Tough test awaits Patriots in home opener Friday night
Bob Jones quarterack Trey Bates
The Bob Jones Patriots, fresh off the high of a 72-0 blowout of city high school James Clemens must now quickly move on to their next opponent. The Florence Falcons come to Madison Friday night in Bob Jones’ home opener and these Falcons are not a team to be taken lightly.
“Florence is very long and athletic,” said Bob Jones head coach Kevin Rose. “Athletically they are probably the best team we will see all season.”
The Falcons are coming off a 49-7 romp over Buckhorn in a game that featured their quarterback Kendrick Doss who accounted for 142 yards rushing in the second half alone. Doss, a 6-foot-2, 205-pound junior is already receiving offers from major colleges.
Florence scored 29 unanswered points on Buckhorn in the third quarter alone last week.
Rose said that Doss reminds him of Cam Newton.
“Their quarterback really scares you. This is his third year as a starter and he is bigger and faster now. They are using him in the run game like Cam Newton.”
Florence also features outside linebacker Rashawn Smith, a 6-foot-2, 215 pound senior who just committed to sign with Ole Miss.
Last year Bob Jones edged Florence in their closest region game of the year 10-7.
“Our guys are excited,” Rose said. “I still say it is the best group of kids we have ever had. They are really playing hard, they run to the ball as a team, we got great attitudes and are in great shape. We are going to be in a lot of close ball games and this going to be one of them.”
Rose said he will need another great game from quarterback Trey Bates. Bates was near perfect against James Clemens hitting 7 of 9 passes for 99 yards and 2 touchdowns. He hit Ben Washington on a 30 yard scoring pass and later tight end Roderick Randolph on a 29 yard pass for a touchdown.
“Trey Bates is going to have to play well and he has played well. He has to have a big ball game and hit some big throws for us to win,” Rose said.
The Patriots will have to run the ball well with Jay Rogers and his backup, Chris Fletcher who scored two touchdowns against James Clemens.
Rose said that Fletcher is still recovering from an ankle injury but he “will give it a go and that can be important because he is that speed back that can come in late in a game with fresh legs and bust a long one.”
This season the Patriots have played two games at Madison City School Stadium but this is still their regular season home opener. An attractive matchup between two contenders in Class 6A, Region 8 means a big crowd is expected Friday night.
“It’s an opportunity for us to make some money,” Rose said. “Financially that is part of the deal. It should be a sellout crowd. Bob Jones against Florence should be the biggest game in North Alabama. You’ve got a good Florence team with a championship coach and a Bob Jones team coming off three straight region championships.”
Jamey DuBose took over as head football coach at Florence High in January of this year replacing Alvin Briggs. He was head coach at one of the most successful programs in Alabama at Prattville where his teams won two state championships, the most recent in 2011. He is the first cousin to Mike DuBose, former head coach of the University of Alabama.
Both teams are 1-1 overall but come in unbeaten in Class 6A Region 8 at 1-0.
