Hoskins, Parkway North roll past Fort Zumwalt East in district opener

Host Fort Zumwalt East scored a touchdown on its third play from scrimmage to go up 6-0. That was the first and only time the Lions would lead against Parkway North.

The Vikings, led by the bruising running of Roderick Hoskins scored on their next possession and thanks to Hoskins’ prolific five rushing touchdown performance, rolled to a 42-25 victory in a Class 5, District 3 opening-round game. Parkway North (5-5) will face Wentzville Holt in a district semifinal contest Wednesday at 7 p.m.

Fort Zumwalt East ended the season at 7-3.

“We knew we had played a hard schedule coming out of the Suburban South, so we wanted to come out here and show what we can do,” Hoskins said. “That we can play with those teams, that we can come out here and outplay them.”

Hoskins, behind a physical Parkway North offensive line hammered the Zumwalt East defense for 227 yards rushing on a school record 41 carries while scoring 5 of the Vikings 6 TDs on the night.
Zumwalt East grabbed the lead just three plays into the action when quarterback Shane Barrett hit Tommy Bryan for a 75-yard touchdown pass down the right sideline to go up 6-0.

North came right back on its next possession and answered with a six-play drive as Hoskins finished up the march with a 1-yard run making it 7-6.

“It (Zumwalt East’s first score) lit a fire under our defense and made us as an want to come out with our offense and drive and just be fundamental,”Hoskins said.

Late in the first quarter, North found the end zone again as Hoskins scored on another 1-yard run to make it 14-6.

Then the Vikings, with Hoskins again doing the heavy-lifting put Zumwalt East in a bigger holes thanks to a 15-yard dash to the house. It was Hoskins third score of the game, and North had a 21-6 edge as the Vikings running game was wearing on the Lions.

“He (Hoskins) runs really hard and they are very physical up front, and we knew that’s their style of football,” Fort Zumwalt East coach Scott Eacret said. “They will run ISO on third and nine.”

The Lions opened the second half strong, driving 10-plays and 75 yards to score on an 8-yard run by Barrett. The two point conversion pass failed making it 21-12.

North responded again with another scoring drive. Hoskins capped the 51-yard drive with a 3-yard scoring run for his fourth TD.

Zumwalt East rallied again with a 22-yard touchdown strike from Barrett to DeAndre Campbell cutting the gap to 25-18 with 7:56 left.

Hoskins fifth and final touchdown of the night made it 35-18 with 3:37 left and completed amazing night for the Parkway North running game.

“They (Zumwalt East) were bringing everybody up and we just felt we didn’t have to throw it with the lead we had” Parkway North coach Bob Bunton said. “We were playing a little bit conservative no doubt but we also like that kind of football.”

Barrett brought the Lions back close one more time with an 87-yard scoring pass to Lawrence Veal cutting the lead to 35-25 with 3:20 left.

But the Lions luck ran dry with 1:38 left as Barrett was victimized for a pick-six on Cody Pulver’s 55-yard interception return which sealed the win for North.