Oakville Makes It Three In A Row, With Blowout Romp Over Northwest

The Oakville High football team is rolling, and with the district playoffs set to start in two weeks, there can't be too many teams interested in seeing the Tigers on their schedule.

That certainly was the case Friday night at Rodger E. Estes Field, where Oakville hosted Northwest High, and delivered another dynamite performance -- winning their third straight ballgame -- 42-8 over the Lions.

Junior quarterback Andrew Oliver had a big night for the Tigers, totaling nearly 200 yards on his own in the first half, and scoring three early touchdowns to help Oakville build a 27-8 halftime lead.

Oliver, whose made a name for himself this season as an emerging young passer and leader for Oakville, called his own number more often than usual on Friday, with it paying big dividends for the Tigers.

On Oakville's opening drive of the game, Oliver scrambled twice to pick up big first downs, then burst through a hole on the right side for an 11-yard touchdown that gave the Tigers the lead.

Northwest went three-and-out on its first drive and lined up to punt the ball away on fourth down.

But that's when Oakville senior Moe LaGrand made the first big play of the game, as he broke through the line and blocked the Northwest punt, then celebrated as a teammate recovered the ball deep in Northwest territory.

Three plays later, Oliver was in the end zone again. This time on a 5-yard run, that along with kicker David Chopin's point-after, made the score 14-0 Tigers.

LaGrand did the honors himself on Oakville's next drive, as he found a seam in the Northwest defense, and burst through it for a 22-yard touchdown that made it 21-0 Oakville.

Northwest (0-8) put together its best offensive series in more than a month on its next possession, as the Lions drove the length of the field and finally punched in a touchdown, thanks to a 1-yard quarterback sneak by junior Adam Roth.

Roth then added a two-point conversion for Northwest, when he hit fellow junior Cole Peters in the back of the end zone to make the score 21-8.

But Oakville's Oliver ended any thoughts of a possible comeback on the Tigers' next possession, when he broke around right end and outran everybody to the end zone for a 55-yard touchdown that made it 27-8.

The second half was also all Oakville, as the Tigers outscored Northwest 15-0 to produce the final 42-8 outcome.

Next week, Oakville (4-4) will host its final regular season home game of the year, and with it the Tigers' Senior Night festivities, in a non-conference game against Saint Louis University High.

Oakville has 18 senior football players and their parents it will be honoring next week, along with likely Senior Night ceremonies for Class of 2013 members on the cheerleading squad, the dance team, and the Fighting Tigers marching band.

Northwest will also be hosting its Senior Night next Friday, when the Lions will also be looking for their first win of the season, against Marquette.

Kickoff for both those games is slated for 7 p.m.