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Middlebury - Going into Friday's second-round sectional matchup, NorthWood and Northridge were two teams that were rather familiar with each other.
They had met 24 previous times, including four sectional meetings.
The bad thing for Northridge was, the Raiders managed to win only one of those times. Friday would be no different as NorthWood eventually pulled away in the second half to post a 40-7 victory.
NorthWood won the toss to start the game, but chose to defer, giving the ball to the Raiders.
The Raiders took the opening kickoff and executed a 14-play drive that took 5:19 off the clock. In that opening drive the Raiders were 4 for 4 in fourth down conversions, but failed to break into the scoring column as a bad snap on a field goal attempt halted the drive.
"I knew coach (Frank) Amato would come out and play ball control," said NorthWood coach Rich Dodson. "They got deep in our territory, but missed a field goal. So we lucked out on that."
The Panthers would get their turn but would wind up with the same result as Andy Mitschelen sent a 23-yard field goal attempt sailing wide right.
"We got our first drive down inside their 5-yard line and couldn't get anything," said Dodson.
"We put together a long drive and got nothing out of it."
The next three Northridge drives would all end the same way, three plays and out forcing Bobby Raatz to punt the ball away early and often. The NorthWood offense would only be able to put seven points on the board in the first half though.
"Physically we played tough up front," said Dodson. "I just didn't think we played disciplined defense in the first half."
The second half would then be a different story as the Panther defense forced Northridge quarterback Jody Weldy to fumble on a pitch attempt halting the Raider's fifth possesion after only one play. One play is what it would then take the Panthers to post their third touchdown of the game with Aaron Huber running the ball in from 23 yards out, and the Andy Mitschelen kick was good making the score 21-0.
NorthWood would break into the scoring column from 23 yards out again when Bill Mitschelen caught a Charlie Roeder pass at the 4:41 mark of the third quarter. Andy Mitschelen converted on the extra point attempt giving the Panthers a 28-0 advantage.
The Panthers would score nearly six minutes later when Huber scored his second touchdown of the contest on a 57 yard punt return with 11:42 remaining in the game. Huber attempted the point after touchdown, but was unsuccessful and the Panthers clung to 34-0 lead.
NorthWood scored one more time in the contest, this time at the 6:57 mark of the fourth quarter when Roeder connected with C.J. Lane on a 14 yard touchdown strike. The extra point attempt failed once more, and the Panthers led 40-0 with numerous substitutes in the game.
"It was good to get some young kids in there for some experience," said Dodson. "I wanted to let them know what it's like to play in a sectional game."
NorthWood's defense gave up their only seven points in the contest with :05 left on the clock when Weldy found Bobby Raatz from 20 yards away. The Donny Klotz extra point try was good, and the Raiders fell to the Panthers for the fifth time in sectional play.
NorthWood (8-3) will play host Whitko (6-4) next Friday at Andrew's Field.
