CAMERON — Union Pines (2-0, 0-0) put on a defensive masterclass in its 35-0 win over the Chargers (0-2, 0-0) Friday.
The Vikings intercepted the Chargers seven times thanks to different looks and constant pressure from its defensive line and a solid display of ball skills in the secondary. The seven picks are tied for the second-most interceptions in a game in North Carolina High School Athletic Association history.
“It’s more of the defensive line for pressuring the quarterback and making him throw it up,” senior defensive back Harley Moyer said. “TJ (Robinson) and Elijah (Clayton), they are so good at pressuring the quarterback, making him run out of the pocket and throwing bad balls that we’re able to come down with.”
Sophomore defensive back Demarie Johnson, junior defensive back Jonah Thienel and Moyer came away with two picks each. Johnson and Thienel each took an interception to the house as Thienel’s 60-yard return gave Union Pines a 14-0 lead right before halftime, and Johnson’s return near the Vikings’ sideline put the final score on the board at the end of the fourth quarter.
“We do a lot of drills on breaking on balls in practice,” Thienel said.
Sophomore linebacker Josiah Sandler ended the Chargers’ first possession by picking off junior quarterback Grayson Cox at Northwood’s own three-yard line.
That interception set up the first of three scores from senior running back Jeremiah Carraway, who capitalized on the turnover with a 3-yard touchdown.
Carraway blossomed into a problem throughout the night as he rushed for 161 yards on just 11 carries. His 69-yard touchdown in the final minutes of the third quarter put the Vikings up, 28-0.
Earlier in the quarter, Carraway found the endzone on a 17-yard run up the middle to give Union Pines a 21-0 lead. Carraway said he rarely encountered linebackers and a safety on his long runs up the middle, allowing him to hit the hole at full speed.
Second half adjustments on the offensive line also helped open up the Vikings’ offense after a slow start.
“Some of the bigger runs in the second half, we widened some splits out to take their ends out a little bit further,” Union Pines coach Bryan Till said.
Despite the four first half interceptions, Northwood remained in striking distance before the break.
With the help of a solid first half performance from sophomore Jordan Brim and senior AJ Rhone-Mason on the defensive line, the Chargers were able to disrupt some of Union Pines’ plays and take away its passing game.
Northwood ended the night with four tackles for loss, including a sack, but that wasn’t enough to stop the Vikings’ rushing attack in the final two quarters.
It also didn’t help the Chargers that their offense was only able to come away with a net 28 yards on the ground.
For Northwood, its two-game non-conference slate hasn’t gone as well as last season, and glaring weaknesses on both sides of the ball have been on display. Northwood hasn’t started a season 0-2 since 2019, and with a roster loaded with talent in the skill positions, the key for better days will be improvement in the trenches.
The Chargers’ defensive line showed glimpses of how good it could be Friday, but the unit just wasn’t consistent enough. Offensively, Northwood’s line was simply outmatched, leading to backfield disruptions and turnovers that knocked the Chargers out of rhythm all night.
The good news is that Northwood’s offensive issues can be fixed and there’s plenty of time to do it. The Chargers were still able to throw for 208 yards and saw some good things from its receiving corps. However, they have to cut down on the turnovers and start controlling the line of scrimmage if they want to turn things around in conference play.
Northwood will play its first Mid-Carolina 1A/2A contest in its home opener against North Moore Friday at 7 p.m.
As for Union Pines, the Vikings have completely flipped the script from last season, finishing its first two games with consecutive shutouts and a combined 10 interceptions. It’s been a few years since expectations and the vibes around the program have been this high, and with the season still being so young, the Vikings are still working to be even better.
“We’re taking a step each week,” Till said. “I still think we have plenty of steps to take. We see that tonight. I think the expectation is we’re going to be good. I don’t care what the score is, you’re getting coached all night.”
Union Pines will look to keep its hot start rolling when it hosts non-conference opponent Western Harnett Friday at 7:30 p.m.
