The North Greene Huskies’ football season came to a close on Friday night in Baileyton after a 34-18 loss to Oliver Springs in the first round of the Class 1A playoffs.
North Greene coach Eric Tilson said, “We played a very good football team, we just made some big mistakes in very Crucial moments, turnovers, bad snaps, bobbled exchanges and small errors that turned into big things. They were good enough to take advantage of them.”
Things didn’t start well for the Huskies losing possession of the ball on the opening kickoff when Oliver Springs recovered an onside kick at midfield.
The defense atoned for the turnover by forcing a turnover on downs. The Huskies got the ball at their own 28-yard line and quickly moved into Bobcat territory. Thomas Darnell hit Brandon Weems for gains of 17 and 25 yards. The Huskies were just outside the red zone when Nathaniel Fletcher intercepted an errant pass from Darnell to turn back the Huskies scoring threat.
It did not take long for the Bobcats to move the length of the field for the game’s first score, a 40-yard pass from Liam Boeke to Jaxon Jett. The kick was good, and Oliver Springs led 7-0 with 1:15 to play in the first quarter.
North Greene turned the ball over again on Darnell’s second interception of the quarter when Jett did a toe tap on the sidelines at the 32-yard line as the first quarter ended.
On the first play of the second quarter Boeke hit Jett for another score, this one for 68 yards. The extra point made the score 14-0.
Darnell set up the Huskies with a 47-yard run on the ensuing drive and Brayden Weems did the rest, scoring from nine yards out. The Huskies were without their reliable kicker, Juan Soto, and lined up for the two-point conversion. The try was unsuccessful, but the Huskies were back in the game at 14-6 with 8:45 remaining in the second quarter.
The Husky defense did its job forcing a punt on Oliver Springs next possession. The Huskies moved 87 yards for the score with Brayden Weens doing most of the work. Weems carried the ball five time on the drive for 71 yards. The biggest one went for 35 yards, and the final one for a seven yard touchdown. Again, the Huskies had to go for two and again they were unsuccessful but had pulled with in two points at 14-12 with three minutes remaining in the first half.
Jett and Boeke were back to work again with a pass play of 50 yards and Boeke found a wide-open William Eddings for the final 25 yards of the drive for the score. The kick made the new score 21-12, and the half would end with that score.
The Bobcats kept their foot on the gas to open the second half as they put together a 58-yard drive that ate up five minutes of clock and ended with Boeke’s fourth touchdown pass of the game, this time to Karson Seeber. The kick made it a two-possession game at 28-12.
The Bobcats tried the onside kick again but time the Huskies were ready and recovered at midfield.
Brayden Weems had a couple good runs, and a personal foul penalty put the ball at the Bobcats 29-yard line. Darnell then weaved his way into the box to cut the score to 28-18 with just over four minutes to play in the third period.
For the rest of the third quarter and most of the fourth the two teams pushed each other around and really didn’t threaten, until Darnell got off a great punt that was downed at the one-yard line by Matthew Boyd.
The Bobcats were in the shadow of their own goal post knowing if they gave up a safety it would make it a one score game. Instead, Oliver Springs moved the ball to the other end of the field on an 11-play drive to the Husky one-yard line. The Husky defense did its job turning back the Bobcats on four consecutive runs and forced a turnover on downs to give their offense a slim chance.
Darnell hit Kelson Eastep across the middle for 18 yards then Darnell called his own number for a 20-yard scamper to the 40-yard line. The drive stalled, and the Huskies turned the ball over on downs.
With just over two minutes left in the game the Bobcats took three consecutive knee’s and just when it looked like they would end the game they pulled a fake punt that went for a 55-yard touchdown as time expired to win 34-18 and end the Huskies season.
The Huskies once again had two 100-yard rushers, Brayden Weems had 130 yards on 16 carries and Darnell went 10 times for 117 yards.
Jaxon Jett caught four passes for 155 yards and two scores to lead the Bobcats.
After the game Tilson praised his seniors saying, “From the point they were at their freshman year to now is the mark of a true competitor. They left it better than when they got here.”
North Greene’s season came to a disappointing end with a 34-18 loss to Oliver Springs on The Tundra on Friday night. Hear what Coach Eric Tilson’s thoughts were at season’s end. pic.twitter.com/Uqk7UA6kdP
— GreeneSportsZone (@GSportsZone) November 8, 2025
