now and then. When you have two guys rush for 450-plus yards, it’s a good night and it shows that the offensive line did their job as well.”
The Generals got the ball to start the game and set the tone early with a 13-play, 63-yard drive that was capped off by a 13-yard run by Cooper Savell. The PAT failed and NCA led 6-0.
But Delta answered back and hit a big 53-yard touchdown run but failed on the two-point conversion to tie the game at 6-6.
NCA went right back down the field for the Generals and went 63 yards in five plays as Savell scored on a 22-yard run. Thrash ran in the two-point conversion and NCA led 14-6.
NCA got back-to-back interceptions in the second quarter with picks by Noah Agent and Max Ferguson. The Generals weren’t able to capitalize and went to the half with a 14-6 lead.
“We still have some of those lapses on defense that you don’t ever want to see as a coach,” Nelson said. “You can’t give up 90-yard runs, you have to make teams drive the ball. You have to be more gap responsible and be more competitive on the defensive end.”
Delta Streets got the ball to start the second half and put together a long drive before Harrison Wall recovered a fumble at the NCA 27.
The Generals then hit a pair of big plays as Thrash hit Slayden Hollingsworth on a 40-yard pass play. Savell then ripped off a 27-yard gainer and Thrash finished of the drive with a 3-yard run. The try for two failed and NCA led 20-6.
After Delta turned the ball over on downs, Savell ripped off a 72-yard run and Thrash finished off the drive with a 5-yard run. Thrash also ran in the two-point conversion and NCA led 28-6.
Delta then answered with a 93-yard run but the try for two failed and NCA led 28-12.
The Generals added another score in the fourth quarter as the Generals. Went 60 yards in nine plays as Savell scored on a 14-yard run. Rule ran in the two-point conversion and the Generals led 36-12.
Delta added a fourth-quarter score and recovered an onside kick as the Generals took the win.
The Generals had a big night on offense, rushing for 475 yards on 46 carries. They also had 74 yards passing for 549 yards of total offense.
Savell had his best game of the season with 272 yards rushing on 19 carries with three TDs. Thrash had 184 yards rushing on 22 carries and two TDs. Thrash was also 4-of-11 passing for 74 yards. Savell had two catches for 16 yards while Slayden Hollingsworth had one catch for40 yards and Max Ferguson had one catch for 18 yards.
On defense, Logan Usry led the Generals with with 13.5 tackles while Amos Castillo and Savell each had 6.5 tackles. Harrison Wall had six tackles while Ferguson and Josh Fletcher each had four tackles. Hollingsworth had three tackles while Steven Duke had 2.5 tackles and Thrash, Noah Agent and Maddox Jackson each had two tackles.
