CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – Rossview football hosted Northeast Friday on Senior Night in search of their first win of the season.

In a low-scoring affair, it was the Hawks who came up with the biggest play of the game late in regulation. On 3rd and goal from the Hawk five-yard line, Jamel Burney intercepted Jaiden Puig to help seal the eventual 7-4 victory for Rossview.

After struggling to stop the run last week against Wilson Central, the Hawk defense bounced back in a big way, as the Eagles finished the first half with an abysmal -22 yards on the ground.

Scoring summary

In the first quarter, Hawks sophomore quarterback Garrett Diemel found Parker Kirkpatrick for a 10-yard touchdown, giving Rossview an early 7-0 advantage.

Pre-snap penalties put the Eagle offense behind the eight ball time and time again in the first half.

Northeast football coach Brandon Clark broke down why his group was unable to find the rhythm it was looking for early on in the game, finishing with just 26 yards of total offense at halftime.

“We’re just making some serious mental errors right now on offense,” Clark said. “It doesn’t really matter what plays you call when you turn the ball over eight or nine times in two weeks, you’re not going to win a lot of games. We’ve got to really minimize the turnovers and I think once we start doing that and get a little more mature on offense, I think things are going to go our way.”

Special teams mishaps by the Hawks in the third quarter kept the Eagles very much in the game.

Northeast’s defense forced two safeties on Rossview’s first and second offensive possessions in the third quarter to cut the Hawks’ lead to 7-4.

Clark was pleased to see his team come out of the break with a strong sense of urgency.

“Our defense played their tails off tonight,” Clark said. “They really kept us in the game the entire time. I’m extremely proud of those guys.”

The Eagles were unable to capitalize on a Puig to Jaylin Bowser long connection early on in the second half after Northeast lost a fumble on the goal line.

Later in the third quarter, Diemel kept the Rossview drive alive on a quarterback keeper to move the chains.

Instead of attempting a 35-yard field goal a few plays later, Hood and company elected to go for it on fourth and long, but were unable to convert.

With seven minutes remaining in regulation, Harris was kept out of the end zone yet again by the Hawks defense on two goal-line attempts before Burney came away with the pick for the eventual game-winning turnover.

Up next

Rossview (1-1) will travel to take on Station Camp at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 18.

Northeast (2-1) was scheduled to host Dyer County at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept 18 in a Region 7-5A matchup, but that contest has since been forfeited by the Choctaws.

“They had a positive COVID test, so they didn’t play tonight and they’re not going to play next week,” Clark said. “We could not get another game, so we will play West Creek two weeks from tonight.”