Acworth – They say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. North Cobb just calls it persistence.
After moving the ball okay but only reaching the end zone once in the first half, the Warriors stuck to the game plan in the second and scored twice to pull away from No. 10 Milton, 21-7, on Friday at Emory Sewell Stadium.
The game plan was handing the ball off to senior running back Ben Hall. And when the Warriors didn’t do that, they ran it with sophomore quarterback Nick Grimstead. And when either of them needed a break, they picked up chunks of yards with running backs David Mbadinga and David Eziomume.
It worked to the tune of 401 rushing yards for North Cobb, which rebounded from an overtime heartbreaker against Northside-Warner Robins a week ago.
“Our kids are warriors, they battled,” said Warriors coach Shane Queen, in his 17th year with the program. “They come to work every day, and it’s great for them to see the fruits of their labor because we’re two plays away from being 5-0.”
Initially, it looked like the Warriors (3-2) might have their way with Milton’s defense. After forcing a quick three-and-out to open the game, North Cobb’s offense took the field and needed just three plays to reach the end zone for an early 7-0 lead. Grimstead, starting his second straight game in place of injured senior quarterback Malachi Singleton (Arkansas commit), kept the ball on a draw and burst untouched through a hole in the Eagles defensive front for a 71-yard score.
After that, though, the North Cobb offense went most quiet. It got as close as the Milton 4-yard line late in the second quarter, but Grimstead tossed an interception to Eagles safety Robert Billings (Clemson commit) in the back of the end zone.
“Every week he continues to get better,” Queen said. “Nick’s continuing to improve, and he gave us a good chance to win tonight.”
Grimstead finished just 6 of 14 passing for 86 yards and the interception but added 10 carries for 112 yards to go with his touchdown.
But it was Hall in the second half who shouldered the load for North Cobb’s offense, which needed just 2:23 to get on the board in the third quarter and only 3:34 to add seven more on its next possession. A three-star prospect currently committed to play at Michigan next season, Hall showed superior vision, following blockers to the edge, finding his running lanes and cutting back the other way.
Sometimes they were big gains – a 51-yarder, a 20-yarder and a 23-yarder – but sometimes they were just consistent runs that looked likely to end at or behind the line of scrimmage before he found just enough space to move forward.
Hall finished the game with 23 carries for 175 yards and a touchdown. His 7-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter capped an eight-play drive on which he carried six times for 39 yards.
“That’s a big part of my game,” Hall said. “Playing basketball, being a point guard, you’ve got to have vision. So, I take pride in my vision. My dad was a basketball player, so from birth it’s just been to use your eyes. It’ll save your body, it’ll make you go harder and everything will come easier.”
Eziomume added the third Warriors touchdown, a 5-yard run in the third quarter. The North Cobb defense allowed just 210 total yards in the game, only 15 of which game on the ground. Defensive back Jordan Lonas added an interception in the game.
Milton (2-3) quarterback Luke Nickel finished 22 of 35 for 195 yards and an interception. The Eagles’ lone touchdown was a 3-yard run by Scott Moskowitz.
North Cobb begins region play at Walton on Oct. 7 after a week off next week. Milton also has next week off before opening region play on Oct. 7 at South Forsyth.
Milton -- 0 -- 0 -- 7 -- 0 -- 7
North Cobb -- 7 -- 0 -- 14 -- 0 -- 21
First Quarter
NC — Nick Grimstead 71 run (Javy Morales kick)
Third Quarter
NC — David Aziomume 5 run (Morales kick)
MHS — Scott Moskowitz 3 run (Felipe Mota kick
NC — Ben Hall 7 run (Morales kick)
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