Preps

Indian Rocks Chr. 12, Northside Chr. 7

Jonny Sitton scores two touchdowns and records two sacks to help lead the Eagles to a win.

By BRANDON WRIGHT, Times Staff Writer
Published October 20, 2007

LARGO - Jonny Sitton does not want to come out of a game.

Ever.

And against Northside Christian, the only time Sitton came to the sidelines was to use the restroom.

Sitton rushed for 130 yards on 21 carries, scored both IRC touchdowns and recorded a pair of sacks as the Eagles defeated visiting district rival Northside Christian 12-7 on Friday night.

"I left it all out on the field tonight," Sitton said. "I am just dead (tired) right now."

The win, which moves IRC to 3-0 in the district, put the Eagles (5-2) in the driver's seat for a postseason berth.

"This is my senior year and last chance to make the playoffs," said Tom Brown, who had three sacks. "Some people might see this as an upset, but I knew we would outsmart them and outwork them."

Brown and Sitton were part of a relentless front seven that wreaked havoc all night. The Eagles finished with 11 sacks, picked off a pass and recovered a fumble.

"The D just kept coming up big over and over and over," Eagles coach Mark Buchanan said. "Our pressure on the quarterback was the key."

IRC's only defensive lapse of the night came via miscommunication. The Eagles left Benjamin Kaylor (seven catches, 133 yards) uncovered at the line of scrimmage, and quarterback Drew Phillips hit him with a quick pass that resulted in an 87-yard score and 7-0 Northside Christian (5-2, 1-2) lead.

"I feel so guilty about that because it happened right in front of our sideline," Buchanan said.

But Sitton answered with a 42-yard burst up the middle to cut the lead to 7-6 midway through the second quarter.

The score stayed that way until IRC's Cameron Dillard picked off a pass and returned it to the 27 of the Mustangs with just more than three minutes left in the third quarter. Three plays later, Sitton took an inside handoff and scampered 17 yards around left end for the winning score.

Indian Rocks Christian 12 Northside Christian 7

[Last modified October 20, 2007, 01:25:01]