By Brad Greer

Freshman Chase Bruce ran for 88 yards and a pair of touchdowns to help key North Delta Junior High to an undefeated season and  the North 1A Junior High championship with a 22-8 victory over Tupelo Christian Thursday night.

Both teams came into the matchup with 5-0 records on the year but combined with a stout Green Wave defense and a wet field, the Eagles were held to 77 yards of total offense on the night.

Bruce staked the Green Wave to a 6-0 lead on the opening possession of the game by scoring on a 30-yard run with 5:35 left in the first quarter. Quarterback Bailey Guckert’s 11-yard run on a third and five from the Tupelo 45 kept the drive alive.

After the Eagles failed to convert a fake punt on their own 47, the Green Wave wasted little time  expanding the lead as Bruce took a toss sweep and raced 52 yards on a third and 14 call from the North Delta 48. Bruce also ran in the two-point conversion for a 14-0 lead.

A scary moment occured on the ensuing kickoff when the Green Wave’s William Dean took a knee to the head while diving for a loose ball. Dean laid on the ground for 25 minutes until medical personal could arrive on the scene. Dean had movement but complained of tingling in his legs and was transported to the hospital for precautionary measures.

North Delta, (6-0) put the game out of reach on the first play of the second quarter when Guckert called his own number and rambled 56 yards for the score to cap off a three-play, 58-yard drive with Bruce running in the two-point conversion for a 22-0 lead.

Tupelo’s only score came  as Dallas Finely scored on a fourth and two from the North Delta five with 11 seconds left before halftime. Finely also ran in the conversion to make the score 22-8.

The Green Wave registered 183 total yards on the night, with all of that coming on the ground. Guckert followed Bruce with 86 yards on six carries while Sy Pritchard added three carries for six yards and Taylor Morris chipped in with four carries for three yards. Sean King led the Wave defense with a 23-yard interception return in the fourth quarter.