The defending 3A state champ, Northwest Christian, continued its eight-game win streak Friday night in dominating fashion, defeating Odyssey Institute 49-7 in Phoenix.

This year’s Northwest Christian team has a very different look, with 19 new starters and eight players on defense who are either sophomores or juniors. But the young Crusaders have given up seven points or less in six of their 10 games.

Northwest coach David Inness said his players like each other, work hard and are unselfish. There are no superstars, he added.

The biggest superstar on the field, Chris Weaver of Odyssey Institute, played his final high school game Friday. The state’s career 3A Conference leading rusher and senior teammates can be proud of what they’ve accomplished after leading their program to its firsts playoff appearances.

The quick and explosive Weaver is weighing his college options.

“I plan to play in college and am going to try to spend the next four years on the football field,” he said. “I show up to try to win games and putting up big numbers is part of helping the team win.”

Inness said his team team worked on staying balanced and forcing Weaver outside with four and five guys on him.

“We grinded (Weaver), and he was able to get a few runs on us and grab that touchdown late, but he’s a great player and finds a way,” he said.

Northwest Christian is a threat on both sides of the ball.

Momentum is on the team’s side, because it corrected some mistakes from players with little experience early on and stopped giving up several yards in penalties. Senior Austin Young is the power runner for Northwest Christian, and sophomore Grant Gibson is the speedster.

Young waited three years for his turn to get the bulk of the carries, and coach Inness said he’s just flat out good and a blessing of a teammate. Young said the players work hard, push each other and have changed people’s opinions about the team.

On Friday, the line created opportunities, with the halfback picking up key blocks, as Young finished the game with two touchdowns and one takeaway.

His first score, a 60-yard run, came on the first play from scrimmage after a handoff from quarterback Easton Meier. Gibson went on to score the next two touchdowns for his team, the first on a seven-yard run after Northwest Christian’s defense gave up only five yards during Odyssey’s first possession.

Northwest Christian led 28-0 at the end of the first quarter after a big block from Corbin Hulbert helped Cameron Adams score.

Northwest Christian will take on 3A rival Yuma Catholic next week in the second round of the 3A state playoffs.