Fumble recovery on first kickoff sets the tone in Bruin romp over Raiders
Oct. 8—TUNNEL HILL — From the very first play Friday night between Northwest Whitfield High School and cross-county rival Southeast Whitfield, it was all Bruins.
The opening kickoff hit the chest of Southeast returner Anthony Ramirez and bounced forward, right into the waiting hands of Northwest's Ike Ralston.
On the Bruins' first offensive play, quarterback Owen Brooker fired to Isaiah Foster on the left sideline for a 13-yard touchdown just eight seconds into what would become a 48-0 romp over the Raiders on homecoming night.
A third-quarter punting situation was so unusual for Northwest Whitfield (5-2, 1-1 Region 7-4A) that the Bruins had to take a delay of game penalty while finding the right players to take the field. The Bruins scored a touchdown on each of their first-half possessions, taking a 34-0 lead at the break and polishing off the victory over Southeast Whitfield (4-3, 0-2 Region 7-4A) as the clock ticked down with a second-half running clock.
Owen Brooker tossed four touchdowns while hitting on 11 of his 13 passes for 182 yards to lead the Bruins to their fifth straight win over Southeast in the cross-county rivalry. Northwest leads the series 36-9.
After the one-play touchdown drive to open, another Raider turnover set Northwest up for another quick score.
A coughed-up fumble at midfield gave Northwest possession when Jax Brooker pounced on the ball, and the Bruins quickly moved the ball down to the 7-yard-line with four Owen Brooker completions.
Gavin Nuckolls went in motion and caught the quick tap pass from Brooker, navigating the edge for a 7-yard score to put Northwest up 14-0 with nine minutes to go in the first half.
Southeast put together its most promising drive of the game on the ensuing possession. Running back Brady Ensley carried the load — and caught the only completed pass in the game from the Raiders to convert a fourth down — to get Southeast to the Bruin 28.
Another fourth down attempt was no good though, and the quick-strike Bruin offense was back on the field. Tony Burnecke broke off a 30-yard run, then toted the ball in from three yards on the following play, making the score 21-0.
After the first quarter ended and a Southeast punt pinned the Bruins at their own 4, five straight runs by Cameron Collins got Northwest to its 39 before Brooker dropped back and hit a sprinting Hudson Gray in stride on a post route for a 61-yard touchdown.
Then, a Raider short punt set up Holden Lane to cover all 34 yards across four carries, finishing the touchdown drive off with a 6-yard touchdown.
That put Northwest up 34-0 at the break, and Brooker's final touchdown pass was a 52-yard catch-and-run to Braxton Floyd on a screen pass as the running clock began to bleed on the very first play of the second half.
The reserves were on after that, and Nuckolls relieved Brooker behind center to find Evan Jones for a 47-yard touchdown to finish out the scoring in the fourth.
It's the first time Southeast has been shut out this season. Starting quarterback Brayden Miles exited the game in the first half, and the Raiders struggled to find much room in the air or ground game against Northwest.
Northwest and Southeast both get an off week to rest up from Friday's game. Northwest returns to action on Oct. 21 at home against Heritage, while Southeast will host Central-Carrollton on the same night.
