By JOSH FRYE
News Sportswriter
Northview High’s championship hopes were cut short last Friday, November 15, by Vernon High, which knocked the Chiefs out of the FHSAA Class 1A, District 1 playoffs with a 43-18 win.
Trent Peebles scored twice for FHS during the contest, and Mank Findley added a touchdown.
The last time NHS and Vernon had met in the playoffs was in 2015, when the Yellow Jackets defeated the Chiefs 8-7.
Vernon kicked off the scoring during last Friday night’s contest, scoring on an 18-yard rush with just over three minutes left to play in the first quarter. A two-point conversion gave the Jackets an 8-0 advantage.
With just seconds left to play in the first quarter, Peebles returned a kickoff for 36 yards, then, with time expiring, the senior fullback scored on the following play, but a two-point conversion attempt fell short, and the Chiefs trailed 8-6.
Vernon answered with a 1-yard TD run with nine minutes left in the half but fell short on a two-point conversion attempt and led 14-6.
With one-minute left to go in the half, the Yellow Jackets scored on a 70-yard pass, extending the home team’s lead to 20-6 at halftime.
The Chiefs started the third quarter on a slow note, fumbling on their first possession, and on the next Vernon offensive series, the Chiefs came up with an interception but failed to produce any results.
The Yellow Jackets added an 11-yard scoring strike with five minutes left to go in the third quarter. The two-point conversion upped the lead to 28-6.
Peebles scored his second TD of the night with a minute left to go in the third quarter, on a 25-yard rush. The two-point conversion attempt failed, and NHS trailed 28-12, with two minutes left to go in the third.
Vernon continued to pound away at the Chiefs defense during the start of the fourth quarter, driving the ball in on a 12-yard run. A successful two-point conversion extended the lead to 36-12.
Northview’s final score came with two minutes left to play, when Findley scored on a 30-yard scamper. Vernon answered the Findley score almost immediately, on a 12-yard TD rush and sealed the championship hope chest shut for the Chiefs.
Northview head coach Derek Marshman was unavailable for comment and individual stats were not provided.
Northview closed out the 2019 season with an 8-3 record.