Down, not out

Published 12:02 am Wednesday, May 31, 2017

Northview’s football team is excited to get the summer workout season started after falling 30-16 to Jay, Fla. in the spring game last week.

Chiefs head football coach Derek Marshman said the team didn’t play well in any aspect of the game, and a lot of credit goes to the Royals.

“They outperformed and out-executed us,” he said. “The spring game is about energy; it’s not about Xs and Os. It’s just a reward for us to go out and play another team.

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“A lot of (the reward) depends on the energy,” he said.

Marshman said the Chiefs had a lot of energy for the first quarter and midway through the second.

NHS took the first lead of the game during the first quarter. MJ Jones scored a 9-yard touchdown rush, and then added the 2-point conversion.

In the second period, JHS answered just before halftime on a 3-yard touchdown rush, and then a 40-yard pick six with 37.7 left in the first half.

At halftime, JHS led 16-8.

The Royals scored once again in the third quarter on a long 50-yard rush, and then widened their lead by 22 in the fourth.

Jones scored on a 3-yard scamper with 3:03 left in the fourth.

Marshman said he thought early in the game, the boys ran the ball well, and the line played well despite only having six dressed out for the trenches.

“A couple of running backs ran the ball physically,” he said. “Late in the second quarter, and in the second half, the guys were fatigued. They weren’t in game shape. It showed as the game continued to progress.”

Marshman said the Chiefs will need to work on the little things on defense, including hand placement, working on coverage and communication.

The Chiefs begin summer workouts June 5.

Marshman said he reminded the players after the game that NHS isn’t the first school to lose its spring game.

“The ceiling for this team is extremely high,” he said. “We have a chance to be a good football team. We’re going to continue to work and put players in position to make us successful.

It’s an ongoing process,” he said. “It’s not instantaneous. We’re going to continue to hit everything on all cylinders. We’re not perfect right now, but we only have one direction to go.”