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Northview Beats Freeport For Regional Championship (With Photo Gallery)

The Northview’s road to Orlando continued Friday night with a 34-28 overtime win against the Freeport Bulldogs for the Chief’s third consecutive Region 1-1A championship.

The second meeting of the season between the teams was a whole new ballgame the second time around for the Chiefs. Earlier in the season, Northview crushed the Bulldogs 42-0 in Freeport. All week, Northview Coach Sid Wheatley preached that his players should just totally forget about that big win because Freeport was headed to Bratt for vengeance.

“We talked about it all week…that you could throw the 42-0 out the window because it was not going to have any bearing on this game tonight,” Wheatley said. “That (42-0) was not indicative of how Freeport normally plays us.  I think they kind really carried a chip in on their shoulders.”

For a game action photo gallery, click here. (Band, dance team, cheerleader and additional photos will be published Monday.)

Freeport was first on the scoreboard after Northview fumbled the ball away at the 11-yard line.  And Freeport scored again on a Northview fumble; this time at the one-yard line, 14-0.

A La’Mikal Kyles touchdown narrowed the gap to 14-7, Freeport’s favor. Then Neino Robinson scored on a 40 yard punt return to tie it up 14-14 headed into the half.

Kyles scored again in the third on a 10-yard pass from QB Kevin Vaughan, 21-14 Northview. Freeport then tied it up 21-21 with a 42-yard touchdown. The Bulldogs went again 28-21 with about six minutes to go in the game.

The Chiefs tied it up at 28-28 with a four-yard Vaughan to Cameron Newsome touchdown pass.

In overtime, Freeport scored on their first place, but it was called back for holding the backfield. The Bulldogs were unable to convert their remaining three downs to the scoreboard. A Kyles touchdown kicked off the fireworks and sealed the 34-28 Northview win.

“We pulled it off in overtime. It was a lot of character, a lot of resolve by out kids,” Wheatley said.

Kyles finished the night with three touchdowns, and 121 yards. Quarterback Vaughan completed 17 of 27 with 136 yards and a couple of touchdowns.

“I thought Kevin Vaughan ran the football well for us; he had a couple of big runs,” he said. “I thought the kid showed a lot of character, coming back when he could have gone into a shell.”

Next Friday, the Chiefs will be one the road in the state semifinals against Liberty County in Bristol. The winner advanced to the state championship game the following week in Orlando.

“It only gets tougher. There’s no doubt,” Wheatley said. “We are going to have to step it up next week.

For a game action photo gallery, click here. (Band, dance team, cheerleader and additional photos will be published Monday.)

Pictured top: Northview quarterback Kevin Vaughan gains yardage for the Chiefs Friday night in Bratt. Picture top inset: Neino Robinson reaches for a pass. Pictured bottom inset: La’Mikal Kyles catches a pass.  Pictured below: The Chiefs celebrate a regional championship. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.