The Shadow
COUGAR SACK — Covington’s James Switzer grabs Northwood’s Channing Call (2) by an ankle and records the sack for the Cougar defense Friday night in Saltville. The Covington defense limited their hosts to 188 yards of total offense in a 32-6 Cougar victory in the first round of the Group 1A West playoffs. The Cougars now await today’s Haysi-J.I. Burton winner. (Gavin Dressler Photo)
COUGAR SACK — Covington’s James Switzer grabs Northwood’s Channing Call (2) by an ankle and records the sack for the Cougar defense Friday night in Saltville. The Covington defense limited their hosts to 188 yards of total offense in a 32-6 Cougar victory in the first round of the Group 1A West playoffs. The Cougars now await today’s Haysi-J.I. Burton winner. (Gavin Dressler Photo)
GETTING ALL YOU CAN GET — Covington’s Kashawn Carter (21) stretches for extra yardage Friday night. Carter finished his evening with 151 yards on 16 carries and scored three touchdowns, giving him 1,259 yards rushing on the season and 17 scores. (Gavin Dressler Photo)
GETTING ALL YOU CAN GET — Covington’s Kashawn Carter (21) stretches for extra yardage Friday night. Carter finished his evening with 151 yards on 16 carries and scored three touchdowns, giving him 1,259 yards rushing on the season and 17 scores. (Gavin Dressler Photo)
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SALTVILLE — Different venue, same story.
For the second straight year, Covington closed the book on a Northwood High School football season.
This time it came on a bitterly cold Friday night in Saltville.
Luke Moye rushed for 169 yards and accounted for two touchdowns, while Kashawn Carter added 151 more yards and three scores, as the Cougars advanced to the second round of the Group 1A West playoffs with a 32-6 rout of Northwood.
Covingon (7-4) now awaits the winner of this afternoon’s first-round game between Haysi and J.I. Burton. A Haysi win would mean another long road trip next week for the Cougars, while a J.I. Burton win would mean a second round game at Casey Field.
The Cougars overcame a slow start Friday night.
The game was delayed for 30 minutes due to a medical emergency that saw a Covington supporter have to be airlifted from the field.
When the game finally started, the Panthers struck first.
Covington misplayed a punt on their first possession and Northwood took advantage, taking a 6-0 lead on a Eric Doane touchdown run.
The Cougars responded with 32 straight points and a defensive effort that controlled the football game.
“A lot of the kids knew what was going on from the incident before the game,” said Covington coach Rod Tenney. “A lot of them were upset. But we settled down, made some adjustments and were able to find a place to attack them.”
The Cougars, who beat the Panthers 41-18 a year ago at home in the first round, attacked Northwood for 341 yards on the ground, while the defense was able to stuff the Panthers’ power running game for just 153 yards for the balance of the game.
Senior linebacker Austin Waddell and his sophomore running mate Tyler Dressler were the leaders of the Covington defense.
“No. 9 (Doane) is a strong runner and he ran hard,” said Tenney. “Our defensive ends weren’t sitting down. We talked about that at halftime, and once we made the adjustment and they sat down and forced him inside, our linebackers filled. Austin Waddell and Tyler Dressler really played well tonight.”
Offensively, the Cougars got big plays from all of their playmakers.
Moye was able to break tackles all night, scoring a touchdown and throwing for another, Matthews caught a score, while Carter went over 1,200 yards for the season and scored touchdown numbers 15, 16 and 17.
Carter tied the game and Jonathan Elmore gave the Cougars a 7-6 lead late in the first quarter and Moye connected with Matthews for a 10-yard swing pass and again Elmore added the point for a 14-6 halftime lead.
Carter again found the end zone on the Cougars’ first second-half possession, before two more fourth quarter touchdowns, one each from Moye and Carter, sealed the game in the final period.
“Luke is under some adversity,” said Tenney. “The way he played tonight was incredible. He broke some tackles and threw the ball well.”
Doane led the Panthers with 66 yards on 17 carries.
Northwood, who started the season 6-0, finished the year 7-4.
“We were riding pretty high after six games and we had a pretty good football team going on there,” said Panther first-year head coach Tommy Prater “But like any small school that gets a couple of key injuries, we never could overcome.
“But in no way will I take anything away from Covington, they’ve got a good football team,” he added.
For Tenney and his Cougars, the win gave his group and its 15 seniors a chance to move on and play another week of football.
“A win in the playoffs is always good and to go on the road and do it is always a little sweeter,” Tenney concluded. “I’m really happy with the win and the way we persevered through the cold. When we came out (for pregame warm-ups) a lot of these kids didn’t want to be out here. I felt like we had a great effort.”
