North Delta outlasts Kirk Academy 14-12
Published 7:50 am Friday, October 25, 2019
Kirk kicker misses 37-yard game winner at the horn;
Green Wave wraps up regular season 7-3
Playing without the services of their leading rusher and quarterback due to injuries, the North Delta Green Wave hung on for a 14-12 victory over Kirk Academy Thursday night at Cpl. Brandon Presley Memorial Field in Batesville.
It marked the final regular season game for both schools, and more importantly for the Green Wave secured a first round home playoff game that begins Friday.
The contest came down to the final play of the game as Kirk’s Graham Seibel missed a game-winning 37-yard field goal, which sailed wide left.
Jordan Cox was pressed into service after North Delta quarterback Ryan Gibson injured his ankle on the Waves first series.
Cox did not disappoint as the senior rushed for 166 yards on 26 carries and one touchdown.
“Jordan has got a heart of a lion, he took a beating tonight and kept getting up. We pretty much knew Jimmy (Manues) was going to be out, but went Ryan went down we had to improvise and put Jordan at quarterback.”
“I’m just so thankful he’s on our team. We are so blessed to have these kids and the way all off them played tonight,” said Green Wave head coach Mac Aldison.
North Delta (7-3) took a 7-0 lead with 4:04 left in the first quarter as Drake Barton scored on a 28-yard touchdown run then added the PAT.
Kirk responded with a 62-yard scoring pass from Colbert Hathcock to Alex McDurmon to make the score 7-6 after a failed point after.
The score stayed that way until the 2:26 mark of the third quarter when Cox dove in from one-yard out to cap off a six-play, 28-yard drive that was set up by Barton’s 21-yard punt return.
Barton finished the game with 55 yards on 12 carries as North Delta rushed for 277 yards on the night.
Gibson added four carries for 44 yards while Hawk Aldison contributed with two carries for eight yards.
Tyler Hall caught one pass for 24 yards and collected six tackles on defense
Barton and Aldison led North Delta with nine tackles each while Aden Sykes provided four.