Northeastern rallies to defeat Bertie in opener

It took a while for the Northeastern High School football scoring train to get out of the station. But once the Eagles got up to full speed, they were pretty much unstoppable.

After one quarter in the season opener for both teams, Bertie County led Northeastern 8-0 before a home crowd at the Eagles Nest.

The Eagles then opened up the playbook and scored 21 points in the second quarter and 30 points in the third as they raced away from the Falcons by the final score of 58-14.

The game had a surprising start. Bertie fumbled the opening kickoff and Northeastern recovered the football at the visitors’ 15-yard line. However, four plays went backwards, and the Falcons took possession at their own 23.

Bertie quarterback Tayvien Ward completed one pass for a first down and ran for another to get past midfield.

A sack by Northeastern linebacker Jaylin Mallory would set them back, but Ward would then find receiver Kameron Conerly wide open over the middle for 21 yards.

Two third-down scrambles by Ward brought his team to a first and goal at the 3-yardline. From there, 230 pound back Jerry Mabine powered in and followed with the 2-point conversion run to give Bertie an 8-0 lead at the 3:58 mark.

Northeastern moved the ball into Falcon territory on its next possession but fumbled a completed pass that turned the ball back over to Bertie. The Eagles would make a defensive adjustment to put more pressure on Ward.

Bertie went out in five plays and punted to the Eagles who scored in just two plays. Trevaris Jones ran a keeper for 17 yards, and then passed to Tyell Saunders in the left flat. The senior made a tackler miss and then streaked down the sideline for a 39-yard score. Payton Paris’ kick was good and NHS trailed by only a point.

On the ensuing possession, the Eagles’ defensive rush began getting into the Falcons’ backfield. Defensive lineman Javeon McCoy hit Ward, forcing an incompletion on fourth down.

Northeastern took over possession on its own 43-yard line. The Eagles would score in six plays to take the lead.

After a third down pass to tight end Zion Demps, Jones handed off to Ty’jae Simpson who was inserted for some instant offense. “Big Play” Simpson lived up to his nickname, flashing 29 yards for the touchdown. Paris, who would be perfect on the night, added the kick, and Northeastern led 14-8 with 3:01 left in the first half.

Rather than running down the clock, three pass incompletions forced a Bertie punt, and the Eagles got the ball inside Falcon territory. Jakael Brooks ran a reverse for 27 yards down to the 16-yard line, and then Ussiah Harney took a pitch from Jones around right end fought his way into the end zone. The half would end with Northeastern up by the score of 21-8.

The Eagles would score on each of their four third-quarter possessions. Harney would reprise his second quarter run, this time going around left end for a seven-yard score.

The Falcons were still game as Ward got loose for a 48-yard scoring run, making the score 29-14 at the 7:50 mark in the third quarter.

However, Northeastern came right back with a nine-yard rushing touchdown from Damari McNeil. The sophomore followed that up with a 38-yard TD romp after the Eagles recovered a Bertie fumble. McNeil went over right tackle, made two cuts and he was gone. The big back would lead the Northeastern rushers with 81 yards on nine carries.

Every year Northeastern seems to come up with a new playmaker, and on this night, it was Harney. The 5-foot, 7-inch, 155-pound junior completed a three-touchdown performance with a 65-yard scoring reception down the left sideline. Jones dropped the long pass into Harney’s hands perfectly to cap a four-touchdown pass night and raise his completion rate to 80%, a remarkable record of efficiency.

The Eagles got their last score on a seven-yard touchdown pass from Zak Ishman to Ayden Holley. That score was set up by a 65-yard run by junior running back Jonathan Nguyen.