Football fell 24-7, struggling on both sides of the ball in a tough loss against Needham Saturday, Sept. 25th at home.

“We fought the whole game and that’s something you try to build off of,” said special education teacher Nicholas Capodilupo, the head coach. “We could have easily folded but we made it a game in the fourth quarter. It just wasn’t enough.”

In the first half, North’s offense was littered with turnovers. The Tiger’s fumbled the ball on their first snap, setting up a three-yard rushing touchdown for Needham. North also committed six penalties, one of which negated a rushing touchdown. This allowed Needham to control most of the offensive possession. They led 15-0 at the half.

In the third quarter, North began to find their rhythm. Their defense forced an interception and slowed Needham’s offense. Deep into the quarter, junior Adam Landry, North’s quarterback, found senior Subomi Soyoye for a 90-yard touchdown pass to put the Tigers back in the game. North trailed just 15-7 at the end of the third. 

Capodilupo said that the successful play was a natural piece of North’s game plan. “It’s something that is part of our offense,” said Capodilupo. “We do feel like we have some guys that can get behind people but we have to execute the play, so it’s nothing complex—we were just able to hit on it.” 

In the fourth quarter, costly mistakes allowed Needham to regain momentum. A careless snap caused the ball to sail into the endzone for a safety, giving Needham a 17-7 lead. On the next drive, Needham scored another touchdown on a one-yard run.

Throughout the game, North struggled to contain Needham’s offensive scheme, allowing 201 total rushing yards. Offensively, Landry finished with 143 yards passing while converting 8/20 of his throws.

According to Capodilupo, the team will continue to work hard and stay focused despite the loss. “We’ll get right back to it, and do what we always do,” he said.

North, 1-2, looks to bounce back against Wellesley Friday, Oct. 1 at home.