By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports
Having graduated 23 seniors, and replacing 16 starters, the Northwood Falcons looked nothing like a championship team early this season.
Here they are again, playing for another District 1-4A championship Thursday night, at home against North DeSoto.
The Falcons are 5-1 in district after an 0-3 start – two opening losses by a combined seven points, before a drubbing at Airline, who can drub with the best of them. That 48-14 loss was not so close.
“It put a bad taste in our mouths,” said coach Austin Brown. “(Since then) the kids have been locked in, getting after it. We’re still a very young team, a lot of sophomores, now with nine games of experience they didn’t have.
“We want to be peaking at this time of year, and Friday night was us peaking, jumping out 28-0 in about seven minutes of game time. I think we’re peaking at the right time,” he said.
Friday night was a 48-18 final over a very solid Woodlawn team, Northwood’s third straight win, by a combined 125-42 margin.
That late-season surge and surprising blowout victory earns the Falcons the Week 10 Shreveport-Bossier Journal Team of the Week honor.
The evolution of senior quarterback Hutson Hearron has set the tone, said Brown. Hearron was the backup the last three seasons to prolific Northwood passer Mason Welch.
“Hutson coulda been the starter at a bunch of places. Instead, he played a lot of positions for us, filled in at quarterback as needed, and this fall he had a rough patch in the first couple games. But he’s turned it around,” said Brown.
“He’s been the reason we have been winning and playing so efficiently on offense. We knew this was coming. We knew he had the leadership and all the skills to right this ship, and he’s done it.”
More Falcons have stepped up and led the surge. Just like the Northwood coaches believed Hearron was up to the task, they thought senior receiver Elijan Crawford could fill the huge shoes left by the graduation of All-State safety and Swiss Army knife Marjavious Moss.
“Elijah is our athlete, kick returner, punt returner, offense, defense. He had to replace Marjavious, a four-star player, and he’s done that,” said Brown. “In his first year at safety, he’s got 50-plus tackles, four interceptions, a punt return for a touchdown, a pick six, rushing and receiving touchdowns, so he’s scored four different ways.
“He’s been a revelation this year. We’ve always known it was in him,” said Brown.
“Honestly, we’ve been kicking ourselves in the butt for not having two All-State players back there at safety the last couple of years. What could have been,” he said.
Then there’s senior middle linebacker Jamarcus Walker.
“He does every single thing right. It’s been fun to see him excel, and have a good year. We’re really proud of him, his growth and maturity, and his love for the game is infectious.”
A couple more Falcons – alumni – are key cogs. They’re Brown’s coordinators, in their third seasons with him.
“I get a lot of credit, especially for the defense, but I haven’t called a defense in two years,” he said. “Jarrett Taylor is my protégé, who learned under me for 5-6 years and he’s doing a tremendous job. Offensively, coach (Jared) Little is finding ways for us to be successful. I couldn’t do my job without them. They’ve been huge parts of our success.
“They are proud alumni. They love the school. I think that’s not to be understated, the passion they bring for Northwood.”
There’s one other underlying inspiration, a receiver with one catch, who has gotten in on only about 20 snaps in nine games, playing her first season of football. Yes, HER.
Hannah Mouton, a basketball player of note, moved from Southside High in Lafayette and sought out Brown, asking to play football.
“She’s been amazing. She’s a tremendous basketball player, one of the best in the state. We all cannot wait to watch her play this winter,” he said. “She was coming off an ACL surgery, said she didn’t want to be scared of it, she wanted to be tough.
“If you didn’t know she was a girl, you’d watch her and think she was an average boy, holding her own. She’s very, very athletic. She’s taken some contact at practice and hopped right up,” said Brown. “The boys absolutely love it and have so much respect for her. She fits right in.”
With everybody playing their roles, the Falcons are flying high just when it matters most.
Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com