Brookville coach Bobby Johnson couldn't help smiling Friday night, even if he knew it was just temporary.

"I can smile tonight, but I won't be smiling tomorrow," laughed Johnson after his team's 17-7 victory against previously unbeaten Northside. "I've got to work tomorrow."

The second-year coach had plenty to smile about Friday. The Bees swarming defense kept Northside's wishbone attack bottled up for most of the game and Brookville got a workmanlike 118 yards and two touchdowns from tailback Dejon Kennedy.

"We had another good week of practice. I told those kids when we practice hard and believe, we make good things happen," Johnson said. "It was a great effort all-around and they (Northside) had a doggoned good football team."
Brookville (3-1) never trailed.

After Northside's attempt an onside kick failed on the opening kickoff, the Bees marched 53 yards in 11 plays behind the running of Kennedy and the passing of Chad Steuck. Kennedy ran seven times for 22 yards and Steuck connected on both of his passes, including a fine 19-yarder to a leaping Jason Bondurant.

The most difficult part of the drive was the final yard. It took the Bees three cracks from the one before Kennedy lunged into the end zone on fourth down. Chris Cumberland's extra point made the score 7-0.

"That was tough," Kennedy said. "They were blitzing like four or five people. I didn't know what to do."

Northside was confused by the Bees' defense. The Vikings (2-1) were limited to just 61 total yards in the half. Despite controlling the ball most of the half, the Bees were fortunate to keep their lead at halftime.

While trying to push for another score with less than a minute remaining, the Bees turned the ball over on their 31 as Steuck was intercepted after throwing into double coverage.

Northside quarterback Tommy Morgan threw long on the next play, but Brookville's Levar Anthony made a leaping interception at the one.

On the final play of the half, Steuck was belted and did not return for the second half. "He took shot to head," Johnson said. "He probably could have gone (in the second half)." Sophomore Scott Nixon replaced Steuck. "He came off the bench and made some good plays," Johnson said. "He did exactly what we wanted him to."

In Nixon's first series, he led the Bees on a 54-yard march that culminated in Cumberland's 19-yard field goal. Kennedy rushed for 42 yards on the drive.

Appropriately, the defense set up Brookville's final score.

With Northside driving, Morgan tried to dump a pass over the middle, but he failed to see the Bees' linebacker Matt Burch. "I was surprised," Burch said. "I just jumped and caught the ball then I just went for it."

Burch rumbled 64 yards with the interception before Morgan caught him just short of the goal line. Kennedy plunged in on the next play and Cumberland's extra point made the score 17-0 with 9:52 left.

Morgan got hot for Northside's lone scoring drive. The quarterback completed four consecutive passes that totaled 52 yards to set up his own 1-yard run with 5:02 left.

Following an onside kick, Brookville ran all but 55 seconds off the clock to clinch the game. Kennedy racked up but 65 of the Bees' total offense with his 25 carries. "Our offensive line pulled together and helped me out," Kennedy said. "We did what we had to do."

"He gets better every week," Johnson said of the junior tailback. "We're blocking great for him. Everybody is contributing."

The Bees defense, spearheaded by linebackers Burch and Jeff Torrence, held the Vikings' wishbone to 90 yards on 27 carries. Jubel Poindexter, who scored three touchdowns last week against Liberty, was held to 39 yards on 11 carries.

"We just knew we had to shut down Poindexter," Burch said.

Although a non-league game, Johnson said the victory was important as the Bees head into Seminole play at Liberty next week.

"We wanted to be 3-1 going into the district. We knew this was a great test for us. They've got a really good football team. They're going to win a lot of games and that's going to give us a lot of points toward the playoffs." And that can make even a coach that has to work on Saturday smile.