Nighthawks too much for Panthers

EDEN - Morehead had the unenviable task Friday night of trying to do what no other team had been able to do in the last five weeks:
Slow down the conference-leading Northern Guilford Nighthawks.
The Nighthawks entered the game having won six consecutive games. Their margin of victory surpassed 40 points in four of them, including a 63-7 rout of Rockingham County a week ago.
The Panthers (2-8, 0-6 Mid-State 3A) fared no better, falling 57-0 to Northern (9-1, 6-0 Mid-State 3A).
The Nighthawks scored touchdowns on five of their seven possessions in the first half to lead 36-0 at halftime. Of the two possessions that did not result in a score, one ended on an interception after Northern had a first-and-goal at the 8-yard line. The other ended in a lost fumble after a 26-yard touchdown pass had been nullified by a holding penalty.
The Nighthawks gained 329 total yards in the half, led by junior quarterback Rocco Scarfone, who completed seven of 14 passes – three for touchdowns – for 149 yards and rushed five times for 53 yards.
Morehead amassed 22 total yards in the half.
The second half began much the same way, with Northern scoring two touchdowns – one on Scarone’s fourth and final touchdown pass – in the first two minutes. Head coach Johnny Roscoe then essentially shut down his team by removing his starters at the skill positions and employing a more conservative offensive scheme.
In other words, the Panthers were never able to stop the Nighthawks.
Northern sophomore Daniel Downing seemed to be everywhere. He rushed for one touchdown, caught a 46-yard pass for a second, and scooped up a Morehead fumble and ran 40 yards for a third touchdown. He also threw two passes for 31 yards.
Keenan Allen, a senior who is ranked No. 8 on ESPN’s 150 recruiting list, enjoyed another big night, scoring four touchdowns – two rushing and two receiving.
The Panthers, who only threatened to score once, managed only 89 total yards for the game, with quarterback Jawaan Winfield accounting for 61 of those yards.
Head coach Jason Smart, however, was concerned after the game with more than the loss.
“After playing Magna Vista and Martinsville (both victories for the Panthers), we haven’t been as consistent,” Smart said. “We had an open week after those two games and we haven’t been the same. This is the first time we’ve been shut out.”
While giving credit to the Nighthawks’ defense, Smart said his team’s execution is part of the problem.
“When you don’t (execute) and you face a good defense, it makes them better.”
Smart also expressed concern with how his team is handling adversity.
“You want seniors to continue to play hard. You want your young kids to learn how to respond instead of react. You don’t want to have those 15-yard penalties (for personal fouls).
The penalty flags flew frequently during the game, but Northern by far was the bigger offender of the two teams.
The Nighthawks were penalized 18 times and 143 yards for a variety of offenses.
It was much to the disgust of Roscoe, who did not dwell on the penalties in comments after the game but offered only a terse compliment of his team as well.
“We did some things good,”
Roscoe said penalties had not been an issue for his team prior to this game, and though they did not factor into the outcome of this game, they developed just one week before Northern hosts a showdown with Western Alamance for the conference championship.
For Morehead, next week offers a showdown of its own with Rockingham County, which last season won a 46-45 thriller over the Panthers on a last-second touchdown.
“It will be a big week for us,” Smart said. “We will be honoring our seniors. It’s a county game. It will be a big night.
“You can throw away the records. Last year’s game proved that.”
In addition, Smart wants the team to end the season on a positive note.
“We’ve got some young kids mixed in here. They’re going to get better. And with it being senior night, we want to do everything we can to have them walk out on top.”