Week 1 Match Up: Norcross Vs. Hillgrove
The final score of the match-up between Norcross and Hillgrove ended up being much closer than most fans would have thought, as the Blue Devils only defeated the Hawks by 12 points. The reason in which fans may have expected…
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Continue ReadingThe final score of the match-up between Norcross and Hillgrove ended up being much closer than most fans would have thought, as the Blue Devils only defeated the Hawks by 12 points. The reason in which fans may have expected this game to have been lopsided is due to the fact that Norcross finished last season 13-1, while Hillgrove only finished the year 4-5. Last season’s records, success, or failures do not matter anymore though, as it is a new season. It is time for new prospects and teams to rise, and fall, and even upset others. So, with this being said, can it be assumed that this match up was close due to Norcross not being as good this year as many would have expected, or is Hillgrove performing more up to par in comparison to how they have in previous years. As fans, we can only find out as time goes on. For now, it is time to look at some of the reasons in which Norcross was able to fend off the Hawks and scoop their first win of the year in the process.
Due to the fact that Norcross lost their starting QB, Mason Kaplan due to graduation, many fans did not know what to expect out of the Blue Devils on the offensive side of the ball. Despite this, their new starting QB, Javan Brown managed to prove why he was worth being the new starting QB, as he held his own and threw for 196 yards and 3 TD’s on 12 passing attempts. The recipients of his TD passes included that of Nakai Poole, Devin Edwards, and Tyson Jarrell, who each had decent games themselves. To add to the success that the team had in the air, the team also totaled about 310 yards on the ground. Running backs Williams, Johnson, and Mathis all scored touchdowns, and contributed to this success. Out of the group, Williams was the clear leader of the pack with 173 total yards, showing that their offense was very hard to stop.
On defense, the Blue devils also had their fair share of success in defeating Hillgrove, as both Jeremiah Willis, and Jarren Shaw finished the game with a sack, while also causing plenty of QB pressures and hurries. To add to this, passes were defended very well by the team’s group of defensive backs. All around, the team dominated when it came to solo tackles, as multiple players recorded 4 or more solo tackles, including Myles Allen, who had 6, and Devin Hunter, who had 7. To add to this, Jarren Shaw, and Shakwan McKnight each finished the game with more than one tackle for a loss.
As the season goes on, it will be interesting to see how each team manages to progress, or regress. Without a doubt, the Blue Devils have a chance of being one of the better teams this year, while the Hawks also have a shot at being successful as well. In the coming weeks, we will begin to see what each of these teams is really made of and how good they can be against different levels of competition.