NORTH AUGUSTA - Though electrostatic discharges lit up the skies above North Augusta High on a stormy Friday evening, the lightning that struck the Yellow Jackets came in the form of 169-pound running back Jared Neely.
The Northwestern tailback opened the game with a 79-yard return, breaking three tackles on the way to North Augusta's 1-yard line. A holding penalty pushed the Trojans (3-1) back to the 11, but the team from Rock Hill, S.C., made it back to the 1 and set up Neely for a TD run.
Neely surpassed that return with an 80-yard touchdown run in the closing minutes of the game to finish off the Yellow Jackets (2-2).
That run came after North Augusta quarterback Travis Murphy tossed up an interception in the end zone.
It was one of three turnovers by North Augusta in the contest.
The first came when Yellow Jackets receiver Dave Dixon bobbled a punt and Trojan David Moore jumped on it at North Augusta's 47-yard line in the first quarter.
That led to Northwestern's second touchdown with an 11-yard pass from Will King to Cordarelle Patterson.
In between those TDs, the Yellow Jackets scored on a 31-yard Murphy pass to Marcus Thurmond to cap off an eight-play drive.
In the third quarter, Murphy used his feet in a 7-yard TD run and then again to run the ball in for a conversion and tie up the game.
Then Neely and Patterson struck again on a 6-yard halfback pass for the Trojans' go-ahead score.
Despite the loss and the turnovers, North Augusta coach Dan Pippin said his team played well. He was more worried about the damage to his team's psyche.
"I'm glad that they're mad that they got beat, but I want them to keep it in perspective," Pippin said.
The Yellow Jackets lost to a playoff-caliber team. Had it not been for a couple of big plays that went Northwestern's way, the game might have ended differently, Pippin said.
"We have a good team and good leaders," he said. "Last year, we went 1-10. Now, we're 2-2.
"We'll make sure this team doesn't fall apart."
Reach Donnie Fetter (706) 823-3424 or donnie.fetter@augustachronicle.com.
NORTHWESTERN 28, NORTH AUGUSTA 14
Northwestern 14 0 0 14 - 28
N. Augusta 6 0 8 0 - 14
First Quarter
NW - Jared Neely 1 run (James Childress kick), 9:48
NA - Marcus Thurmond 31 pass from Travis Murphy (kick failed), 6:55
NW - Cordarelle Patterson 11 pass from Will King (Childress kick), 3:59
Third Quarter
NA - Murphy 7 run (Murphy run), 2:40
Fourth Quarter
NW - Patterson 6 pass from Neely (Childress kick), 7:21
NW - Neely 80 run (Childress kick), 2:28
First Downs NW9NA12
Rushes-Yards NW18-105 NA38-130
Passing Yards NW118 NA83
Comp.-Att.-Int. NW17-28-0NA7-15-2
Fumbles-lost NW1-1NA2-2
Punts-Yards NW7-226NA6-186
Penalties-YardsNW2-25NA2-10
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING-Northwestern: Jared Neely 10-93, Will King 7-8, Nigel Dixon 1-4; North Augusta: Tidy Johnson 24-125, Travis Murphy 10-11, Darrell Curry 1-1, Dave Dixon 1-0, Marcus Thurmond 2 - -7
PASSING-Northwestern: Will King 9-15 112, Jared Neely 1-1 6; North Augusta: 7-15-2 83
RECEIVING-Northwestern: James Childress 3-40, Jared Neely 5-32, Cordarelle Patterson 2-17, Tyson Barnette 1-13, Labris Adams 3-11, Nigel Dixon 2-6; North Augusta: Marcus Thurmond 2-46, Dave Dixon 3-29, Daitrele Dixon 2-8
Play of the game: On the opening kickoff, Northwestern running back Jared Neely returned the ball 79 yards, falling on the 1-yard line and setting up the Trojans for their first touchdown.
Why Northwestern won: Two big runs by Neely opened and closed the game.
Why North Augusta lost: Two turnovers by the Jackets led to subsequent touchdowns by Northwestern.
Star of the game: Neely ran for two touchdowns and threw for another.
What's next: North Augusta plays host to Spring Valley next week; Northwestern travels to Clover
icon.
