IRVINE - It started out kind of shaky for Northwood’s football team Saturday night at Irvine High.

But the Timberwolves finished strong, defeating Ocean View, 31-7, in a nonleague game.

Ocean View (1-2) held a 7-0 lead after one quarter, but Northwood (1-2) went on to score 31 consecutive points.

“Our kids needed that one, they worked hard for it,” Northwood coach Rick Curtis said. “We had a little adversity in the first half, but we stayed with our stuff and the kids came out and really executed in the second half. We’re excited.”

Northwood got a big performance from quarterback Andrew Stephenson, who completed 8 of 19 passes for 157 yards and a touchdown. Stephenson also rushed for 57 yards on 12 carries and one touchdown.

Kevin Juby (86 yards on 17 carries) and Steven Cox (four catches for 91 yards) also had big games.

The Seahawks took a 7-0 lead late in the first quarter when quarterback Nolan Tippy connected with Blake Walker on a 33-yard touchdown pass.

It looked like Ocean View would extend its lead when it drove to the Northwood 14-yard line late in the first half.

But Cody Inglis intercepted a pass and returned it 70 yards to the Ocean View 16.
Four plays later, Stephenson scored from 6 yards out to tie it.

“That (the interception) really turned the whole game around,” Curtis said.

Inglis then hauled in a 16-yard TD pass from Stephenson in the third quarter to put Northwood ahead, 14-7.

Giuseppe Ricapito added a 20-yard field goal in the third quarter, and Juby scored on touchdown runs of 8 and 10 yards in the fourth quarter to seal it for Northwood.

Ocean View was led by running back Kyle Walker, who rushed for 88 yards on 29 carries.

Contact the writer: tburt@ocregister.com