Lee County crushes Northside 55-0 in Class 6A playoff opener

LEESBURG — There were two busy kickers at Trojan Field Friday night.

One was Lee County’s John Lane, who spent much of the evening kicking extra points. The other was Northside’s Aron Diaz, who spent much of his evening punting the football back to the Trojans.

That pretty much tells you everything you need to know about Lee County’s 55-0 demolition of Northside in the opening round of the GHSA Class 6A state playoffs.

On the coldest football night of the season, the No. 2-ranked Trojans were anything but chilly. They scored early, scored often and left little doubt that they intend to be playing football well into December.

Northside, meanwhile, couldn’t buy a first down in the opening half. Not one.

Diaz was about the only Eagle who consistently moved the football downfield. Unfortunately for Northside, he was doing it with his foot.

Lee County (11-1) needed barely two minutes to announce its intentions. Quarterback Cohen Lawson found junior receiver Destin Bell for a 42-yard touchdown on the Trojans’ opening possession, and Lane delivered the first of his many appearances.

The next drive required six plays and a little fourth-down nerve. After Northside dropped running back Quay Sheard for a loss on third down, Lawson faced fourth-and-long.

No problem.

He found Texas A&M commit Jaden Upshaw near the goal line for another touchdown. Lane’s kick made it 14-0.

To his credit, Diaz responded with one of the night’s finest plays, booming a punt that pinned Lee County at its own 11-yard line.

It was a terrific kick. It just didn’t keep the Trojans backed up for long.

Lawson scrambled to the 38, Upshaw carried the ball across midfield and then hauled in another pass. Northside finally caught a break when Ja’Noah Hicks intercepted Lawson, giving the Eagles their first real reason to celebrate.

The celebration didn’t last.

Three plays later, Diaz was back on the field. His next punt gave Lee County possession at the Northside 44.

This time, the Trojans kept things simple. Lawson handed the ball to Sheard three consecutive times. On the third, Sheard swept around the right side and raced 23 yards into the end zone.

Lane made it 21-0.

Northside tried going deep on its next possession. Lee County’s KJ Streeter had other ideas, intercepting the pass and returning it deep into Eagles territory.

A holding penalty erased what appeared to be another Lawson-to-Upshaw touchdown, but the Trojans simply found another way. Lawson connected with Tyler Henderson for the score.

A botched snap disrupted the extra-point attempt, leaving Lee County ahead 27-0.

It was one of the few things that went wrong for the Trojans all night.

Northside fumbled the ensuing kickoff, and Lee County wasted little time making the Eagles pay. Bell took a sweep around the right side and raced into the end zone. Lane’s kick pushed the lead to 34-0.

And there was still time left in the first half.

After another Northside three-and-out, Lawson went back to work. A completion to Henderson, a run by Dominique Ball and a pass to Clemson commit Carter Blackwell moved the Trojans deep into Eagles territory.

Even another holding penalty couldn’t stop them. Lawson found Amari Weston to move the ball to the 9, and two plays later Jordan Bush powered into the end zone.

Lane’s kick made it 41-0 at halftime.

Forty-one points. Six touchdowns. And a Lee County defense that hadn’t surrendered a single first down.

There wasn’t much suspense remaining, and a running clock in the second half made certain there wouldn’t be much time for any.

Lee County added two more touchdowns to complete the 55-0 rout, advancing to the second round with its championship hopes very much intact.

The Trojans will host Kell (9-2) next Friday night at Trojan Field. The Longhorns advanced with a 37-17 victory over Lee County’s Region 2-6A rival Houston County in Marietta.

That should provide a considerably stiffer test.

As for Friday night, the Trojans’ offense was explosive, their defense suffocating and their kicking game plenty busy.

Lane kept adding points. Diaz kept giving the ball back.

And Lee County kept moving toward December.