Final

Very convincing win for North. Western Hills was allowing just 88 yards rushing per game - only Henry County was allowing fewer rushing yards per game - and North bulldozed them for 234 yards on the ground.

 

First half was nearly a stalemate...NOHS led, 3-0, but got the ball with about 2 1/2 minutes left in the half, and scored on the final play of the half on a 2 yard QB keeper to go up 10-0 at the break... Wolverines wasted a couple of promising 1Q drives with fumbles in North territory.

 

WH got the 2H kickoff and very nearly ran it back for the score...NO kicker Paul Althoff's TD-saving tackle at about the NO 30 was unbelievable vs. WH's Darius Reed. Instead of the Wolverines running it back all the way for the score and a 10-7 deficit - and the momentum - the Wolverines wound up going 3 and out. They never threatened again. North pulled away by dominating the time of possession in the second half with the running game, and scored on the 2nd play of the 4Q on a 19 yard run by Jakob Manor to make it 17-0. By then, the WH defense was simply worn out.

 

North had 16 first downs to just six for WH, 3 of which came on their late scoring drive...

 

(all stats unofficial)

 

Congrats to both teams, which are having great runs this year. This was a hard-fought game between two worthy opponents.

North Oldham just keeps on winning.

Congrats. to NO on the win and being district champs good game guys. ColonelMike sums it up pretty well not much else to say. Good luck to both teams the rest of the season and into the playoffs.

 

ColonelMike, the stadium was very nice really enjoyed it very hospitable

 

GO HILLS!

Congrats to NO on the district tittle. Good luck to the district teams in just a few short weeks.

Good Job to Coach Martin and the Mustangs.

Congrats NO!

Pigskinfan - Back-to-back plays really decided this one, on either side of the intermission. Getting that score on the final play of the half gave North tremendous moment, and boosted that fragile 3-0 lead... and then, the kicker coming up with the tackle on the opening KOR of the second half proved critical.

 

Change those two plays - if NO is shut out of the EZ on the final play of the 1H, and Reed returns the second half KO for a TD, and Western Hills leads, 7-3... who knows?

 

Honestly, I think NOHS looks to be the better team, particularly in light of the way their OL dominated the trenches in the 2H, but you have to give the Wolverines a lot of credit. Like North, WH is creating some football tradition. Best of luck to you guys the rest of the way.

 

Sorry I didn't get a chance to meet you.

 

As for the stadium...it'll be nice when they get the scoreboard up...the folks who delivered it apparently don't "install"! That little portable scoreboard looks kind of silly in the end zone... Oh well.

 

One question, though...why would you send in a different kid to "punt" (on a fake punt attempt) who has a massive cast on his forearm? Really don't think anyone on the field or in the stands thought WH was going to snap that ball back to a kid who didn't look like he had a prayer of catching it with that thing on his arm... ?? That just struck me as odd...

Congrats to NO and Coach Martin. He has my vote for Coach Of The Year.

WOW! Congratulations to a great North Oldham Football team, To those players who stuck with it when your record was 0-10 just two short years ago---I say BRAVO. Coach Martin and staff has instilled a belief that this team can contend with anyone. This is truly a "Band of Brothers". They have fought in the trenches, been battle tested and NEVER, NEVER gave in. I think this team has a good chance of going undefeated. Next week, they will face a very good 6A Bullitt Central team that we lost to in overtime last year. No matter the outcome next week, who ( 2 years ago) thought that being District Champs was a possibility (nobody but the coaches and these players). I commend you and can't wait for the next game.

It has truly been a great treat to watch the North program develop. Five years ago, I was broadcasting their games from a cherry-picker parked at the 50 yard line of an old middle school field and watching a tiny group of kids try to become a team....Five years later, the Mustangs are playing in a beautiful, state-of-the-art stadium (OK, OK, still waiting for that new scoreboard), riding a school-record 8 game winning streak, owning the school's first district crown, and playing solid all-around football with 60 players on the sideline (a pretty sizeable 3A roster)...

 

Kudos to the entire North community for sticking with the program, and to Coach Martin and his staff for each year taking the program to a new level.

 

Next week is Bullitt Central - probably the toughest test for the Mustangs this season (certainly no offense intended to Henry Co., Western Hills, or the other teams NO has played this year, but BC is having an incredible year...). It'll be yet another opportunity for the Mustangs to set a new standard. Win next week, and the 2008 Mustangs will set the school record for most wins in a season with 9...

 

Congrats! :banana:

Pigskinfan - Back-to-back plays really decided this one, on either side of the intermission. Getting that score on the final play of the half gave North tremendous moment, and boosted that fragile 3-0 lead... and then, the kicker coming up with the tackle on the opening KOR of the second half proved critical.

 

Change those two plays - if NO is shut out of the EZ on the final play of the 1H, and Reed returns the second half KO for a TD, and Western Hills leads, 7-3... who knows?

 

Honestly, I think NOHS looks to be the better team, particularly in light of the way their OL dominated the trenches in the 2H, but you have to give the Wolverines a lot of credit. Like North, WH is creating some football tradition. Best of luck to you guys the rest of the way.

 

Sorry I didn't get a chance to meet you.

 

As for the stadium...it'll be nice when they get the scoreboard up...the folks who delivered it apparently don't "install"! That little portable scoreboard looks kind of silly in the end zone... Oh well.

 

One question, though...why would you send in a different kid to "punt" (on a fake punt attempt) who has a massive cast on his forearm? Really don't think anyone on the field or in the stands thought WH was going to snap that ball back to a kid who didn't look like he had a prayer of catching it with that thing on his arm... ?? That just struck me as odd...

 

ColonelMike you are exactly right, as far as the fake punt, even someone that had never seen a game would have known that #7 wasn't going to punt that ball. There were a few decisions by the coaches that struck me as odd.

 

1- as the first half is closing down and it's 4th and feet you punt the ball away giving even more momentum to your opponent, NO's defense had played pretty good but I think they could have gotten a yard or two.

 

2 - continually try to throw the ball 30, 40, 50 yards down field when it's early in the game and you don't have to have it all at once, especially when that's not they way you have done things all season, Curry has a heck of an arm and it's good to know you can throw it that far if you need to. Thoughout most of this season they had called plays that chipped away at it 5, 10, 15 yards at a time with a combination of run and pass, and done quite well might I add.

 

Again North's defense played a pretty good game, but arm tackling, Dropped passes, fumbles, missed blocking assignments, Curry crossing the LOS before throwing the ball, that's just not like this team. Some of that can be attributed to the defense of NO, but I also think that maybe the kids tried to hard to make big plays knowing how important this game was in order to make their coaches and fans proud.

 

Don't get me wrong Coach Miller and staff and the players have done an excellent job of getting this team to where they are right now, and I think it's just gonna get better from here. I think the kids can put the last couple of weeks behind them and get their heads clear they could make a pretty good showing in the playoffs.

 

GO HILLS! :dancingpa

I was curious as to your take on the fake punt... I was wondering if there was something I was missing...

 

Western Hills fans have a lot to be proud of...your coach / team have done a magnificent job this year...and I thought the Wolverines played very well defensively against a relentless NO running game...that's an extremely strong and experienced OL with multiple running threats. The WH defense was just on the field too much in the second half.

 

I continue to be extremely impressed with Curry's poise and passing ability. (and he's just a junior!)...

 

I do hope this is the start of good things to come for you guys...good luck the rest of the year and in the playoffs...

I was curious as to your take on the fake punt... I was wondering if there was something I was missing...

 

Well if there was I missed it to!!! Good luck to NO as well, I was quite impressed their offense and the fact that they run it very effectively. Yeah I like this Western Hills team, and not having a kid on the team allows me to be pretty objective. It took me about half the season to learn their names.

 

Curry is a very good QB and more times than not makes good decisions. Hills running game has come along quite nicely as well this season the split between passing yards and rushing yards are pretty even @ 1100+ each. Justin Wright being the primary workhorse. They have a pretty tough opponent the first game of the playoffs, but if they play like they have previously this season they can come away with a W.

 

The whole District this season is going to be pretty competitive.