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LAYTON — Northridge's football team went 6-4 in the regular season. Three of the losses were by single digits, and their turnover margin in those three losses was minus-8.
In theory, they were 4-5 plays from being 9-1, which perhaps would've meant hoisting a region trophy.
Pushing aside the should have, would have and could haves of 2024, Northridge came away with something nice on Friday.
The No. 10 Knights (7-4) won their first playoff game since 2012, in their first home playoff game since 2012, by beating No. 23 Hunter 35-21 in the first round of the 5A playoffs.
The Knights scored touchdowns on five of their seven drives in the game; and it was needed, since their defense was on the field for nearly two-thirds of the game against a physical, run-heavy Wolverines (4-7) squad.
Northridge's 28-0 lead was cut to 28-14 at one point in the third quarter, but Hunter could get no closer despite keeping a gassed Knights defense on the field.
"Just making sure we were ready, we knew they like to run that football, run the clock down, but we also knew if they keep doing that they're going to run the clock out on themselves, so just control what we can and be ready if we had a shot," Northridge coach Andrew Fresques said.
Northridge scored on a 10-play, 64-yard drive to start the game. Andrew Ortiz gained 43 of those yards through runs and a screen pass, setting up Tre Nye's dive at the end zone for a 7-0 lead.
The defense, the Knights' best since 2010 in terms of points allowed, stuffed Hunter running back Siaosi Koloamatangi on fourth down, then Northridge took a 14-0 lead through Nye's 5-yard touchdown pass to Chase Harris.
The lead doubled to 28-0 in the second quarter as Nye threw a 38-yard strike to Dontae Dyson, then also ran for a 26-yard score.
"They were doing a good job of just alignment and assignment, just doing their job in alignment and assignment and perfecting that," Fresques said of the offense's first-half performance.
But Hunter scored on the last play of the first half with a 42-yard heave from Isi Moungaafi to Ammaron Fonua, who reached across the goal line for the score.
Isaac Fonua punched in a 1-yard rushing touchdown to cap a 14-play, 90-yard drive that chewed 8:11 off the clock to start the third quarter. All of a sudden, Hunter had the upper hand, forcing Northridge into third-and-16 on the next drive.
Nye threw to Anthony Martinez for 17 yards to convert. On fourth-and-8 later in the drive, Nye connected with Makai So'o for 22 yards.
Dyson's short, but crucial, touchdown run made it 35-14 with 10:01 left in the game. Fonua scored another 1-yarder for Hunter after yet another long drive, but with only 14 seconds left.
Northridge, for only the second time in the second half, got the ball. Nye kneeled down for the win.
"We're just kind of waiting. We know our defense is a strong point on our team, and tonight they held pretty strong," Nye said. "And I know they wish they could have that game back, that wasn't their best game, and we know they're going to be stronger moving forward."
Northridge visits No. 7 Maple Mountain next week in the second round of the 5A playoffs, which should be a stiff test.
"Execution all across the board and hunger, we gotta be hungry and take this program to a place it hasn't been in a long time," Nye said.
