Bob Jones firepower too much for Sparkman
Ryan Crooks runs through the Sparkman defense as Austin Harris blocks
(RECORD PHOTO/CINDY HESS)
MADISON- Bob Jones put on a dominating performance before a big homecoming crowd as they rolled to a 51-16 Class 6A, Region 8 win over Sparkman. It is the seventh straight win over their county rivals.
The Patriots scored on four of their first five possessions and jumped out to a 22-0 first quarter lead. The margin grew to 32-3 at halftime. The fourth-ranked Patriots rolled up 527 yards of offense and the defense held Sparkman out of the end zone until late in the fourth quarter, long after the starters had retired.
Bob Jones quarterback Jeremy Frye overcame an early interception and led a touchdown drive after the Patriot defense made a stand and Sparkman missed a 42-yard field goal. Ryan Crooks scored from one yard out after a trick play throwback to tight end Roderick Randolph who then threw to Jay Rogers for a 40-yard gain.
Former starting quarterback Tyler Whalen came off the bench and led two scoring drives for Bob Jones in the first half. He hit Randolph for a 26-yard touchdown to go up 15-0.
“Roderick used to be a quarterback so I knew he could throw,” Whalen said of the trick play. “I nominated him to throw that so he practiced it. We have plenty of trick plays.”
Whalen led a 5 play drive culminating in a Ryan Crooks 33-yard touchdown run to go up 29-3. Sparkman got a 23 yard field goal from Miller Matzek.
Whalen finished 5 of 6 passing for 48 yards. Frye hit 9 of 16 passes for 152 yards including a 46-yard score to Crooks in the third quarter.
“We’ve got confidence in both quarterbacks, that is why I play two,” said Bob Jones head coach Kevin Rose. “At some point you’re going to have to have a second guy you can win with and both now have game experience and can lead us to a win.”
Sparkman misfired on their first five drives. One ended with a Christian Hess interception; the third straight game with a pick for the senior cornerback.
Bob Jones had their biggest lead at 51-3 after Miles Strickland bolted 89 yards in the fourth quarter after a defensive stand inside the 10 yard line.
Strickland, a sophomore, led Bob Jones with 124 yards on 5 carries.
Bob Jones’ leading rusher Jay Rogers had 22 yards rushing on six carries and two catches for 87 yards.
Sparkman running back Lorenzo James had 68 yards rushing before he left in the third quarter with an injury.
Sparkman started Michael Pruitt at quarterback for the third straight week but the junior struggled against the Bob Jones pass rush. He completed 6 of 12 passes for 32 yards and one interception. Mason Edwards replaced him in the third quarter and led two touchdown drives late in the game.
“They got on us quick and they never let up,” said Sparkman coach Tim Gillespie. “They got a lot of experienced guys and we got hit in the mouth and didn’t respond. We’re young but that is no excuse. We have to make those adjustments as other teams make them during the game.”
Both teams were flagged for multiple personal foul penalties and Sparkman had a punt snap go over the punters head in the second quarter.
“I was disappointed in the penalties,” Rose said. Bob Jones got hit with three 15 yard personal foul penalties within a span of about five minutes in the second quarter.
“Other than that is was a perfect game for homecoming.”
At halftime, Kaitlin McGinnis, who was featured in a press release earlier about her remarkable recovery from an auto accident, won homecoming queen.
Bob Jones is now 7-0 overall, 5-0 in region play. They will play at Buckhorn (4-1 in region) next Friday night in a key game to determine who will finish first as region champion.
