James Clemens defense shuts the door on Huntsville

MADISON — The James Clemens Jets (3-1) followed up a convincing win over Bob Jones a week ago with a 45-31 victory at home against Huntsville (1-2) on Friday.

This football game was tight until about two minutes to go in the fourth quarter when the James Clemens defense stoned Huntsville on fourth down and two on the Jets’ 35-yard line.

James Clemens was clinging to a 38-31 lead at the time when the defensive play stopped the Panthers dead in their tracks.

The Jets defenders stormed off the field full of emotion, pounding their chests as they took in the moment.

Huntsville had turned the ball over on downs and all James Clemens had to do now was just hold onto the ball and run the final 2:16 on the clock.

The junior running back Ty Doughty had other plans.

A flash of navy and light blue knifed through the offensive line’s gap and darted past the Panthers’ linebackers and secondary that looked helpless and gassed.

Like a horse galloping toward the finish line, Doughty stiff-armed a final Huntsville defensive back to find nothing but wide-open turf gleaming ahead of him.

The James Clemens running back literally walked into the endzone as the Panthers defenders faded and gave up trying to run him down.

Doughty’s 68-yard touchdown dagger to Huntsville’s proverbial heart slammed the door on this game with 1:06 remaining on the clock for a 45-31 score.

James Clemens had faltered at moments in this game with three turnovers, but the defense was there when it mattered most, and the Jets offense used its speed to burn the Panthers time after time.

The Jets hit the road next Friday to take on Florence.

For a deeper dive into this James Clemens victory, be sure to pick up a copy of the Madison Record on Wednesday, Sept. 20.