Northside sets scoring record in big win over Warner Robins

WARNER ROBINS -- Northside head coach Kevin Kinsler said he wasn't looking for a big point total against Warner Robins in the 58th meeting between the teams.

The effort the Eagles put forth, however, was completely dominant.

Northside excelled on offense, defense and special teams, setting a series record for points scored and tying the series record for margin of victory in a 58-14 win Friday night.

"Our goal wasn't to do that; our goal was to win the ballgame," Kinsler said. "Warner Robins is a good football team, and we got a lot of breaks (Friday). The ball bounced our way a few times."

A 44-0 win by the Eagles in 1998 was the previous scoring high and victory margin record. But with the way Northside was running the option and shutting down Warner Robins on defense, it was just a matter of time before the top-ranked team in GHSA Class AAAAA eclipsed the 44-point mark against the Demons.

Quarterback Tobias Oliver had big holes with which to run the option keeper off-tackle. He racked up 148 yards on 13 carries, setting the tone late in the first quarter with a 46-yard run from the Eagles' 12 on a third-and-one play. His pair of 3-yard scoring runs in the second quarter put Northside (7-0, 6-0 Region 2-AAAAA) a 21-0 lead.

Running back Desean Dinkins complemented Oliver's output with an 18-carry, 141-yard night. Dinkins' two touchdowns in the final four minutes of the third quarter gave Northside the series scoring record and triggered a running clock in the fourth quarter.

In all, Northside racked up 463 rushing yards.

"(The option) is a staple of our offense," Kinsler said. "Tobias did a good job of executing (Friday). The backs ran well, and those guys up front, it was just clicking (Friday)."

Northside's defense got in on the big night with some big sticks, three fumble recoveries and an interception.

Armand Childs returned a fumble 41 yards for a touchdown with 12 seconds remaining in the first half to give Northside a 31-7 lead at the break. In the second half, Northside recovered a fumble at the Warner Robins 5 to set up Dinkins' first touchdown, and an interception three plays later returned the ball to the Eagles at the Demons' 5, where Dinkins punched it in two plays later.

Special teams also played a role in the Northside win, with the Eagles blocking a field goal attempt in the second quarter.

Warner Robins fell to 5-2, including 4-2 in the region.

"Everything," Warner Robins head coach Bryan Way said when asked what his team needed to work on following the loss. "That's it."

Telegraph writer Jeremy Timmerman contributed to this report.

This story was originally published October 16, 2015 at 11:28 PM with the headline "Northside sets scoring record in big win over Warner Robins ."