Bob Jones has no answer for Asa Martin, drops second straight game
MADISON- Back home at Madison City Schools Stadium Bob Jones found themselves in unfamiliar territory, falling behind and losing to Austin 41-14.
It is the third straight season Bob Jones has lost to 6A Austin and in the first two weeks Bob Jones has been outscored 74-21.
Bob Jones has not lost more than two games to open the season since 1994 when they lost the first three games and it is the worst home loss in the Kevin Rose era which began in 2009.
Still Rose was upbeat after the game.
“All our team goals are still out there for us to attain,” Rose said. “The next eight games will define our season. Asa is the best back in Alabama. He is the best back I’ve seen in high school since Cadillac Williams. We did a lot of good things. We got them to fourth down but couldn’t get off the field. They are very talented and they showed that tonight but we’re going to get there hopefully over the next two weeks we will show some improvement.”
Bob Jones has now played the #1 team in 7A and the new #1 team in 6A to open the season.
“We saw the speed and athleticism that are at the top of each classification and if we want to get there this season we are going to have to play at that speed. We got a long way to go but we got good kids and they will improve.”
Austin was led by Asa Martin, an Auburn commit. Martin ran for 19 yards on his first carry and didn’t stop until he recorded 188 yards on 12 carries.
He scored the first of four touchdowns on the opening drive from 3 yards out. He later added a 75-yard run and touchdown runs of 1,7, and 46 yards.
Antonio Robinson scored Austin’s second touchdown on a 27-yard run. Austin continued to gash the Bob Jones defense as Martin ran 75 yards to the one-yard line.
Austin scored a touchdown on their first four possessions, only punted once through three quarters and built a 27-0 halftime lead. The Black Bears extended the lead to 34-0 on the first play of the second half, a 71-yard touchdown run by Antonio Robinson.
For the second week in a row Bob Jones struggled on offense. The Patriots failed to convert their first eight third downs and twice went for it on fourth down. Their first drive ended on a fourth down pass to Isaiah Hatchett from quarterback Caden Rose.
In the second quarter, trailing 21-0 Rose hit John Michael Riley for 52 yards but three plays lost yardage and Bob Jones attempted a field goal that was partially blocked. Unfortunately, on the play left tackle Colby Morrell went down with a possible knee injury. He did not return.
Rose got Bob Jones in the end zone with a 6-yard touchdown pass to Demontrez Brown.
Dylan Ray added a late touchdown on 62-yard pass and run by Isaiah Hatchett.
“We have to win on third down on either side of the football and right now we are not.”
Now Bob Jones faces region opponent and crosstown rival James Clemens. A sellout crowd of over 8,000 is expected. Rose is 5-0 against James Clemens but that will matter none next Friday night.