It’s Halloween weekend and strange things have been known to happen. The North Johnston Panthers had surprised most sportswriters with their 8-1 record. The Panthers had a star running back named Jacques Alston who has rushed for over 700 yards this year. The question everyone wondered was if they had a bag of tricks for the Jackets.

The Jackets kicked off to Alston to start the game and he returned the kick off 85 yards and just like that the Jackets were down 7-0. The Jackets answered eight plays later with a touchdown run from Tyrell Everette from 8 yards out making the score 7-7.

North Johnston took the ball and drove down to the 5 yard line where JJ. Patterson came up big on defense and gave the Panthers a fourth down. The Panther field goal attempt was blocked and Steven Bradford got the ball, allowing the Jackets to take over at the 20. The drive ended with Justin Rawles completing a 19 yard pass to D.J. Epperson for a touchdown and with 2:05 left in the first quarter for a 14-7 lead.

The second quarter had the Panthers on the 35-yard line. Jacket defenders Chris Lyons and Temere Rountree stopped the Panthers for a short gain and then Patterson came up big for the Jackets with a quarterback sack forcing the punt.

The Jackets gave the ball up on a turnover. The Panthers took over but Everette intercepted the ball and return it 80 yards for a Jacket touchdown and a 21-7 lead.

The Jackets would score again on a pass from Rawles to Micheal Robinson with just seconds left in the half making it a 28-7 ball game.

North Johnston’s Alston scored the Panthers final touchdown of the evening on a 90-yard kickoff return.

Curtis is surrounded by former players and coaches.

A halftime former Coach Don Curtis became the first person inducted into the Roanoke Rapids High School Athletic Hall Of Fame. Coach Curtis taught and coached at Roanoke Rapids High School from 1957 to 1995. He was escorted to the field with his family and former Jacket ball players that he had coached. Coach Curtis had touched many lives and he received a standing applause from the Jacket home crowd.

The second half started with a Panther interception that ended an 11-play Jacket drive.

The Jacket defense, however, would rise to the occasion again and forced a punt but the Jackets would turn the ball back over when the ball was stripped from Rountree.

Rountree made up for his fumble with an interception. Everette, who had 220 rushing yards, would score later from the 1 to give the Jackets a 35-14 lead.

The Panthers, with just a little hope left, would start a drive that would end with a Chris Lyons interception.

Rawles completed a 44-yard pass play to A.J. Alston setting Everette up for another touchdown and giving the Jackets a 42-14 win.

The Jackets move to 5-0 in the conference and have secured at least a share of the championship.

Coach Russell Weinstein said that North Johnston came in with a great defensive game plan.

He said that Rawles used his legs and arm to help the team adjust. He also stated that Everette just played his heart out.

Coach Weinstein said he was pleased with the defense and he couldn’t say enough about Ryan Howell and his hustle. He also wanted to give credit to the Jacket offensive line, which has really been dominating the line of scrimmage.

The Jackets will close the regular season out against Northwest Halifax next week at Northwest.