news-record.com

GREENSBORO - Will Newman glided smoothly to his left and let the football fly. There was little doubt in his or receiver Erik Barnard's mind about the impending result.

Barnard, who has been catching Newman's passes since middle school, took this one in stride as he crossed the goal line with a defender at arm's length.

"We're always clicking in practice," said Barnard, a senior. "I trust him. He trusts me."

The junior quarterback was clicking with all his receivers Friday night at Marion Kirby Stadium. The early 38-yarder to Barnard merely got things rolling for Page, which wrapped up a perfect Metro 4-A record with its 27-7 victory over Northwest Guilford.

The Pirates' locker room had a dance-club ambience as they celebrated the school's first league title since 2000. It was a goal Page (7-4, 5-0) really believed was attainable after Barnard took a late-game screen pass for the winning score Oct. 12 against Grimsley.

"We have improved a lot offensively at every position, especially the (offensive) line," said Page coach Kevin Gillespie, who started the season short-handed up front. "The protection's getting better, (Newman) is getting better and making better decisions. He's better with his throws, and his receivers are getting better with their routes. So, offensively, that's made us hard to defend."

Northwest (3-8, 1-4) didn't argue the point. Not after Newman deftly placed a ball over solid coverage for a 36-yard TD to Robert Wadelington and a 14-0 lead.

"Their kids made some phenomenal plays in the first half," first-year Vikings coach Joe Woodruff said. "It wasn't that our kids were burned or out of position."

Northwest did bounce back with a 12-play, 80-yard scoring drive. But Page kept the pressure on with a balanced effort - 167 yards rushing, 114 passing - and erased all doubt when Newman hit 235-pound sophomore Tony Rustin on a play-action pass out of the backfield for a 24-7 lead before halftime.

Contact Jeff Carlton at 373-7065 or jcarlton@news-record.com

  NW Guilford Page First downs 12 11 Rushes-yards 44-215 31-167 Passing yards 29 114 Comp-Att-Int 2-17-2 9-17-1 Punts-average 3-29 3-34 Fumbles-lost 2-1 2-1 Penalties-yards 6-66 5-55

Northwest Guilford 7 0 0 0 - 7 Page 14 10 3 0 - 27

P - Erik Barnard 38 pass from Will Newman (Matt Milisor kick)

P - Robert Wadelington 36 pass from Newman (Milisor kick)

NW - Shawn Ples 36 run (Kevin Matznick kick)

P - Milisor 20 field goal

P - Tony Rustin 3 pass from Newman (Milisor kick)

P - Milisor 33 FG