By By Matthew Nascone
As the Northview Chiefs take the week off they can find comfort in what they have done so far because they have achieved two of their goals for the 2006 season. With a 33-7 victory over district foe Baker High School Friday night, the Chiefs achieved a nine-win season and a district championship.
It is the second straight district championship for the Chiefs (9-0, 2-0).
"The kids fought hard and they did a great job out there," NHS head coach Cody Keene said.
In the battle for the FHSAA Class 2B District 1 championship, the Chiefs and the Gators (6-3, 1-1) were knotted at 0-0 entering the second quarter.
Junior quarterback Darius Austin broke that tie when he hooked up with senior running back Deonta Davison for a 30-yard touchdown strike through the air, giving the Chiefs a 7-0 lead with 9:06 to go in the half after a successful PAT by junior place kicker Kyle Sebestyen.
The teams entered the locker room locked in a defensive struggle, 7-0.
"It was a close ball game entering the half," Keene said.
But his team had other things in mind. The NHS offense got rolling in the third quarter, scoring two touchdowns.
It took only two and a half minutes and the Chiefs were in the end zone for the second time on a five-yard touchdown run by senior fullback Travion Lockett. Sebestyen added the PAT for the 14-0 NHS lead.
A costly turnover allowed the Gators to score their only points with 4:38 left in the third quarter. Not even one minute later Austin found Davison again through the air, this time for a 39-yard touchdown. The PAT was missed and NHS had a 20-7 lead.
Senior running back Kenny Wilson extended that lead with a three-yard touchdown run with 9:00 left in the game. NHS went for the two-point conversion and failed.
Junior tailback Nakita Myles padded the lead with just over five minutes to go in the game with a 21-yard touchdown run. Sebestyen hit the PAT.
Keene said the win was due to something special his guys possess.
"It was a tight game and our guys pulled it out," he said. "That shows the character and determination of this bunch. They wanted to get it done, and they did just that."
Myles finished the game with 136 yards and one touchdown on 19 carries. Lockett toted the rock 10 times for 42 yards and one touchdown.
Austin was 11-for-16 passing with 207 yards and two touchdowns. Those two touchdowns were both to Davison, who compiled 115 yards receiving for the game.
With the win the Chiefs secured a home game for the first round of the playoffs. Facing the Chiefs will be the winner of the Vernon-Chipley game. That game was scheduled for last Friday night, but was rained out.
The opening round of the playoffs begin Nov. 10 in Bratt.