North Shore dials long distance

Tailback runs for 89-, 80-yard TDs as Mustangs top The Woodlands

By MOISEKAPENDA BOWER
Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle

It is said there is no substitute for experience. Defending Class 5A Division I champion North Shore challenged the validity of that belief on Friday night at Galena Park ISD Stadium.

Relying on its usual wealth of speed, a smattering of intimidation and the intangible of pride, No. 5 North Shore overcame its relative inexperience and repelled revenge-minded The Woodlands 28-15 in a rematch of the 2003 Division I-5A final.

With just two defensive starters back and the fourth-ranked Highlanders itching to make amends for last season's 23-7 loss, North Shore reprised the dominating defensive performance it staged at Rice Stadium last December.

With the offense buoyed by the 223-yard, two-touchdown effort of senior tailback Clifford Gilliam, a reserve a year ago, the Mustangs extended their regular-season winning streak to 33 games.

"I thought our kids did a good job of getting themselves ready to play," North Shore coach David Aymond said. "We showed the type of character we have."

North Shore (3-0) stifled The Woodlands (1-1) with its athleticism on defense and overwhelmed the Highlanders with Gilliam's blend of elusiveness and quickness. While the Highlanders struggled to muster 57 yards over their seven first-half possessions, Gilliam, slowed last week by a hip pointer, broke free for first-half TD runs of 80 and 89 yards.

The Woodlands took a short-lived 7-0 lead when Cameron Montgomery pounded his way in from the three-yard line, prime field position that came courtesy of a Mustangs special-teams miscue.

But on the second play of the ensuing North Shore possession, Gilliam darted through a gaping hole, bounced off a bundle of bodies just past the line of scrimmage and raced 80 yards for the tying score.

North Shore junior quarterback Kevin Rutland, who shares signal-calling duties with fellow junior Terrance Cain, engineered a nine-play, 78-yard drive that showcased Rutland's ability to elude defenders and the Highlanders' inability to tackle. The Woodlands twice had Rutland pinned for a loss, including once on third down, but let him escape both times. Gilliam put the Mustangs in scoring position with a 32-yard run to The Woodlands' 22 before Rutland capped the march, going in untouched on an option keeper from 11 yards out for a 14-7 lead with 4:40 left in the first half.

After Eric Harrison's interception, Gilliam raced past a trio of defenders on another draw play, this 89-yard run upping the lead to 21-7 with 55 seconds left in the half. Cain and Chris Riser hooked up for an 18-yard TD on a fourth-and-inches play midway through the third for a 28-7 advantage, a deficit too great for the Highlanders to overcome.

"Their speed was something we had a tough time with," The Woodlands coach Mark Schmid said. "We can't simulate that kind of speed in practice."

The Woodlands kept sputtering offensively. Cornerback Freddie Patton led an active unit that received big plays from a number of sources, including Harrison, Josh Jolivette, Jeramey Camarillo and others.

"It's a lot of pride and enthusiasm," Patton said. "But at the same time, we give nothing but hard work in our facilities. In our offseason, that's all we have -- hard work."

mk.bower@chron.com

North Shore defeats Highlanders again
By: Aaron Shock , HCN Staff 09/11/2004
Clifford Gilliam informed North Shore head coach David Aymond at Tuesday's practice that he intended to run for 250 yards against the Highlanders.

Gilliam came up short last night totaling just over 220 on 14 carries. Using his 4.3-speed and a strong offensive line, he broke three runs of more than 45 yards. His first came with 8:02 left in the first quarter. A delayed draw play caught Highlander linebackers inside and Gilliam ran 80 yards for a touchdown.

His speed was difficult for The Woodlands to contain, adjustments in the second half seemed to work, but the damage was done.

"The speed was something that we had a tough time with, without a doubt," said Highlander head coach Mark Schmid. "We can't simulate that speed in practice. I think we did a great job in the second half containing the speed, but the first half those three runs got away from us."

The Mustang touchdown followed a touchdown by The Woodlands, early in the first quarter. The Highlander defense forced North Shore to punt from its own 25-yard-line. The snap sailed over Ivan Sanchez's head and the Highlanders brought him down at the North Shore 3-yard-line. Cameron Montgomery punched it in on the next play giving the Highlanders the team's only lead of the game.

With the score tied 7-7, in the second quarter, North Shore took the ball at its own 20. Quarterback Kevin Rutland led the Mustangs on an 8-play drive and scored from 10 yards out with 4:40 to play, the drive was highlighted by Gilliam's 45-yard scamper down to the Highlander 20-yard-line.

Four minutes later Gilliam was in the end zone once more, this time an 89-yard score resulting from the same draw-play up the middle. North Shore led the Highlanders 21-7 at intermission.

"They jumped on (the bad snap) right away and took a seven nothing lead, but our kids came back," Aymond said. "We were ready to play, I felt that our coaches did a great job of preparing the kids all week."

It was a speed issue that Highlander coaches were dealing with on both sides of the ball. In the second half The Woodlands ran the ball up the middle seeking to minimize the mismatch. Montgomery broke off the right side of the line late in the third for a 67-yard-run. However, a fumble on the 1-yard-line cost the Highlanders a valuable scoring opportunity.

Highlander fans had something to cheer about late in the fourth quarter when quarterback Austin Hutson found Kyle Drabek for a 30-yard strike down too the Mustang one. Drabek levitated above the double coverage and came down with the ball. Montgomery ran it in from one-yard out to conclude the scoring 28-15.

Next week the Highlanders head north to Moorhead for the team's home-opener against 4th-ranked Humble.


©Houston Community Newspapers Online 2004

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