Nansemond-Suffolk Academy administered a 57-21 blowout to visiting Virginia Episcopal School on Friday night.

Going into halftime, NSA trailed 21-14. Johnston told his team that what they were failing to do was something he couldn’t coach.

“I said, ‘Heart. You got to have some heart,’” he said. “And it must have lit a fire because we went out in the second half, and I mean, we dominated them.”

Sophomore running back Addison Peak took the first play of the third quarter and made it a 60-yard touchdown run.

“And as they say, the rest is history,” Johnston said.

The Saints scored 43 points in the second half — 30 in the third quarter alone.

Peak had 115 yards rushing on eight carries, junior running back Jack Russell had 100 yards on six carries and two touchdowns and sophomore fullback David Gough ran for a couple scores as well.

Senior quarterback Tim Burns threw for 115 yards, including a 60-yard scoring toss to junior receiver Michael Tyler Lepore.

NSA had 483 yards of total offense, 380 on the ground, and their defense held the opposition to 168 yards of total offense.

Johnston credited defensive coordinator Mike Newhall for some key adjustments made at halftime that completely shut down Virginia Episcopal’s offense.

The Saints (3-2, 2-0) host Portsmouth Christian next Friday night.