Bennett Green Breaks Rushing Record as Northside Blanks Montevallo

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.— Northside cruised to a dominant 56-point victory over Montevallo on a historic night in which senior running back Bennett Green broke the program’s career rushing record during a spectacular four-touchdown performance.

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The Rams wasted no time, scoring on the very first play when Green sprinted 60 yards to the end zone. Not only did this give Northside a 7-0 lead, but it also secured Green the school’s all-time career rushing record, surpassing the previous mark set by 2015 graduate AJ Travis.

Following the opening score, Montevallo fumbled the ensuing kickoff, allowing the Rams to start inside the Bulldogs’ 20-yard line. Green quickly capitalized with a three-yard rushing touchdown, his second in less than two minutes, putting Northside ahead 14-0 with 10:15 left in the first quarter.

The Rams’ defense shut down Montevallo’s first offensive drive, forcing a three-and-out and a punt that gave the Rams the ball at their own 35-yard line. Just two plays later, Green sprinted for another 60-yard touchdown, his third of the quarter, pushing the lead to 21-0 with 7:37 remaining.

Special teams played a pivotal role for Northside, blocking a punt, dropping the Bulldogs’ punter in the backfield, and forcing two fumbles on kickoff returns, one to open the game and another to start the second half.

Back-to-back red zone possessions ended in turnovers for Northside, briefly halting their scoring surge. However, the Rams bounced back early in the second quarter when special teams broke through to drop the Bulldogs’ punter deep in Montevallo territory. On the very next play, senior quarterback Jackson Rhodes connected with fellow senior Wilson Lake for a 15-yard touchdown, extending the lead to 28 points with 11:34 left in the second quarter.

Just two minutes later, Northside’s defense got in on the scoring action. Senior defensive back Preston Riter intercepted a pass and returned it 40 yards for a touchdown, putting the Rams ahead by 35 points with 9:39 remaining in the first half.

Montevallo finally crossed midfield when senior running back Caleb Merriweather returned a kickoff 60 yards, setting the Bulldogs up at the Rams’ 27-yard line. Montevallo drove inside the five, but Northside’s defense held strong, stopping them at the one-yard line with a fourth-down goal-line stand for a turnover with 4:12 left in the half.

Before halftime, Northside engineered a 99-yard drive in just three minutes, capped by Green’s fourth rushing touchdown of the night, a seven-yard run that gave the Rams a commanding 42-point lead at the break.

The second half featured two shortened eight-minute quarters. With backups in the game, the Rams added two more touchdowns to secure a 56-point shutout victory.

Northside improves to 3-0 on the season and will return to action next Friday, Sept. 11, traveling to face Demopolis.

Micah Nichols covers Alabama baseball, football, and basketball for Tide 100.9. Follow @MicahNichols0 on X for in-game updates, highlights, and more Crimson Tide content.