GASTON – Northampton-East traveled to Gaston Friday night to play Northampton-West in the annual battle of cross-county neighbors.

The game was close early, but West used a bruising running attack and hard-hitting defense to pull away from East to win 40-12.

East took the opening kick-off and put together a nice drive until forced to punt around mid-field. West picked up two quick first downs on their first two offensive plays of the night.

However, West fumbled the ball on their third play and East’s Derryal Anderson scooped up the ball and rumbled 40 yards for the score. The two-point attempt was no good and East led 6-0 with 6:11 left in the first quarter.

It didn’t take West long to answer the score off the miscue. On the first play after receiving the kickoff, West quarterback Randy Turner hooked up with senior receiver Keith Garner on a 55-yard scoring strike. Turner also ran in the two point try and West led for the first time, 8-6, with 5:53 left in the quarter.

West forced a turnover on East’s next offensive series with an interception by Michael Peebles. After the turnover, West put together a long, bruising offensive drive led by the rushing of Dasmine Moody and Devin Williams.

The 17-play drive, all but one play being runs, covered 80 yards and ended with a one-yard scoring run by Williams with 7:15 remaining in the half. The two-point attempt was stopped and the score stood at 14-6.

Trying to answer the long drive by West, Northampton East put together their own impressive, 10-play drive late in the half. On the tenth play, senior quarterback Josh Reddish rushed up the middle for four yards and the score. The two point pass was intercepted and with 3:04 left in the half, West’s lead was cut to 14-12.

Trying to keep the momentum on their side, East attempted an on-sides kick on the ensuing change of possession, but West recovered the kick-off on East’s 48-yard line. At this point, West coach Diego Hasty decided to change quarterbacks and sophomore Antonio Manley entered the game.

A 36-yard pass from Manley to Keith Garner put West in business at East’s one yard line. Devin Williams finished the drive with a run up the middle for the score. The two-point conversion was good and the half ended with West leading East 22-12.

Northampton-West received the second half kickoff and on their first play from scrimmage, junior running back Dasmine Moody found a gap up the middle and ran untouched for a 54-yard touchdown. The two point conversion failed and West’s lead was extended to 28-12.

Later in the third quarter, West senior defensive end Quentin Turner put a viscous hit on East quarterback Josh Reddish, forcing a fumble. Travois Banks lived every lineman’s dream by picking up the fumble and rumbling 10 yards for the score. With the failed two-point attempt, the score stood at 34-12 with 5:55 left in the third quarter.

West’s defense allowed little movement by East offense and forced punts on the next three offensive series. With 10:47 left in the game, Moody scored on a nifty cross-field run from the 12-yard line for the touchdown and rounded out the scoring for the night. The two-point conversion failed and the final score was West over East, 40-12.

Score by Quarters

Northampton-West 8-14-12-6- 40

Northampton-East6-6-0-0-12

Scoring Summary

East:Derryal Anderson, 40-yard fumble return (run failed), 6:11; First Quarter

West:

Keith Garner, 55-yard pass from Randy Turner (Turner Run), 5:53; First Quarter

West:

Devin Williams, 1-yard run (run failed), 7:15; Second Quarter

East:

Josh Reddish, 4-yard run (run failed), 3:04; Second Quarter

West: Devin Williams, 1-yard run (Willie Bowman pass from Antonio Manley), 1:20; Second Quarter

West: Dasmine Williams, 54-yard run (run failed), 11:41; Third Quarter

West: Travois Banks, 10-yard fumble return (pass failed), 5:55; Third Quarter

West: Dasmine Moody, 12-yard run (run failed), 10:47; Fourth Quarter

Rushing

West – Dasmine Moody: 14-155, 2 TD; Devin Williams: 17-84, 1 TD

East – Chris Jackson: 12-61; Josh Reddish: 9-34

Passing

West – Randy Turner: 3-3-0, 79, 1 TD; Antonio Manley: 1-3-0, 36

East – Josh Reddish: 3-10-1, 57

Receiving

West – Keith Garner: 2-91

East – James Jefferson: 2-32