North Forney 28, Forney 7 | Cordai Woodward Rushes for 266 Yards in Crosstown Win

Crosstown rivalries rarely need extra motivation, and Friday night at North Forney High School was no exception. A packed house showed up for the Falcons' home matchup against Forney, and North Forney delivered, pulling away for a 28-7 victory that has significant playoff implications for the program.

The tone was set early by running back Cordai Woodward, who took a handoff, slipped through the line, and turned on the jets for a 72-yard touchdown — the first of what would be a 266-yard rushing performance on the night. It was the kind of effort that changes the complexion of a game before halftime even arrives.

Forney answered through the air, with Aaron Merkson pitching to Jaylen Deshield, who muscled in for the tying score. But North Forney responded quickly. Quarterback Byrum Goggans connected on a wide receiver screen to Briceson Thrower, who walked in untouched to give the Falcons a 14-7 lead at the break.

The second half belonged to North Forney. Goggans kept it himself on one drive, made a sharp move on a defender, and followed his blockers into the end zone to push the lead to 21-7. Then the Falcon defense stepped up — cornerback Kobe Jackson read a rollout from Forney quarterback Preston Huffhines and made a sliding interception to snuff out the Jackrabbits' best scoring chance of the half.

Donte Woodward put the game away with a 27-yard touchdown run down the left sideline, capping the 28-7 final. With the win, North Forney keeps its postseason hopes intact heading into the final stretch of the regular season.