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robert.anderson@roanoke.com 981-3123

Jim Hickam has been the football coach at Northside High School for 30 years so he knows history.

Hickam dusted off the books Saturday night after Cave Spring steamrolled the Vikings for a 34-7 nondistrict victory.

"I know what Poland felt like in World War II," Hickam said.

The Knights (2-0) flatted Northside like a Panzer division, piling up 17 first downs and 37 running plays from scrimmage in the first half alone.

Cave Spring's weapon was a double-wing offense popularized by West Coast prep coach Hugh Wyatt that features tight splits and wedge blocking in the offensive line.

Northside (0-2) never forced the Knights to punt all game, and Cave Spring quarterback Beau Austin burned the home team for two touchdown passes and 126 yards through the air in the easy win.

"Their offense really makes it tough on you if you don't get underneath it," Hickam said. "It's just a juggernaut. It's like a rock rolling downhill."

Austin said he was skeptical when Cave Spring coach Ben Foutz unveiled the offense in preseason. He's changed his mind now that the Knights have rung up 67 points in two victories.

"I didn't really like it because I didn't think we'd be throwing a lot," Austin said. "But we've got a lot of good personnel for it, a lot of tough running backs."

Fullback Alex Lemmer led Cave Spring's ground game with 73 yards on 19 carries and the Knights' first three touchdowns.

Lemmer scored on runs of 1, 1 and 3 yards as the visitors built a 20-0 lead with 1:25 left in the first half. Instead of running out the clock, Northside threw from its 15-yard line and Ben Creasy's pass was intercepted by Sam Cole.

Austin fired two completions to tight end David Redick, the second good for a 13-yard TD that put Cave Spring up 27-0 at halftime.

Redick, a junior who had not played football until this season, made his mark with three catches for 31 yards. His older brother, Duke basketball star J.J. Redick, was in the stands.

"J.J. came to watch him play and I know that motivated him," Foutz said. "He's a good kid and a gifted athlete."

Austin hit Will Osborne on a 34-yard TD pass with 10:26 to play before Foutz let his reserves finish the game. At that point, Cave Spring had outgained Northside 297-40 and had committed just one penalty.

The Knights' new offense was a well-oiled machine.

"It was ugly at the beginning [of practice] but we've gotten better," Foutz said. "It is deceptive, and at the same time we've got some backs to go with it."

Northside got a 1-yard TD run by Antwan Llamas with 4:03 to play, the Vikings' first points of the season. The Vikings are struggling offensively like they did during last year's 1-9 campaign.

"It's one of those things where we're a little lacking in depth right now," Hickam said.

Cave Spring13 14 0 7 - 34

Northside 0 0 0 7 - 7

CS - Lemmer 1 run (kick failed)

CS - Lemmer 1 run (Scott kick)

CS - Lemmer 3 run (Scott kick)

CS - Redick 13 pass from Austin (Scott kick)

CS - Osborne 34 pass from Austin (Scott kick)

N - Llamas 1 run (Theis kick)

CS Nor

First downs 24 6

Yards rushing 51-214 27-121

Passes C-A-I 10-13-1 2-6-1

Yards passing 126 27

Penalties-yards 1-5 4-27

Fumbles-lost 2-0 4-1

Punts-average 0-0 4-31

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING - Cave Spring, Lemmer 19-73, Osborne 10-49, Thompson 10-39, Austin 6-20, Roth 2-15, Lumpp 2-13, Langford 1-4, Horan 1-1. Northside, Creasy 11-65, Llamas 5-34, Myers 4-16, Fleming 2-7, Dill 1-1, Hobson 4-(-2).

PASSING - Cave Spring, Austin 10-13-1-126. Northside, Creasy, 2-6-1, 27.

RECEIVING - Cave Spring, Thompson 3-35, Redick 3-31, Cole 2-18, Osborne 1-34, Hammes 1-8. Northside, Hunt 1-13, Cauley 2-3.