Nansemond-Suffolk Academy nearly had a shutout victory as they defeated visiting Portsmouth Christian 44-7 on Friday night.

Despite the blowout score, NSA head coach Lew Johnston did not feel confident throughout much of the game.

“I don’t think the score was indicative of — this sounds very trite — the closeness,” he said. “I never felt like we totally had it under control.”

He did, however, think his team was solid offensively.

“We got the big plays again from Addison (Peak) and I gave Noah Giles this one carry and he broke it again,” Johnston said.

Addison Peak has become a star for the Saints, leading them for the second straight game in total offensive yardage. He had 134 yards on 13 carries.

Freshman running back Noah Giles had two carries for 75 yards and a touchdown last week against Virginia Episcopal and this week he took the one carry he got for 25 yards and another touchdown.

Junior running back Jack Russell had an impressive game, accounting for the most points on the team with two rushing scores and a 15-yard touchdown reception.

The Saints enjoyed a potent passing attack tonight with senior quarterback Tim Burns going six of 11 for 89 yards and two touchdowns, the other one going to junior tight end John Mobley.

“I was pleased; I thought Tim threw the ball better tonight,” Johnston said. “So, offensively, I thought we handled them pretty well.”

NSA team members, coaches, and parents alike experienced a scare late in the first half.

“We had two defensive starters on the field on the same play with neck injuries and of course, I was just all torn up about that,” Johnston said. “But I just got out of the emergency room and we’re not talking paralysis or anything, but they’re going to be out for a week or two.”

These two players were senior linebacker Jacob Laine and junior defensive back Jared Morse.

Sophomore fullback David Gough contributed 10 carries for 58 yards and a touchdown.

Portsmouth Christian’s only score came in the fourth quarter on a Saints onside kick. The ball took a Patriot-friendly bounce, and senior Ian McCarter grabbed it and ran for a 35-yard touchdown.

NSA has been limiting its kicking game to help ease freshman placekicker Ben Anderson into the position.

“Ben’s going to be a very good kicker,” Johnston said. “He’s just a freshman, never kicked a football before. He’s a soccer player that wanted to come out, and he’s just a work in progress. It’s a confidence thing as much as anything. I just don’t want to put a lot of pressure on him.”

Johnston praised him for showing improvement every week in practice and for the important role he has played for the team in what many spectators must be concluding is a quite unusual kickoff game.

“We onside every kickoff,” Johnston said. “We don’t kick it deep and for the sixth week in a row now we’ve gotten at least one recovery on a kick and that sets us up with good field position.”

Reminiscent of the run they made last year, the Saints (4-2, 2-0) have now won four straight. They play on the road against Norfolk Academy Saturday at 2:30 p.m.