FIELD TWP- The North Woods Grizzlies football team didn’t disappoint a big homecoming crowd last Friday, putting a big-time beatdown on the Cass Lake-Bena Panthers 62-0.
It’s been a tough year thus far for the Panthers, having given up an average of 66 points per game coming into the contest against the likes of Mt. Iron-Buhl and Cherry, and were hoping to turn things around against the 1-3 Grizzlies.
But while the Panthers stacked up well size-wise against North Woods, they were no match for the Grizzlies’ skill and execution, as the home team excelled on both sides of the ball in the blowout.
The Grizzlies’ defense stepped to the fore on the first series for the Panthers, holding for a three-and-out, and a huge punt return by Talen Jarshaw set North Woods up at the CL-B 19. Two plays later, Nick Abramson scored a touchdown on a run from the 13, and Louie Panichi’s conversion run put North Woods ahead 8-0 with less than five minutes elapsed on the clock.
The Panthers went to the air on their next series, and Jarshaw intercepted the ball near midfield and returned it to the CL-B 27. He fumbled on the tackle, but Abramson recovered for North Woods.
It was another short two-play drive for the Grizzlies, with Abramson scoring again, this time on a 22-yard-scamper, and Panichi’s second conversion gave the Grizzlies a 16-0 lead with 5:40 left in the quarter.
After another three-and-out, it was Carson Johnson’s time to shine, fielding a punt on the dead run and returning it to the Panthers 9-yard line. After a rare two-yard loss, Panichi found Jarshaw on a quick out pass for an 11-yard score, then ran in the conversion to put North Woods up 23-0 with 4:02 remaining in the quarter.
North Woods started with their worst field position of the quarter at their own 34-yard line on their next possession and methodically moved the ball to the CL-B 33. Abramson took it to the house from there for a 30-0 lead early in the second quarter.
The Grizzlies were poised to score yet again when they fumbled away the football at the CL-B 3. The Panthers picked up their first first down of the game and added another as they moved the ball to the 35. Looking to build momentum, the Panthers tried to convert on a fourth-and seven, but the Grizzlies shut them down and took over at the CL-B 35.
A Panichi draw moved the ball to the 17, and an inside screen pass to Jarshaw resulted in the Grizzlies’ fifth touchdown of the half. Abramson ran in the conversion, and North Woods took a 38-0 lead into halftime.
Abramson found his way back into the end zone again on a 14-yard run on the Grizzlies’ first possession of the second half, and a Panichi pass to John Warren was good for the conversion and a 46-0 lead.
The defense punctuated its domination of the Panthers on the next series when Warren came up with an interception at the North Woods 42 and sprinted down the sideline, breaking two tackles on the way to a 58-yard pick six. The conversion made the score 54-0.
With a continuous clock in the second half, the defense forced a pair of CL-B fumbles, the second leading to the Grizzlies’ final score of the game. With the North Woods reserves taking over at the Panthers’ 26, quarterback Jett Lambert carried the ball on third-and-one from the 17 and found paydirt. Taysean Boshey-Wilkerson got the call on the two-point conversion with 4:45 remaining top off the huge North Woods win.
It was a breakout game for Abramson, who averaged 13.7 yards per carry as he toted the ball ten times for 137 yards, four touchdowns and two conversions. Panichi ran the ball four times for 27 yards and three conversions.
Panichi had a solid game passing the ball, completing seven of 11 throws for 75 yards, two touchdowns, and one conversion. Both those touchdowns went to Jarshaw, his only two catches of the day for 28 yards. James Yernatich hauled in two passes for 38 yards.
Johnson was the standout performer on defense, collecting four solo tackles and seven assists.
“We played our game,” North Woods Head Coach Joel Anderson said. “Last year we’d been playing to our opponents. The scheme that we had on defense paid off tremendously – we were in control from the very first play of the game. They just didn’t have the answers for our coverage.”
Some tweaks up front paved the way for Abramson’s big day, Anderson said.
“We had an idea of what we were going to see and we changed our blocking scheme this week,” he said. “They didn’t have the adjustments. I think everyone, Nick included, has been waiting for this all year, and our receiving game the last two games has really opened things up for us with the run.”
Anderson also had high praise for Warren’s interception return.
“He’s played lights out all year,” Anderson said. “He’s been everywhere we’ve asked him to be and the way he read that on defense and ran it back showed just what he can do.”
With back-to-back wins for the first time since 2021, the Grizzlies will have a challenge making it three in a row when they host the 5-0 Cherry Tigers, ranked fifth in the state by Minnesota Football Hub, on Friday.