ND heads to playoffs after Fayette loss

By Will Dickins
North Delta traveled to play the Fayette Academy Vikings in Somerville, Tenn. Friday night for the last game of the regular season and lost 38-35 in a thriller that went down to the wire.
North Delta will play in the first round of playoffs Friday night at Adams County Christian School in Natchez at 7 p.m.
The Green Wave deferred to the second half, which allowed the Vikings to receive the ball to start the game. Fayette scored on a 42-yard run on the second play of the game. The two-point conversion was good for the 8-0 lead.
North Delta answered two drives later with a touchdown to Luke Daniels on a fade route.  Hudson Parnell’s kick cut the lead 8-7.
Fayette Academy scored for the second time from four yards out after hitting a big run to get to the four-yard line.  The clock was winding down on the half with the score at 14-7 Fayette.
North Delta moved methodically down the field in a two-minute offense, capping the drive with a throw from Will Kidder to John Haga Lewis. The ball crossed the plane with seven seconds left to cut the score 14-13 at the half.
With the score so close, each drive weighed heavily.  Each team threw blows in the third quarter starting with North Delta taking its first lead 20-14.  The Vikings answered retaking the lead 22-20.
In the final quarter of play, Fayette Academy was driving. They punched in the score after a fumbled ball rolled out of bounds and out of North Delta’s reach.
Things looked grim as Fayette Academy got the ball back and scored again making the score 38-20.  One thing about this Green Wave football team is that they do not quit.  Shortly afterwards, Harris Cole caught a 72-yard touchdown pass to make it 38-27 with 5:43 on the clock.
Down by 11, North Delta set to try an onside kick and recovered.
Kidder hit Kaleb Joyner with a screen pass for 30 yards to get the ball inside the 10.
On fourth and inches, Kidder finally found a way into the end zone on a quarterback sneak.
North Delta scored two point conversion from Joseph Cox to make it 38-35.
North Delta tried to find a similar result on an onside kick but failed.
On third and two with the Vikings threatening, Drew McCool shot into the backfield so fast that he received the handoff before the running back had a chance to get the ball.
With what seemed to be the last chance to score, North Delta looked like they were going to make the most of their opportunity.  On a third and four, Kidder ran to the 15 yard line to set up a first down in the red zone with 1:45 on the clock.
The next play was heartbreaking. They attempted a double reverse pass play that started with Tyler Holland at quarterback and ended with Kidder getting the ball and throwing an interception.
With it being an emotional roller coaster all game, North Delta seemed like they were finally out. Their last chance was stopping the Vikings from converting a third and four with 1:05 left, but the Green Wave jumped offside and gave Fayette Academy a first down to run out the clock.
After a hard fought game, North Delta came up short one more time.
With the season behind them, the Green Wave now look to the first round of playoffs this Friday.  The goal was to make it past the first round at the beginning of the year.