Means, Northwestern Pass Road Test At Dorman

ROEBUCK | Northwestern passed a huge test on the road at Dorman to take a firm hold of first place in region III-5A with a 35-19 win on Friday night in a game that had its ups and downs, but against a top five 5A opponent, it will only benefit the Trojans going forward.   “We needed this game. We needed a tough battle. I expect us to be better going forward into (the rest) of the season,” Trojans quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='232624' first='Xavier' last='Means'] (pictured above) said.   Northwestern got the ball for their first series of the night at the Dorman 45 thanks to a bad punt after the Cavs first offensive series went three-and-out.    Means and the offense went right to work, as he hooked up with [player_tooltip player_id='1476906' first='Kadin' last='Vassel'] on a screen for a 9-yard gain before connecting with BJ Ervin on a shallow cross. The drive was capped with a 20-yard touchdown reception to [player_tooltip player_id='513067' first='Malik' last='Ratliff'] to give Northwestern an early lead at 7-0 with 9:33 to play in the first quarter.   [player_tooltip player_id='2443759' first='Alex' last='Hingle'] and Jonathon Barber combined on a tackle on the next series as Dorman couldn't get anything going with back-to-back incompletions.    [player_tooltip player_id='1271263' first='KJ' last='Burg'] is a name that you're familiar with as well and was all over the place with tackles, finishing with 10 total on the night.   It seemed like Northwestern was primed to get more points on the next series as Means scrambled down to the Dorman 18, but [player_tooltip player_id='1816841' first='Easton' last='Catto']'s sack ended the Northwestern threat. The field goal try was missed with 6:19 to play in the opening quarter.   Northwestern made quick work of their next possession after a stop of Dorman as Means scrambled on a third down run to make it first-and-goal. [player_tooltip player_id='1301735' first='Dash' last='Holley'] bullied his way into the end zone from 10 yards out to increase the Trojans' lead to 14-0 with 4:02 to play in the opening quarter.   The Cavs tried to keep it on the ground with [player_tooltip player_id='1708614' first='Jabez' last='Thomas'] runs, but there was not much going as they were forced to punt on the ensuing series. Northwestern's next series would be hampered by penalties as they had to punt. The Trojan special teams did pin Dorman down to the 2-yard line as the first quarter ended.   [player_tooltip player_id='1820160' first='Cooper' last='Patterson'] would connect with [player_tooltip player_id='1820158' first='Dai'Shion' last='Watkins-Hymes'] on a big completion to the Northwestern 40, beating the one-on-one coverage. Watkins-Hymes would come back and convert a 4th and 7 before the drive stalled out.   Dorman's defense would get in on the action as Northwestern's [player_tooltip player_id='1823352' first='Daylen' last='Shankle'] fumbled with 9:08 to play before the half. A nice mix of runs from [player_tooltip player_id='2106758' first='Carter' last='Nash'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1664350' first='Nick' last='Means'] would get them inside Trojan territory. Watkins-Hymes would find the end zone on a reverse from 5 yards to get back into the game at 14-7 with 3:57 to play before the half.   Means's scrambling ability was on display in a two-minute situation right before the half. Facing a third down, he got it down to the Dorman 24 before keeping it himself on a 4-yard run to increase the lead to 21-7 as the two teams went to the half.   “My scrambling ability along with my receiving core, it's tough to stop. I've got the best receiving core in the country. If you match that up with my scrambling ability, it's going to be tough to stop,” Means said.   Dorman would continue to be stingy heading into the second half as [player_tooltip player_id='1702151' first='James' last='Porter'] got a key tackle for loss as Northwestern's first drive stalled out. Dorman went backwards on their first drive as two intentional grounding penalties doomed the drive.    It wouldn't take Northwestern long to respond – Means found Ratliff on a quick screen and he did the rest for a 62-yard touchdown catch and run to go up 28-7 with 7:59 to play in the third quarter.   The Cavs responded quickly with a 55-yard Means touchdown run right up the gut to cut into the Trojans' lead at 28-13 with 6:44 to play in the third quarter as the extra point was blocked.    The defense got some pressure on Means as [player_tooltip player_id='1816266' first='Isaac' last='Tate'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2163695' first='Olamide' last='Salami'] got involved on a sack and it seemed like the Cavs were in position to make it a one score game. There was no panic from Means and the offense on the other end.   “We just know to stay calm and play the Trojan brand of football. Coach Wofford always says, “So what, now what?” so no matter what happens, we always go on to the next play,” Means said.   Facing 4th and 2 with 2:09 to play in the third quarter, the Trojans' defense answered the bell, stopping Means short at the Northwestern 25.   “I've seen it time and time again. Our guys are going to fight to the finish. They're going to go for four quarters. Whatever it takes for four quarters for 48 minutes. We've got to overcome adversity, so what, now what? Get to the next play and we did that tonight and it worked out for us,” Northwestern coach Page Wofford said.   Northwestern's Means connected with [player_tooltip player_id='1718680' first='Payton' last='Vining'] on a 45-yard touchdown pass on a rollout where the ECU commit scrambled to his right and let the ball fly to his speedster to make it 35-13 Trojans with 11:13 to play in the contest. Means finished 13-of-19 for 208 yards and three touchdowns through the air while he had 118 yards rushing and the one score on the ground.   Nash would close the scoring for Dorman with a 6-yard touchdown run.   UNSUNG PLAYER OF THE GAME    Hingle has been one of the leaders for the Trojans' defense so far through the 2026 season, and Friday night's challenge against a talented Dorman offense was no exception. He finished with six tackles, including three sacks and found a way to be around the football and be physical at the line of scrimmage when the Cavs ran things his way during the course of the contest.   Hingle on defending Dorman's run game, which finished with 216 yards total: “It was difficult. They have a serious run game and we came prepared. It's (about) perseverance. That's instilled in us on day one. If you're going to be on the field, you're going to be a dog, that's the mentality we have.”

ROEBUCK | Northwestern passed a huge test on the road at Dorman to take a firm hold of first place in region III-5A with a 35-19 win on Friday night in a game that had its ups and downs, but against a top five 5A opponent, it will only benefit the Trojans going forward.

“We needed this game. We needed a tough battle. I expect us to be better going forward into (the rest) of the season,” Trojans quarterback Xavier Means Xavier Means 6'1" | 170 lbs | QB Northwestern | 2027 State SC (pictured above) said.

Northwestern got the ball for their first series of the night at the Dorman 45 thanks to a bad punt after the Cavs first offensive series went three-and-out.

Means and the offense went right to work, as he hooked up with Kadin Vassel Kadin Vassel 5'10" | 160 lbs | WR/DB South Pointe | 2027 State SC on a screen for a 9-yard gain before connecting with BJ Ervin on a shallow cross. The drive was capped with a 20-yard touchdown reception to Malik Ratliff Malik Ratliff 5'11" | 165 lbs | WR/DB Northwestern | 2027 State SC to give Northwestern an early lead at 7-0 with 9:33 to play in the first quarter.

Alex Hingle Alex Hingle 6'0" | 175 lbs | LB Northwestern | 2029 SC and Jonathon Barber combined on a tackle on the next series as Dorman couldn't get anything going with back-to-back incompletions.

KJ Burg KJ Burg 5'11" | 205 lbs | LB/DB Northwestern | 2027 State SC is a name that you're familiar with as well and was all over the place with tackles, finishing with 10 total on the night.

It seemed like Northwestern was primed to get more points on the next series as Means scrambled down to the Dorman 18, but Easton Catto Easton Catto 6'5" | 230 lbs | EDGE Dorman | 2028 State SC 's sack ended the Northwestern threat. The field goal try was missed with 6:19 to play in the opening quarter.

Northwestern made quick work of their next possession after a stop of Dorman as Means scrambled on a third down run to make it first-and-goal. Dash Holley Dash Holley 6'0" | 220 lbs | LB Northwestern | 2029 State SC bullied his way into the end zone from 10 yards out to increase the Trojans' lead to 14-0 with 4:02 to play in the opening quarter.

The Cavs tried to keep it on the ground with Jabez Thomas Jabez Thomas 6'0" | 165 lbs | ATH Dorman | 2027 SC runs, but there was not much going as they were forced to punt on the ensuing series. Northwestern's next series would be hampered by penalties as they had to punt. The Trojan special teams did pin Dorman down to the 2-yard line as the first quarter ended.

Cooper Patterson Cooper Patterson 6'0" Dorman | 2028 SC would connect with Dai’Shion Watkins-Hymes Dai’Shion Watkins-Hymes 5'11" | 180 lbs | WR Dorman | 2027 State SC on a big completion to the Northwestern 40, beating the one-on-one coverage. Watkins-Hymes would come back and convert a 4th and 7 before the drive stalled out.

Dorman's defense would get in on the action as Northwestern's Daylen Shankle Daylen Shankle 5'6" | 155 lbs | RB Northwestern | 2027 SC fumbled with 9:08 to play before the half. A nice mix of runs from Carter Nash Carter Nash 5'11" | 190 lbs | RB Dorman | 2029 State SC and Nick Means Nick Means 5'7" | 160 lbs | RB Dorman | 2027 State SC would get them inside Trojan territory. Watkins-Hymes would find the end zone on a reverse from 5 yards to get back into the game at 14-7 with 3:57 to play before the half.

Means's scrambling ability was on display in a two-minute situation right before the half. Facing a third down, he got it down to the Dorman 24 before keeping it himself on a 4-yard run to increase the lead to 21-7 as the two teams went to the half.

“My scrambling ability along with my receiving core, it's tough to stop. I've got the best receiving core in the country. If you match that up with my scrambling ability, it's going to be tough to stop,” Means said.

Dorman would continue to be stingy heading into the second half as James Porter James Porter 6'2" | 250 lbs | DL Dorman | 2027 State SC got a key tackle for loss as Northwestern's first drive stalled out. Dorman went backwards on their first drive as two intentional grounding penalties doomed the drive.

It wouldn't take Northwestern long to respond – Means found Ratliff on a quick screen and he did the rest for a 62-yard touchdown catch and run to go up 28-7 with 7:59 to play in the third quarter.

The Cavs responded quickly with a 55-yard Means touchdown run right up the gut to cut into the Trojans' lead at 28-13 with 6:44 to play in the third quarter as the extra point was blocked.

The defense got some pressure on Means as Isaac Tate Isaac Tate 5'9" | 190 lbs | RB Dorman | 2027 State SC and Olamide Salami Olamide Salami 6'2" | 255 lbs | DL Dorman | 2027 State SC got involved on a sack and it seemed like the Cavs were in position to make it a one score game. There was no panic from Means and the offense on the other end.

“We just know to stay calm and play the Trojan brand of football. Coach Wofford always says, “So what, now what?” so no matter what happens, we always go on to the next play,” Means said.

Facing 4th and 2 with 2:09 to play in the third quarter, the Trojans' defense answered the bell, stopping Means short at the Northwestern 25.

“I've seen it time and time again. Our guys are going to fight to the finish. They're going to go for four quarters. Whatever it takes for four quarters for 48 minutes. We've got to overcome adversity, so what, now what? Get to the next play and we did that tonight and it worked out for us,” Northwestern coach Page Wofford said.

Northwestern's Means connected with Payton Vining Payton Vining 5'11" | 160 lbs | WR Northwestern | 2027 State SC on a 45-yard touchdown pass on a rollout where the ECU commit scrambled to his right and let the ball fly to his speedster to make it 35-13 Trojans with 11:13 to play in the contest. Means finished 13-of-19 for 208 yards and three touchdowns through the air while he had 118 yards rushing and the one score on the ground.