Football: Dixie Hollins 42, Northeast 14

ST. PETERSBURG — On a night that saw both teams pay tribute to a much admired player, Dixie Hollins came away with 42-14 district win over the visiting Northeast Vikings.

Before the game, players and coaches from Dixie Hollins and Northeast gathered in a circle at midfield to hold a moment of silence for Jacquez Welch, the Northeast senior captain who died earlier this week. On both sides of the field, banners honored Welch, and most Dixie Hollins fans wore red, the Vikings’ main team color.

Northeast (4-1) took a 6-0 lead on the game’s opening drive, which ended with Darius Bacon’s 3-yard TD run. The Rebels (4-1) punted to end their first possession, but they got the ball back when Jahiem Jackson intercepted a Jake Spencer pass. On Dixie Hollins’ next play, Fernando Monroe connected with Isaiah Faison for a 65-yard TD.

The Rebels would get the ball back after recovering Northeast’s fumble on the ensuing kickoff. That set them up at the Vikings’ 35-yard line. Monroe ran for 17, and River Wood carried three straight times, the last of which was a 5-yard score that put the Dixie Hollins up 14-6.

Northeast looked like it was going to reach the end zone on its next drive, which included 14 plays. But Antorio Willis fumbled at the Rebels’ 10-yard line, and Dixie Hollins recovered. The Rebels then put together a long drive of their own, this one down to the Vikings’ 19. But on the next play, Steven Eaves intercepted a Monroe pass and returned it over 70 yards to the Rebels 8-yard line. Three plays later, Bacon had his second TD, a 3-yard run. Willis followed with the two-point run, and those would be Northeast’s last points.

The Rebels took the lead again on their next drive, which ended with Wood’s 6-yard TD with two minutes left in the second quarter. They extended their advantage in the second half on another Wood 6-yard TD run about midway through the third. Monroe, who was 5 of 9 for 124 yards passing, escaped the defensive rush on the Rebels’ next drive and scored on a 13-yard run that put Dixie Hollins up by 21 after his two-point pass to Garion Young.

Wood, who carried 18 times for 104 yards and three rushing scores, caught a 6-yard TD pass from Young with 5:28 left in the game. That and the PAT by Lexi Davies were the game’s final points. Young had a productive night, rushing for 130 yards on 11 carries. Many of his big gains came on misdirection plays up the middle, where Wood took the initial handoff, then gave the ball to Young.

Northeast fans came out in force for Friday’s game and filled the visitor stands. After the game, Northeast coach Jeremy Frioud praised the effort of his team.

“I’m so proud of the way the guys played tonight,” he said.