Too many mistakes cost Northern Durham in loss to Southern Alamance in 3AA playoffs
Northern Durham had too many first-half errors in its playoff opener to prevent a loss.
The Knights had dropped passes, an offsides penalty on fourth down, a taunting penalty to quash its most promising drive and an interception on its side of the field with less than a minute remaining.
It all added up to a 21-0 halftime deficit and, eventually, a 35-0 blowout loss to Southern Alamance for the eighth-seeded Knights in the first round of the NCHSAA 3AA playoffs.
“Certainly not the way we wanted to end it,” Northern coach John Hammett said, “but the end is the end.”
Ninth-seeded Southern Alamance, which runs a throwback wing-T formation offense, gashed the Knights’ defense for five touchdowns Friday night at Durham County Memorial Stadium — not like it usually has this season, though.
Hunter Harrelson finished off the Patriots’ first scoring drive with a 4-yard rushing touchdown, but Southern Alamance’s next two touchdowns came through the air.
Quarterback David Hines, usually a hand-off man, hit Harrelson for a 44-yard touchdown and Jacob Freeze for a 20-yard touchdown in the second quarter.
The latter TD came after the most backbreaking of Northern’s first-half errors: the interception by quarterback Kyle Barnhill, who had replaced struggling quarterback/wide receiver Caleb Steele. The pick, which glanced off a Northern receiver’s hands, set Southern Alamance up for a comfortable third score.
“Certainly a proud football program, they’re 9-2 coming in,” Southern Alamance coach Fritz Hessenthaler said of his opponent. “It’s tough to get beat like that. Things happen. Our kids were disciplined enough to help themselves.”
The Knights’ mounting errors didn’t slow in the second half. They culminated near the goal line after senior Javion Hart ripped off a massive run to give his team life.
First, on fourth-and-goal from the 3-yard line, the offensive line got a false-start penalty. Then, on fourth-and-goal from the 8, Steele overthrew an open Jaizen Sanders across the middle. The touchdown would have cut Northern’s deficit to 21-7.
The Knights also lost junior Anthony Freeman, their leading rusher, in the second half to injury. Steele kept a few plays alive, but Southern Alamance dominated possession, played strong defense and never lost momentum in its first-round win.
After Northern’s loss, Hammett addressed the 2019 roster for the final time. The message, he said afterward, was bittersweet.
“This is the last time we’ll get to see these seniors, the last time they’ll be together as a team,” Hammett said. “High school football is just so special: the times we got to spend in the locker rooms, the buses, McDonald’s, traveling to seven-on-sevens. No matter where it ends, that doesn’t go away. … I told them to take a moment with each other and tell them they loved them.”
Records: Southern Alamance 9-3, Northern Durham 9-3.
Three who stood out
Hunter Harrelson, Southern Alamance: The do-it-all senior entered Friday night with a team-high 1,578 all-purpose yards. He added to that with a rushing and receiving touchdown in the win — and made a touchdown-saving tackle, too.
David Hines, Southern Alamance: Hines, a junior, hasn’t been asked to throw much this season. But when he did, he was efficient. Both of his touchdown passes were on the money.
Javion Hart, Northern Durham: The senior’s 56-yard run down the right sideline, midway through the third quarter, was a jolt of energy his team desperately needed.
Worth noting
In the second round of the playoffs, Southern Alamance will play undefeated and top-seeded Lee County, which beat Eastern Guilford 41-7 on Friday night.
Hammett wasn’t happy with either of the referees’ unsportsmanlike penalty calls on his team, both of which stalled promising Northern drives. On the first, he said, the penalized player didn’t say anything. And on the second, a player was “being demonstrative” on the way back to the huddle but, again, didn’t say anything.
The Knights were shut out for the second time this season. The other also came at home in a Sept. 27 loss to Southern Durham.
Scoring summary
SA — Hunter Harrelson 6-yard run(Stephen Glenn kick)
SA — David Hines 44-yard pass to Harrelson (Glenn kick)
SA — Hines 20-yard pass to Jacob Freeze (Glenn kick)
SA — Hines 5-yard run (Glenn kick)
SA — Emmett Raggett 2-yard run (Glenn kick)
This story was originally published November 15, 2019 at 11:09 PM with the headline "Too many mistakes cost Northern Durham in loss to Southern Alamance in 3AA playoffs."