FLOWERY BRANCH — Flowery Branch coach Chris Griffin saw his team’s potential in a tight first half against No. 2 Northside-Warner Robins.

Griffin saw what his team needed to work on to reach that potential in a second half that quickly got away from the Falcons on the way to a 45-7 loss to the Eagles on Friday night at Falcon Field.

“The potential’s there to be a good football team,” the first-year Falcons coach said. “But we let it snowball on us in the second half.”

No. 4 Flowery Branch (0-1) fought Northside (1-0) to a 7-7 tie after a defense-heavy first half. But the Eagles scored on the first two possessions of the second half and then recovered a fumble and scored for a third time in the third quarter to turn a tie game into a 28-7 advantage.

It was a good start to the season for a team with state championship aspirations in Northside.

“It was a good way to start the season,” said Eagles coach Kevin Kinsler. “It was a big ballgame. Our kids were excited to play another top 10-ranked team.”

It was the first time the Middle Georgia powerhouse had played a Hall County opponent. Kinsler added that he was very pleased with the atmosphere and fans at Falcon Field.

The two teams will play in Warner Robins next season.

Flowery Branch has a lot to do before then, and even before next Friday’s game at West Forsyth, to improve.

Griffin said it all in one word: “Execution.”

“We didn’t execute,” he said. “I told the players at the half that the second half was going to come down to a few key plays, like a missed tackle or a dropped pass. You can’t do that against a team like that.”

Griffin said tackling was the biggest bugaboo for the Falcons, who allowed the Eagles’ players a number of yards after the hit.

The missed tackles enabled Northside to rack up 313 yards rushing. Kinsler said that was the plan for the second half, to get back to the basics.

“We got back to the things we do best, running the football,” he said.

Quarterback Glenn Smith led the way with 73 yards rushing and a score, and Donte Bryant added 70 yards and a touchdown. Keshun Hill was all over the field, scoring three total touchdowns on 59 yards receiving and 41 rushing.

Northside held the Falcons to 175 total yards of offense. Flowery Branch quarterback Jackson McDonald finished 19 for 30 for 112 yards passing, with one touchdown and one interception. Sophomore Justin Curry was the leading rusher with 37 yards, and former East Hall quarterback Cameron Davis led the way receiving with 36 yards and a score.

Griffin said he was pleased to see his offense move against Northside in spurts, but that the unit, including McDonald, needs to improve.

Both offenses had trouble moving the ball in the first half, when two of the top defenses in Class AAAA last season continued where they left off, with Flowery Branch and Northside-Warner Robins reaching the half at 7-7.

McDonald, in his first start, quickly found a primary target in Cris Dilidili, who had seven receptions for 25 yards in the half, and added 13 yards rushing.

But it was the Eagles who found the end zone first. After three straight three and outs to open the game, Northside recorded the game’s first first down on its second drive a play before Hill took a short pass from Smith, broke a couple of tackles behind the goal line and then raced 41 yards for the score and 7-0 lead with 6:34 remaining in the first half. It was Smith’s only completion of the half on six attempts.

Flowery Branch couldn’t respond on the following drive, but punter Lucas Arnett’s 51-yard punt pinned Northside back at the 11-yard line.

The Falcons defense forced a three-and-out, and McDonald finished a 10-play drive with a 5-yard pass to Davis on a roll out. Davis jumped up to grab the ball in traffic and tie the score early in the second half.

Flowery Branch’s vaunted defense came up big on the next drive, stopping the Eagles on the 5-yard line. Northside kicker Isaac Rivera then missed a 22-yard field goal.

The Falcons defense held strong until the second half, but the Eagles scored on their first six possessions of the second half to run away with the game.

The Falcons last lost their season opener in 2008, 28-25 against Stephens County. It would prove to be the program’s best year, however, as Flowery Branch advanced to the state championship game before falling to Cairo.

Flowery Branch travels to West Forsyth on Friday in Cumming, and Northside-Warner Robins hosts Veterans on Thursday in Warner Robins.