Northwest survives Central’s comeback bid
By Paul Hershey
CONCORD - For the second straight week, both Northwest Cabarrus and Central Cabarrus played a competitive game against a county rival - and the result was the same for each.
That’s good for the Trojans and bad for the Vikings.
Central had a go-ahead touchdown called back by a penalty late in the fourth quarter and Northwest hung on for an 18-14 win Friday night at Central Cabarrus High.
The Trojans (2-0) have won two games by a total of 11 points, heading into their early off week.
“It doesn’t seem like any of them are easy,” Northwest head coach Mike Helms said.
Central head coach Glen Cook would gladly take a hard win. The Vikings (0-2) have lost two by a combined five points.
“You score with two minutes left to go in the game and think you’re going to go up,” Cook said. “And all of a sudden, it slips away.
“I’m sitting here thinking we should be 2-0 and here we are 0-2.”
Central trailed 18-7 early in the fourth quarter, but came back behind senior tailback D.J. Moore.
Moore’s 2-yard touchdown run and Dakota Dimon’s extra point got the Vikings within four points with 6:44 left.
Northwest picked up one first down before failing on 4th and 2 from the Vikings 42.
Central took over with 3:40 to play and Moore broke off a bruising 45-yard run to the Trojans’ 22.
After a seven-yard gain, Moore found a big hole on the right side and ran untouched into the end zone.
However, an illegal motion penalty nullified the play.
“(The referees) said our slide guy was in motion coming to the line,” Cook said.
“You get touchdowns called back, it’s hard to replace those things.”
After the penalty, Moore was stopped for no gain on second down and two passes by Quintin Gay fell incomplete.
Northwest then ran out the clock.
The loss spoiled a huge game for Moore, who rushed for 200 yards on 24 carries, despite sustaining a mouth injury early in the game.
“D.J.’s going to run it hard every time he gets a chance,” Cook said. “He’s a heckuva running back. He played sore all night. That’s just the type of competitor he is.”
Jeremy Cannon rushed for two touchdowns and threw for another to lead Northwest.
The Trojans didn’t run it as well as in their opener, but the passing game came alive in the second half.
After just one completion in the first half, Cannon was a perfect 8 for 8 passing in the second half. That included an 18-yard touchdown reception by Gideon Duke that made it 18-7.
Cannon finished 9 for 12 for 85 yards.
“We showed a little bit more multiplicity tonight,” Helms said. “We spread out more and I thought that helped us some.”
The Trojans scored on their first possession of the game, marching 54-yards in eight plays, capped by Cannon’s 1-yard sneak.
Cannon added another 1-yard scoring run early in the third quarter that gave the Vikings a 12-7 lead. It was set up by a 56-yard kickoff return by Kris Farley.
The Vikings, meanwhile, used their ball-control offense to possess the ball much of the opening half.
They took a 7-6 lead late in the second quarter with an 11-play, 65-yard drive that took 7:30 off the clock.
On 1st and goal from the Northwest 8, Moore ran off the right side, but fumbled at the goal line. However, Vikings’ senior lineman Zack Leontovich recovered in the end zone for the touchdown.
Dimon converted both extra points for Central, while Northwest’s Logan Cannon had both of his blocked.
Markhail Hampton rushed for 64 yards to lead the Trojans’ on the ground.
“We did some good things, but we didn’t play as good as we can, obviously,” Helms said. “We’ve got to find a way to do better.”
While Northwest is off next week, Central hosts Hickory Ridge.