The Anchor Bowl returns to Northside

Published 10:41 pm Friday, October 6, 2023

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The 23rd Anchor Bowl game between Northside and Southside turned out like 19 others have. The home team lost. Northside reclaimed the trophy with a 34-12 victory at Southside to raise their record to 5-2 and claim first place in the Coastal Plains 1A/2A conference.

“It’s great that the Anchor Bowl is coming back to Northside, but it’s also great that we are in first place in the conference,” coach Keith Boyd said. “Winning the conference is a big deal because it gives you more home games in the playoffs and we took a huge step toward that tonight.”

Check out a photo gallery from the game HERE.

The Panthers scored on their opening possession on a 12-yard fourth and goal pass from Hunter Chrismon to Holden Boykin for a 6-0 lead. The Seahawks (1-6, 1-1) answered with Luke Bullock’s 21-yard throw to Tequon (Tater) Moore for a 6-6 tie.

Panthers running back Jamie Corprew made it 14-6 with a 33-yard scoring run on the next drive and added a six yard run for a 22-6 lead after an interception.

The Seahawks were driving in the final two minutes of the first half, but fumbled on the Northside 34 yard line.

“That was a huge momentum swing in their favor,” Seahawks coach Jeff Carrow said. “We were moving the ball well and we had the ball to start the second half. If we score there and start strong after halftime, it’s a much different game. Turnovers hurt us tonight.”

Southside did score on its first second half possession on Moore’s 11-yard run after a personal foul penalty put the ball deep in Panther territory for a 22-12 deficit, but couldn’t come any closer.

Gus Vansant returned an interception 35 yards for a touchdown for a 28-12 Northside lead in the fourth quarter, then Sincere Columbus set the final margin with a 41-yard scoring run in the final minute.

“We grabbed the momentum early with our three straight scoring drives and kept it for the most part the rest of the game,” Boyd said. “The touchdown throw on fourth down and the pick six in the second half were huge for us. Now we need to keep it rolling.

Corprew led the Northside rushing game with 130 yards on 18 carries and a pair of touchdowns as the Panthers ran for 254 yards and finished with 299 total.

In addition to his interception return for a touchdown, Gus Vansant led the defense with 12 tackles.

Southside had 107 rushing yards and 162 total. Fullback Brian Salinas was the leading rusher with 73 yards. Moore led the defense with 7.5 tackles.

Southside leads the all-time Anchor Bowl series 14-9, but Northside has won four of the last five.

Greene Central 30 Washington 20

Jerai Davenport’s 80-yard kickoff return for a touchdown gave the Pam Pack a 13-10 halftime lead at Greene Central, but the home team answered with a rushing touchdown and an interception return for a touchdown in the third quarter for a 23-13 advantage they never gave up. Davenport scored on a short run in the fourth quarter to set the final at 30-20. Josh Gordon scored the Pack’s first touchdown on a three-yard run. Washington is 2-5 and 0-3 in the Eastern Plains Conference while Green Central is 4-4 and 3-1.

Pungo Christian Academy 24 Northeast Academy 12

The Raiders are 4-2 after the 8-man road victory. They snapped a 12-12 halftime tie with a pair of touchdowns in the fourth quarter to earn the victory.