varsity.roanoke.com

LYNCHBURG -- Northside's fine football season took its final turn Friday night, heading through the swinging doors of Logan's Roadhouse.

Consider the Vikings impressed with the fare offered there.

Logan Thomas, a highly touted Virginia Tech recruit, rolled up 258 total yards and had a hand in three of Brookville's touchdowns as the unbeaten Bees eliminated Northside from the Region III Division 3 playoffs with a 38-0 victory at Stinger Stadium.

"He played like a Division I football player tonight," Northside coach Burt Torrence said of the 6-foot-6 Brookville quarterback. "He's got a frame on him, and he's real elusive."

Thomas, who committed to Tech before the Maryland game last week, completed 12 of 19 passes for 167 yards and a TD. He also ran for 78 yards and two scores on 11 carries.

"We just tried to view him as a regular player," Northside linebacker Nick Sigmon said of Thomas, who likely projects as a receiver or tight end at Tech. "He has good field vision. He knows where he's running to, and it's hard to bring him down."

The Vikings centered their defensive game plan around stopping talented Brookville running back Stacey Houston and did a decent job, holding the 1,000-yard rusher to 82 yards on 19 carries. But Houston did tally two touchdowns, and every time Northside set up an advantageous situation on defense, Thomas seemed to deliver.

"He's a gifted athlete," Brookville coach Jeff Woody said. "I think what makes him really good is he loves the game. He loves being around these guys, and he played a great game tonight. ... He's definitely a blessing to have as a coach."

Thomas even helped on defense, snagging an interception. That was one of two turnovers the Vikings (6-6) suffered in the first quarter, an ominous beginning against a team that didn't need any help.

Northside had just 76 total yards and two first downs.

"It was just because we weren't executing," Northside quarterback Ryan Keith said. "We weren't flying off the ball, we weren't hitting holes, we weren't throwing the ball, catching the ball. Just a rough night offensively."

Thomas displayed a strong and accurate arm, but laughed at the notion that he's trying to show it off before a probable position switch in college.

"I'm just doing what I can to make the team win, and we're doing a good job of it right now at 11-0," he said. "We're feeling pretty good right now, but we can't take any days off because we've got a big one next week against Robert E. Lee."

That will decide the Region III Division 3 title. Northside, meanwhile, exits knowing it won its first playoff game since 2000 last week and seems to be on the rise.

"Ton of positives," Torrence said. "We have a young football team. We have a lot of guys coming back. If we make the progress in the offseason like I think we can, I think a lot of people will be watching out for us."

Northside 0 0 0 0--0

Brookville 3 14 7 14--38

B--FG Tordoff 23

B--Thomas 1 run (Tordoff kick)

B--Houston 2 run (Tordoff kick)

B--Bateman 7 pass from Thomas (Tordoff kick)

B--Houston 8 run (Tordoff kick)

B--Thomas 13 run (Tordoff kick)

NO BV

First downs 2 17

Yards rushing 65 182

Passes C-A-I 4-9-1 12-19-1

Yards passing 14 167

Penalties-yards 5-50 8-107

Fumbles-lost 2-2 0-0

Punts-average 5-32 1-37

Individual statistics

RUSHING -- NS, Martin 8-38, Penn-Timity 8-24, Fisher 1-7, Keith 2-5, Majors 3-(-9); BV, Houston 19-82, Thomas 11-78, Simmons 5-14, Smith 1-8, Bateman 1-0.

PASSING -- NS, Keith 4-9-1-14; BV Thomas 12-19-1-167.

RECEIVING -- NS, Mitchell 1-11, Martin 3-3; BV Smith 8-124, Bateman 2-22, Thompson 1-14, McCray 1-9.