Nick Henry has been a vital part of Northwestern’s football team the past couple of years.

But for the first - and only - time in his career, he is now a senior leader.

On Friday night, in the Tigers’ 2020 season opener against Palisades, the upperclassman proved he is more than capable of filling that role.

Henry scored a pair of touchdowns - one rushing and one receiving - played solid defense, and came up with some huge carries down the stretch to help his team hang on for a 36-28 victory.

“Nick Henry, what can you say about him,” said Tigers head coach Josh Snyder. “He’s a three-year starter, what a stud. He’s one of the smartest football players I’ve been around in my coaching career. He runs the show, really, on both sides of the ball.

“Nick’s been in the backfield a long time for us, and he helps us get set up sometimes. He communicated with (Justin Holmes, Northwestern’s first-year starter at quarterback) quite a bit tonight. He had a heckuva game on both sides of the ball.”

After the Pirates took their only lead (14-7) early in the second quarter, the Tigers bounced right back. Henry’s 41-yard run set up his 6-yard touchdown scamper to quickly erase the deficit and tie the score.

Snyder’s club built off that momentum.

Holmes followed with a 34-yard touchdown run, and after a safety where Palisades snapped the ball over its punter’s head and out of the end zone, Henry snared a 9-yard TD toss from Holmes with 11 seconds left until halftime to build a 29-14 advantage.

“It was the first game of the year, and although it’s two weeks late it’s just great to get out here,” said Henry, who finished with 119 yards rushing and 60 yards on six receptions. “We have a bunch of new guys and when something bad happens, you don’t know how they’re going to react. But we did a good job of answering back and keeping the intensity up.”

Palisades cut into the Tigers’ lead to open the second half, driving right down the field for a score. But like Henry said, Northwestern responded soon after.

A couple series later, Holmes (who completed 10 passes for 169 yards and three touchdowns) hit Ryan McConnell for a 14-yard gain before finding a wide-open Cade Christopher for a 53-yard touchdown. That upped the margin to 36-21.

“(Palisades) came right out of the locker room and scored and made it a one-score game,” said Snyder. “We got the ball and answered right back. I thought that was big and gutty by our kids. But Palisades kept swinging right to the end. They’re a good football team.”

The Pirates narrowed the gap again, receiving a 5-yard touchdown run from Mason Smeland, who finished the contest with 158 yards rushing.

“That No. 3 (Smeland), we knew he had scoot,” said Snyder. “We knew he was going to be a good football player and he was.”

Smeland was part of a nine-play drive in the fourth quarter that stalled at midfield with four minutes to play. Palisades decided to punt, hoping its defense could get the ball back, and the strategy seemed to work when its punt was downed on the Tigers’ 1-yard line.

But Northwestern and Henry ran off eight plays, picking up two key first downs, before having to punt and giving their opponent just 23 seconds to work with.

The Tigers’ Jacob Peters intercepted a deep pass on the first play of the series to clinch the win.

“The ball on the one is kind of a bad situation, but we executed very well and got out of it and we ended up punting it and then we stopped them on defense on their last drive,” said Henry.

“I was just proud of our line there,” said Snyder. “We dug out from the one ... where we got first downs and gave ourselves a chance to punt it and then play defense. That was a good, gutty effort for our lineman and Nick. He got some tough yards in there, grinding things out and keeping it on the ground ... It was just everything you expect from a senior that’s a three-year starter.”

STELLAR SECONDARY

... Northwestern intercepted four passes on the night, including three by Taylor Wickert. Palisades also excelled in the secondary, intercepting five balls.

THE GOOD AND THE BAD

... The Tigers’ Holmes through three touchdowns and five picks, and also ran for 64 yards and a score in his first game as starting quarterback. “Justin Holmes, he did some good things and he did some bad things. And that’s what you have to expect from a first-guy under center. I’m still super proud of him. I know he’s going to be the toughest person on himself, but he’s going to get better.”

SENIOR NIGHT

... Northwestern held Senior Night during its opener. Ten football players were honored, as well as senior cheerleaders and members of the band.

STRANGE ATMOSPHERE

... Snyder admitted the atmosphere was strange, was just glad to be playing. “We got it done and I’m super proud to be playing this great game of football,” he said. “It was interesting. It was strange with nobody in here. You could hear yourself talking and yelling and it echoing off the bleachers, and that doesn’t happen in this town on a Friday night, especially for the home opener.”