The Mathews High School football program kicked off its 2016 season this past week, with the junior varsity Devils beating Northampton by a 16-14 margin on Wednesday night and the varsity team falling to the same Yellow Jackets two nights later, 46-35.

It was a thrilling double-overtime win on the road for the JV Devils last Wednesday night. Quarterback Jovan Johnson got the Devils moving in the first quarter with a long 40-yard pass to receiver Justin Ashberry. From there, running back Tyrese Brooks carried the ball in for the team’s first touchdown. Johnson scored the rushing two-point conversion putting the Devils up, 8-0.

The Jackets caught up quickly and also scored in the first quarter a touchdown and two-point conversion. Both teams then remained scoreless for the next three quarters.

By the end of the fourth quarter, both teams had come to a stalemate that would send them into overtime. Neither team was able to score in the first overtime. In the second round of overti...