51 years in the making: NGU football’s Conference Carolinas championship
Blythe Barrineau, Sports and Visual Arts Editor
Photo Courtesy of Robbie Gawrys
Tigerville is buzzing with excitement in a way it hasn’t in 51 years – the last time the Trailblazers played for the Conference Carolinas championship in football.
As the Trailblazers have prepared to take the field in the biggest game of the season thus far, the moment is big but the gratitude is bigger.
“Just getting an opportunity to play – that’s the biggest thing for me,” said Nate Garner, head football coach. “I’m excited to see the guys go out there and perform.”
For many of the guys, the chance to compete for a conference title is something they’ve dreamed about.
Despite the magnitude of the moment, NGU’s preparation has remained steady, simple and disciplined.
“It’s just another football game, that’s how we’re treating it,” Garner said. “We’re taking it one second, one minute, one hour at a time.”
This mindset has also spread throughout the locker room.
“We’re focusing on practice. We’re not focused on Saturday yet. We’re focused on how we can execute today and we’ll worry about Saturday when it gets here,” said Jakel “Uhaul” Scott, a senior defensive tackle for the Trailblazers.
For the program, for the school and for the community, a conference title is more than a trophy. It is a statement.
The Trailblazers were able to make this statement on Nov. 15 when they defeated UNC Pembroke 34-20 for the first Conference Carolinas championship in 51 years.
NGU scored first with Cillian Bonner kicking a 29 yard field goal on the opening drive of the game.
Pembroke struck quickly by scoring a touchdown at the end of the first quarter. They missed the extra point making the score 6-3.
The Trailblazers went on to score 17 points in the second quarter thanks to another field goal by Bonner, and two Dylan Ramirez touchdowns, they were able to hold the Braves to just seven points.
North Greenville went into halftime leading UNC Pembroke 20-13.
Pembroke received the ball to start the third quarter and had a successful drive ending in a 48 yard touchdown pass from Tre Robinson to Malik Brown.
The Trailblazers responded quickly with a six yard touchdown pass from Ramirez to Sam Washam.
The third quarter ended with the Trailblazers up 27-20.
Ramirez struck again with 5:23 left in the game to make the score 34-20 and secured the win for the Trailblazers.
Jerrick Foster also helped secure the win with an interception on Pembroke’s final drive.
Ramirez finished the game as the MVP with four total touchdowns. He threw for 261 yards and rushed for 40.
North Greenville will now head to the Division II playoffs where they will face the University of West Florida. This will be a rematch of a game played earlier in the season where the Trailblazers lost 25-17.
