Northwest High avoids Berwick's upset bid 34-31

Ninth-ranked Northwest High School rallied with two fourth-quarter touchdowns to avoid an upset-bid by Berwick High School in Prairie Ronde Friday in Class 3A action.
Trailing 31-20, Northwest scored a pair of touchdowns, one on a Mekhi Hammond 90-yard kickoff return following the Berwick score and another by Hammond on a 24-yard reception from Montaze Sam for the game-winner. Northwest converted the two-point conversion on the first touchdown but failed on the second one.
Early on, Berwick took a 3-0 lead following Seth Canty’s 34-yard field goal in the first quarter, but Northwest countered with a 56-yard run by Darriest Hogan and a 44-yard reception by Hammond from Sam for a 14-3 lead in the first.
Berwick cut its lead to 14-10 in the second quarter on Barrett Hover’s 25-yard receptio0n from Mitchell Sanford and took the lead at 17-14 in the third quarter on Keyon Singleton’s 39-yard reception from Sanford.
Berwick scored on a 5-yard run to begin the fourth and extend its lead to 24-14.
After Northwest cut its deficit to 24-20 on Devin Davis’ 38-yard reception from Sam, Berwick following with a 19-yard touchdown run.
Canty was 4-for-4 on point-after attempts.
Sanford completed 17 of 22 passes for 150 yards and two touchdowns.
Sam passed for 171 yards, completing 8 of 15 attempts. He had three touchdown passes.
Sam added 24 carries for 70 yards.
Hammond contributed five catches for 113 yards and two touchdowns, while Hogan had three carries for 77 yards and a score.
Northwest will return to action Friday when it hosts West St. Mary, while Berwick will travel to face South Terrebonne Friday.
Additional reporting by The Opelousas Daily World.