North Delta’s new slot-T offense found some success at times moving the football Friday in their season-opener at Magnolia Heights. 

The problem was the Green Wave could not slow down Magnolia Heights as the Chiefs blew open a 28-20 halftime lead with a 28-point third quarter to win going away 56-20. 

Magnolia Heights found the endzone on eight consecutive possessions before turning the ball over on downs in the fourth quarter which was played under a running clock. 

Both teams went toe-to-toe in a high scoring first half as North Delta took the momentum heading into halftime as Gabe Carlise scored from six yards out with 16 seconds left in the second quarter. 

Carlisle proved to be one of the bright spots for North Delta as the sophomore rushed for 109 yards on 14 carries. Landon Hoshell returned seven kickoffs for 172 yards including a 51 yard return. 

Jameson Gentry set up the Green Wave’s first scoring drive with a 46-yard return in the first quarter. 

Magnolia Heights took a 7-0 lead at the 2:33 mark of the first quarter with a 90-yard screen pass on a 3rd & 17 from its own 10 yard line.

Following Gentry’s return to the Chiefs 46, the Green Wave knotted the game at 7-7 as quarterback Mike Pinkston connected with Herron Williams on a 18-yard scoring strike with Caleb Walls adding the PAT. 

The Chiefs added scoring runs of 39 and 4 yards to lead 21-7 midway through the second quarter before North Delta

answered back when Pinkston hit a streaking Gage Bryant on a 67-yard touchdown strike with Walls booting the PAT. 

Magnolia Heights retaliated on a 16-yard pass reception to lead 28-14 with 4:59 left in the half. 

Perhaps the turning point of the game came early in the third quarter as the Chiefs led 35-20, the Green Wave appeared to have stayed within striking distance on a Bryant 56-yard touchdown run only to have it erased by a penalty. 

From there the floodgates opened up as Magnolia Heights capitalized on a North Delta fumble two plays later to surge ahead 42-20 on a 43-yard run with 6:47 mark. 

North Delta finished with 265 yards of total offense which included 180 yards on the ground and 85 through the air. 

Julius Anderson followed Carlisle in rushing with 30 yards on six carries while Bryant registered seven carries for 23 yards. Baylor Pierce added two totes for 15 yards with Pinkston and Mason Fly contributed with 14 and 11 yards. 

Hunter Carpenter paced the Green Wave defense with five tackles( three for loss). Fly followed with four stops while Karson Ware, Bryant and Kasen Bates garnered three tackles. 

North Delta will look to pick up their first win Friday, Aug. 23, as they host Indianola in a 7 p.m. kickoff.