NORTHSIDE'S NORWOOD TALLIES FOUR TDS

Tre Norwood and his Northside teammates tried to not put too much emphasis on the Grizzlies' losing streak against their crosstown rival. Instead Norwood, the Grizzlies' senior quarterback/cornerback, helped make sure the streak against Southside came to an abrupt end on Friday. Norwood rushed for 239 yards on 13 carries and had four touchdowns, three coming in the first half, as the Grizzlies defeated Southside 52-13, Northside's first win in the series since 2005. "We didn't try to think too much about the streak, we just took it like every other week and prepared ourselves for another conference game," Norwood, selected as the Times Record's Athlete of the Week, said. "I feel like that's the reason why we came out and were very successful. "It means a lot (to break the streak against Southside). Being the first senior class in 11 years to actually beat them and break the streak, it's more than just a regular win." Norwood's first TD of the night came on Northside's second series, a 15-yard keeper which completed a nine-play 97-yard drive and gave the Grizzlies (7-2, 6-1 7A-Central) a 7-0 lead. But the touchdown which Norwood said was his favorite took place in the second quarter, with the Grizzlies hanging on to a 10-6 advantage. On the first offensive play from scrimmage following a Southside field goal, Norwood took the snap from his own 18-yard line, broke a couple of tacklers just beyond the line of scrimmage and took off, speeding his way to an 82-yard TD which gave the Grizzlies a double-digit lead for good. "I felt them on me and I was trying to get them off of me, and once I got loose I saw the end zone and I just had to make sure I got in there," Norwood said. "My linemen did a real good job of blocking, I made the right read and I just tried to make a play." Norwood then made it 24-6 Grizzlies late in the first half on a 31-yard TD keeper. Then to begin the second half, he crossed the end zone for a fourth time. One play after tailback Hunter Pendleton broke off a 59-yard run to the Southside 21, Norwood finished things off by sweeping around the right side as the Grizzlies built a 31-6 lead. "That's a big night for him," Northside coach Mike Falleur said. "He's an explosive young man who makes plays, and I think he would probably be the first to tell you the offensive line did a good job, (along with) everybody (else), it was a team effort." Norwood's effort was part of a strong offensive showing by the Grizzlies. They amassed 652 yards of offense, 588 of those on the ground. "Big props to (the offensive line); without them, the running game wouldn't be that big, so I think them coming out and working hard every day in practice, they just came out and executed (Friday), so I give all the props to the linemen," Norwood said. Northside, which had already been assured of getting the No. 2 playoff seed from the 7A-Central prior to the Southside game, is off this week. The Grizzlies are back at Mayo-Thompson Stadium on Nov. 18 to play a 7A quarterfinal playoff against the winner of this Friday's opening-round game between Little Rock Catholic and Bentonville. "Now that the conference is over, it's time for the second half of the season," Norwood said. "We just have to come out to practice every day and practice just as hard, continue to stay focused and I feel like we'll give it a good run in the playoffs."

NORTHSIDE'S NORWOOD TALLIES FOUR TDS

BUCK RINGGOLD

Times Record | 11/8/2016

PHOTO CREDIT: Times Record