North Hills edges Hampton in defensive struggle

By: HSSN Staff
Saturday, September 15, 2018 | 12:06 AM

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After a late hit penalty in the first half, a vociferous “You can’t do that” chant echoed from a Hampton student section clad in its best Tommy Bahama attire.

That mantra ended up being the theme of the night for scoring, in a defensive battle that featured a total of 13 punts and three points.

However, in the end, it was North Hills celebrating with its traveling student section, as it came away with a 3-0 victory, downing Hampton (1-3, 0-2) at Fridley Field in a Class 5A Allegheny Eight matchup.

Indians star tailback and Army recruit Tyler Brennan was sidelined with a leg injury, and neither team had its ground game most of the night. But North Hills (4-0, 3-0) dodged two second-half field goal attempts by Hampton’s Harper Cook and forced a Max Obenrader fumble with 7 minutes left in the fourth quarter to remain unbeaten.

“They had a defensive scheme that they hadn’t used in weeks past,” North Hills coach Pat Carey said. “It was giving us problems up front. We knew we’d be in for a dog fight. We haven’t exactly blown anyone out so we just needed to come in here and get a conference win.”

With Brennan out, another Tyler jumpstarted the Indians late in the second quarter, as the Indians periodically switched Dylan Pawling out at quarterback for sophomore running back Tyler Tomasic. It led to the only score of the game, a 22-yard field goal by Daniel Wagner.

“Our offense has gone more wildcat the last couple weeks,” Carey said. “When we were aware Tyler (Brennan) wasn’t going to go tonight, we knew (Tomasic) had done it before. We knew he was capable.”

While Tomasic briefly left the game on the scoring drive with an injury, he returned, eventually eating up enough yards to snag North Hills a few key first downs. He finished with 31 carries for 160 yards.

“The thing I love about him is he’s a little guy but he’s super tough,” said Carey of Tomasic, who is listed at 5-foot-9, 145 pounds.

“To me that’s what a North Hills back runs like. I was impressed with that tonight.”

Hampton brought out an impressive defense of its own, routinely stuffing the Indians running attack. Hampton coach Jacque DeMatteo thought the defensive effort was “by far” the best of the season.

“We really liked our (defensive) game plan going in,” he said. “We simplified it for the kids to get them playing faster. I liked how our kids hustled and got off the blocks. Tonight, the effort was 100 percent there.”

The stifling North Hills run defense, however, left quarterback Max Obenrader scrambling and throwing downfield. A 39-yard completion to Brandon Stephany led to a 37-yard field missed field goal by Cook.

Obenrader finished 7 of 20 for 107 yards.

“We do what we do,” DeMatteo said. “We run the ball. We weren’t able to do play action as much as we liked.”

Carey knew coming North Hills needed to stop Hampton running back Vinny Schmitt and the rushing attack.

“Any time you make a team one dimensional, it helps us,” Carey said. “It helps the pass rush. I thought we gave great effort. We have a lot of guys playing two ways, tired guys; they came up with big stops when they had to.”

The biggest of which came with just over two minutes left, with Hampton driving after a 28-yard punt return by Stephany and a roughing the passer penalty put Hampton on the North Hills 18. Cook missed a 35-yard field goal.

Cook, a Rutgers soccer commit who stars for the Hampton boys soccer team, was praised by DeMatteo.

“He’s a phenomenal kicker,” DeMatteo said. “One of the best 5A kickers around. … I’ve come to a new appreciation on kicking. There’s three parts to it and the hold is just as important. I’m not casting stones on anyone. We just didn’t make them.

“I know the record doesn’t indicate, but we’re going to fight and keep fighting. I think we’re making strides in the division we moved into. … If they keep doing that we’ll win games here.”

Devon Moore is a freelance writer.

Tags: Hampton, North Hills