JACKSONVILLE – Turnovers became the deciding factor Friday night as the host Northside Monarchs rallied to a 14-13 victory over the South Columbus Stallions in the opening round of the state 2A high school football playoffs.

The Monarchs went ahead on an eight-yard touchdown run by Darren Brown and Kenneth Rowland’s extra-point kick with 5 minutes, 35 seconds left in the game. The win put Northside’s record at 9-3.

South Columbus, which was knocked from the playoffs for the second straight year by the Northside squad, led 13-0 at halftime. Coach Joey Price’s Stallions’ finished the season with an 8-4 record.

Northside carried the East 2A No. 8 seed into the playoffs while South Columbus was the No. 9 seed.

The loss marked the first time in Price’s 10 years as SCHS head coach that the Stallions have fallen short of at least nine victories and also the first time they have suffered back-to-back defeats. South Columbus lost to Whiteville 21-15 in the Waccamaw Conference championship game on Nov. 3.

Both Monarch touchdowns were set up by recovery of SCHS fumbles.

South Columbus took a 7-0 lead in the first quarter when quarterback Justin Duncan connected with Dakota Piver on a 17-yard touchdown pass. Donovan Watts kicked the extra point.

Early in the second quarter, Piver intercepted a Monarch pass that set up a 74-yard scoring drive that consumed 14 plays and more than six minutes. Fullback Buster James ran nine yards for a touchdown with just over four minutes left in the first half. A false start on the PAT kick moved the ball back five yards, and Watts was unable to connect on the attempt.

Late in the third quarter, Northside back Tre Parker recovered a fumble at the Stallion 32-yard line, and quarterback Joe Womack scored on an eight-yard scramble four plays later. Rowland’s PAT made the score 13-7.

Another Stallion fumble midway through the fourth quarter set up Brown’s touchdown run and Rowland’s PAT.

South Columbus lost three fumbles and had a pass intercepted.

“Turnovers cost us,” Price said. “Our kids played hard, especially on defense, but we gave them too many opportunities.”

South Columbus back Andrae Jacobs was the game’s leading rusher with 66 yards on 11 carries. James Vereen had 53 yards on seven carries. Duncan completed four passes for 72 yards.

Junior Justin Smith, who sustained a broken ankle in the Stallions’ Labor Day weekend victory over Loris, S.C., returned to the Stallions line-up for the first time and had several snaps at noseguard on defense and one carry on offense.

Last fall, South Columbus suffered a 10-0 loss to Northside in the third round of the playoffs.

Coach Bob Eason’s Northside team will play host to North Brunswick in Friday’s second-round play. North Brunswick, which upset Whiteville 24-20 in first-round play, defeated the Monarchs 7-6 in early-season play.

SC – Dakota Piver 17 pass from Justin Duncan (Donovan Watts kick).

SC – Buster James 9 run (kick failed).

N – Joe Womack 8 run (Kenneth Rowland kick).

N – Darren Brown 8 run (Rowland kick).