Wise scores twice, Walker returns kick in NHS win

Northshore senior running back Channing Wise ran for 147 yards and two touchdowns and Justin Walker returned a kickoff 99 yards in a 41-19 victory over the Bonnabel Bruins Friday night at NHS.

The Panthers are 2-0 to begin the season, while the Bruins dropped to 1-1.

Wise’s touchdowns came on back-to-back plays in the final quarter. The first one was from 2 yards and, after NHS forced held Bonnabel on fourth down, he struck again on a 43-yard run.

“I just kept hitting the holes, running hard, and something finally came through for me,” Wise said. “The key was working hard and trusting my team blocking for me. I knew something was going to open up.”

Northshore coach Mike Bourg said Wise is doing a good job.

“I went to him and I said, ‘four yards and a touchdown. Stop trying to bounce everything to the outside.’ He’s hitting the hole, and then he’s getting out and going. Channing Wise had a great great game,” Bourg said.

Northshore opened the scoring in the second quarter, going on a 10-play, 48-yard drive that took 4:44 off the clock. On third-and-goal from inside the 1, quarterback Jervious Epherson snuck in for a 6-0 lead with 6:15 left in the half. After the extra point was no good.

Bonnabel responded on its next possession and took a 7-6 lead after an 86-yard drive. Herman Lee, who ran for 51 yards, applied the finishing touch with a 2-yard TD run. Pablo Bustamonte’s PAT split the uprights with 2:02 left in the half.

On the ensuing kickoff, Walker provided the Panther faithful with some excitement. He fielded the kickoff at the 1, ran through a wall of Northshore blockers and down the left sideline. Walker outran the kicker and the rest of the Bruins for the score. Wise got in for a two-point conversion on a pitch, and NHS took a 14-7 lead into halftime.

Walker, a 2008 track state champion in 100-meter dash (10.67) and 200 (21.68), said he saw the opening ahead of him.

“It was huge. It looked like the parting of the Red Sea,” Walker said.

Bonnabel moved the ball to its 44 start the third quarter then punted to NHS’ 18. On the Panthers’ first offensive play from scrimmage of the second half, Epherson was picked off. But the NHS’ defense stood tall and forced the Bruins to punt, and Northshore got the ball on its own 16.

The Panthers drove 82 yards in 1:46. On second down from Bonnabel’s 23, Epherson threw a quick wide-receiver screen to Andrew Cossé, who took it into the rest of the way for the score with five minutes left in the period. Tyler Foltz kicked the PAT to give NHS a 21-7 lead, and the score remained there until the fourth period.

With 43 seconds left in the third quarter and trailing 21-7, Bonnabel set up to punt on fourth-and-7 from NHS’ 46, but the Bruins had trickery on their minds. The snap went to up back Aaron Allen, who was only able to get 5 yards.

That gave Northshore a golden opportunity to blow the game open and the Panthers took advantage, driving 59 yards in 10 plays and scoring on a Wise 1-yard tally. The PAT was blocked, but NHS led 27-7.

After Northshore’s defense forced the Bruins to turn the ball over on downs, Wise made scored his second TD on as many touches, this one from 43 yards out. Foltz made it 34-7 with the point after.

Bonnabel made it 34-13 with 3:35 left on a 48-yard run by Robert Smith, who finished with 160 yards rushing.

On the PAT, the snap was over the holder’s head. Bustamonte picked it up and completed a pass, but it was well short of the end zone, and Bonnabel was called for an illegal block.

The Bruins tried an onsides kick, but linebacker Chris Ruiz fielded it and ran 47 yards for a touchdown, making it 41-13.

Bonnabel capped the scoring when Donovan Weatherspoon, who rushed for 150 yards, hit pay dirt on a 92-yard run.

The fake extra point failed to round out the scoring.

Northshore will go for 3-0 Friday when the Panthers travel to Ponchatoula to take on the Green Wave.