Northside cruises to victory 

Northside’s football team occupies the northernmost spot in the Timesland rankings.

The Vikings looked every bit like a No. 1 team Friday night.

Rolling up 447 yards of total offense and holding Amherst County to just 36, Northside dominated the visiting Lancers en route to a 33-10 victory in the 2013 season opener.

Senior quarterback Dom Dunnaville threw four touchdown passes – two to Harold Buckner – as the Vikings overcame an early 3-0 deficit and avenged last year’s 32-6 drubbing in Amherst.

“That 32-6 last year, that wasn’t us,” Buckner said. “We came out with a bang this year. We’re going to make a run. We know we’re the best. We’ve got to come out and show it every week.”

Amherst County grabbed a 3-0 lead on the first possession when Darius Wilson’s 70-yard kickoff return set up a 42-yard field goal by Logan Barber.

Northside answered with an impressive 74-yard drive in 14 plays, ending with Dunnaville’s 7-yard TD pass to Buckner for a 7-3 lead.

It was a patient and poised drive led by the senior quarterback.

“All I did was keep them calm in the huddle and make sure they weren’t too jittery,” Dunnaville said.

Dunnaville and Buckner hooked up midway through the second quarter for a 43-yard TD on a third-and-14 play as the 6-foot-3 senior got behind an aggressive Amherst secondary for a 14-3 lead.

“All week we’ve been working on getting deep because we knew their corners bite,” Dunnaville said. “We knew we could get them on a double-move.”

Zach Large put Northside up 17-3 with a 36-yard field goal with 2:30 left in the half, then the Vikings added the crusher when the Lancers secondary allowed Ben Plunkett to get wide open down the right sideline. Dunnaville hit Plunkett in stride for a 45-yard TD and a 24-3 lead.

“All returning starters,” Amherst coach Cecil Phillips said of his secondary. “They get a little antsy, a little anxious, bite on some balls they shouldn’t. I’m very confident they’ll bounce back.”

The Lancers stayed in the game as they converted a fumble by Northside’s Jaylyn Hill into a 2-yard TD run by fullback Clarence Henley to cut the deficit to 24-10 with 6:10 left in the third quarter.

Undaunted, Dunnaville answered with a 12-yard TD pass to talented freshman Tre’ Jackson for a 30-10 lead. Large added his second field goal for the final margin.

Dunnaville finished with 253 yards passing and 105 yards rushing on 12 carries.

Conversely, first-year starter Justin Connolley passed for just 33 yards, and the Lancers managed just 3 yards rushing against Northside’s defense.

“He executed flawlessly last week and showed great poise in the benefit game against LCA,” Phillips said. “He got off to a rocky start and that had an impact on how things would progress the rest of the night.”

Hill and Austin Fisher had interceptions for Northside’s defense. Dylan Moran, Ezra Waddey, Jacob Plaster and DeAnthony Muse led the Vikings up front as they completely stuffed Amherst’s running game.

“During the offseason, we worked really hard,” Moran said. “We knew Amherst was tough. We knew we had them first. We knew we had to come out with our heads held high.”

Mission accomplished.

“When they’re focused, and they perform, they’re pretty tough to handle,” Northside coach Burt Torrence said.

Amherst County might have the toughest opening schedule of any Group 4A team in the state. The Lancers play George Washington at home next week before traveling to reigning Group 5A champion Lake Taylor.

“We take a lot of pride in playing quality people,” Phillips said. “We feel like it does a great job of preparing us for the road down ahead.”

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