Ryan Miller steps in front of Parker Toadvine for an interception during Pickerington North’s 28-7 win over Grove City. (Press Pros Feature Photos by Logan Gapen)
Pickerington North broke open a 7-7 deadlock with three scores in the final nine minutes and beat Grove City 28-7 in an OCC Ohio battle of state-ranked one-loss teams.
Grove City, OH – Pickerington North coach Nate Hillerich has so much faith in his junior dual threat quarterback, Jarin Mock, that he gives the Wisconsin commit some freedom to audible into his own play.
“Coach trusts my instincts to check out of plays if I see something I like,” Mock said. “Sometimes, it works out and we hit a big one. But when it doesn’t work out, coach usually lets me know about it.”
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This was one of those nights when Hillerich was certainly singing the praises of Mock, who had some serious mojo going with Kentucky-bound receiver Preston Bowman in an Ohio Capital Conference Ohio Division showdown at Grove City.
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An offseason transfer from Reynoldsburg, Mock completed 14 of 22 passes for 226 yards and pair of long TD strikes to Bowman as Panthers erupted for 21 points in the final nine minutes for a 28-7 win over the Greyhounds. Both teams entered 6-1 and were fighting for playoff positioning in the ultra-competitive Division I, Region 3 computer ratings.
Unexpectedly, a defensive standoff materialized between North, which came in scoring over 40 points per game, and Grove City, averaging just under 36 in its no-huddle spread offense.
Owen Steele hauls in a TD reception to tie it up at 7-7, but that was the Greyhounds’ only score of the night.
“I never would have guessed it would be this kind of game,” Hillerich said. “Grove City plays at such a fast tempo, it’s hard to prepare for it. That said, I think our defense can match up with anybody in the state.”
Late in the first half on a third-and-long play, Mock eluded a fierce rush, stepped up in the pocket and appeared ready to scramble for the first down when he pulled up and side-armed a pass over the middle in stride to Bowman, who raced untouched to the end zone for a 49-yard TD.
“The whole game, they were singling me up and playing quite a bit off, so it was there all night,” Bowman said. “It looked like they were keying more on stopping (running back Michael) Taylor. It was just a matter of Jarin and I communicating and executing the plays.”
The defenses continued to hold sway into the second half.
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Harassed all night by North’s pressure up front, Grove City quarterback Carson Welsh finally engineered an effective drive late in the third quarter. Welsh connected with Owen Steele for a 23-yard TD on a fade play, tying the game at 7-all.
Preston Bowman finds nothing but green space and the endzone as he draws first blood in a battle with Grove City.
“At that point, we thought we were going to win the game,” Greyhounds coach Greg Waits said. “Then, they fumbled the ensuing kickoff and we had them pinned back deep (at the North 14). We’re feeling really good about ourselves.”
Hillerich had other ideas, however.
“When they tied it, I told the guys we’d find out who we are, and in response we never flinched,” he said.
On the fourth play of the drive, Mock checked out of a run play and hit Bowman in stride on a beautifully executed slant over the middle for a back-breaking 66-yard TD.
“I saw something I liked there and nodded to Preston at the line,” Mock said. “We worked together most of the summer and we’ve built a nice chemistry.”
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Bowman finished with four catches for 165 yards.
“My last quarterback and I worked together for six years,” Bowman said. “Jarin came in and we had to work from scratch. I think we communicate really well.”
Michael Taylor delivers a brutal forearm shot to Myles Hutchinson.
North (7-1, 4-0) used its defensive aggressiveness and size along the offensive line to dominate the rest of the way. Taylor, an Ohio University commit, scored his 15th and 16th TDs of the season on short runs. He finished with 120 yards (78 in the final six minutes) on 21 carries.
Ayden McKinstry rushed for 123 yards on 20 carries to pace Grove City (6-2, 2-2). North’s unrelenting pressure forced Welsh into a 12-for-36 night for 121 yards. Ryan Miller and Malachi Taylor each made interceptions.
“I thought our defense played outstanding tonight,” Hillerich said. “We got pressure on the quarterback and also managed to hold them down running the ball.
“Offensively, I told the guys at halftime we needed to find a way to get the ball to our playmakers and we finally did that. Their defense is really good, but we found some seams and hit a few big ones.”
After Grove City tied it at 7-7, Jarin Mock and the Panthers pounced and delivered three unanswered TD’s to defeat the Greyhounds 28-7.
North now leads the all-time series 12-6, including 11 straight wins.
With a big Ohio showdown against Gahanna looming in Week 10, North – 14th-ranked in the latest Associated Press poll – figures to move up significantly from No. 10 in Region 3. Eleventh-ranked Grove City came in fifth in the region.
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