By Brad Greer

Having played the position at the community college and collegiate level, North Delta head football coach Brandon Ciaramitaro knows a little bit about playing on the offensive line.

Let the truth be told any successful running attack starts up front in the trenches and by the looks of Thursday night’s jamboree at Carroll Academy, the Green Wave is in mid-season form.

North Delta’s offensive starting line of Parker Jones, Carter Gant, Bradley Booth, Harly Ashby and Hunter Pitcher paved the way for a potent rushing game as the Green Wave soundly defeated Marshall 13-0 at a soggy Rebel Field.

North Delta battled district foe Indianola to a 6-6 tie in the first contest of the afternoon. Both contests were played  under a 20-minute running clock.

“We feel like if we win up front, we can win the game. I have got a special group of young men on the offensive line. I really can’t say enough about their work ethic and dedication. They are the kind of guys that never miss a workout and will give everything they have from start to finish,” said Ciaramitaro.

North Delta scored on drives of 80 and 44 yards while rushing for 153 yards against the Patriot defense. The Wave looked to put the finishing touches on the game but fumbled on the Marshall 14 yard-line in the closing moments.

Marshall’s lone scoring threat came on their opening drive as they reached the Wave 35 only to see it stall out as Pitcher sacked quarterback Dakota Dailey for a five-yard loss on third-and-seven.

North Delta’s offense then went to work as quarterback Tyler Pirtle scored on a dazzling 47-yard run to give the Green wave a 7-0 lead as William Dean booted the point after attempt.

After Marshall’s second possession ended in a Lake Dubois fumble recovery on the Patroit 44, North Delta completed the seven-play drive with a Taylor Morris one-yard touchdown run to make the score 13-0 after Dean’s PAT sailed wide right.

The Patriots last drive also ended in a turnover when Collin ‘Bruno’ Phillips picked off a Daily pass on the last play of the game.

Pirtle paced North Delta with 67 yards on five carries while Morris added 39 yards on six totes. Bailey Sullivant followed with five carries for 26 yards. Hunter Baker chipped in with three carries for 14 yards while Austin Hagstrom registered one carry for seven yards.

Pirtle was also one-for-two for six yards while Skyler Lawson completed one pass to Will Magee for 11 yards.

“I saw a lot of good things tonight, I think we improved a lot since the scrimmage last week against Pillow. They focused a lot better on film study and went out and got better in practice. Our goal is to get better each and every time we step on the field and it looked like we done that tonight,” said Ciaramitaro.

North Delta and Indianola battled to a 6-6 deadlock as Pirtle scored on a three-yard run to cap off a six-play, 70-yard drive.

Hagstrom led the Green Wave with four carries for 45 yards including a 25-yard sprint that led to Pirtle’s scoring run.

Lawson completed two passes, both to Magee for 10 yards. Baker and Morris led the defensive unit with four stops each while Jones and Pitcher added two tackles each.

North Delta opens its season Friday at home against Clarksdale Lee at 7 p.m.