Scoop27
10-24-2015, 03:31 PM
By JOEL LUNA joel.luna@thefacts.com | 0 comments
STAFFORD — Whomever faces the Stafford Spartans in the playoffs are going to have their hands full, as the Columbia Roughnecks found out Friday at Spartan Stadium.
Stafford (3-0, 8-0) kept its unblemished District 12-4A Division I record and season intact after a convincing 40-14 win against the Roughnecks, who now have to win out to make the playoffs.
A Spartan offense that was averaging just 267 yards a game gained 344 yards on the Roughneck defense with some explosive plays coming from quarterback Curtis Robinson (9-17, 160 yards, two TDs), running back James Brown (20-140 yards, two TDs) and wide receiver Hezekiah Jones (5-148, two TDs).
Starting the third quarter down by six points, the Roughnecks (1-2, 6-2) lost a big opportunity to surpass the Spartans.
After the ‘Necks squibbed the second-half kickoff, and Desmond Allen recovered for Columbia, it set them up at the Spartan 36-yard line.
On first down, Hunter Grayson tried to connect with one of his receivers, but Jones came up with the crucial interception to stop the Roughnecks in their tracks.
That play just about took the steam out of Columbia, and Stafford scored on consecutive drives to make it 33-14. Those touchdowns were by Brown on a couple of 2-yard plunges.
In the fourth quarter, the Spartans closed out the scoring when Grayson’s pass was picked off by David Allison, who took it to the house from the 40-yard line.
After sputtering on its first offensive series, Stafford took advantage of a 17-yard punt by Josh Jimenez.
The Spartans took over at the 42 of Columbia, with Robinson running 20 yards on first down.
On second-and-seven from the 29-yard line, Robinson laid the ball up for Jones, who out-jumped Keithan Taylor in the end zone for a 6-0 lead.
On the Roughnecks’ second drive, they kept the ball for 12 plays and came up empty. First, they recovered the punt when Chandler Cook took the ball away from the returner.
Then, facing a fourth-and-12 at the 47 of Stafford, Jimenez faked the punt and found Saylaion Dunlap for a 22-yard gain.
But Columbia got as far as the 23 before running out of downs.
Trailing 13-0 in the second period, the Roughnecks finally got on the board on a nine-play, 63-yard drive with Dakarius Bell running in the final 10 yards.
Again the Spartans came back on Columbia on their next drive, and it took a reverse play with Caleb Parker finding Jones in the end zone for a 24-yard score.
Right before halftime, Columbia marched the ball from its own 37-yard line to the 37 of Stafford with 10 seconds remaining. On fourth-and-seven, Grayson found Darius Harris (8-55 yards) downfield for a 9-yard hookup, but on the same play the hook and ladder was executed to perfection with Dunlap trailing the play as he ran in the final 28 yards with no time remaining on the clock.
Columbia converted the two-point conversion when Jimenez found Grayson in the end zone to close the gap to 20-14.
The Roughnecks will host Bay City at Griggs Field next Friday.
STAFFORD — Whomever faces the Stafford Spartans in the playoffs are going to have their hands full, as the Columbia Roughnecks found out Friday at Spartan Stadium.
Stafford (3-0, 8-0) kept its unblemished District 12-4A Division I record and season intact after a convincing 40-14 win against the Roughnecks, who now have to win out to make the playoffs.
A Spartan offense that was averaging just 267 yards a game gained 344 yards on the Roughneck defense with some explosive plays coming from quarterback Curtis Robinson (9-17, 160 yards, two TDs), running back James Brown (20-140 yards, two TDs) and wide receiver Hezekiah Jones (5-148, two TDs).
Starting the third quarter down by six points, the Roughnecks (1-2, 6-2) lost a big opportunity to surpass the Spartans.
After the ‘Necks squibbed the second-half kickoff, and Desmond Allen recovered for Columbia, it set them up at the Spartan 36-yard line.
On first down, Hunter Grayson tried to connect with one of his receivers, but Jones came up with the crucial interception to stop the Roughnecks in their tracks.
That play just about took the steam out of Columbia, and Stafford scored on consecutive drives to make it 33-14. Those touchdowns were by Brown on a couple of 2-yard plunges.
In the fourth quarter, the Spartans closed out the scoring when Grayson’s pass was picked off by David Allison, who took it to the house from the 40-yard line.
After sputtering on its first offensive series, Stafford took advantage of a 17-yard punt by Josh Jimenez.
The Spartans took over at the 42 of Columbia, with Robinson running 20 yards on first down.
On second-and-seven from the 29-yard line, Robinson laid the ball up for Jones, who out-jumped Keithan Taylor in the end zone for a 6-0 lead.
On the Roughnecks’ second drive, they kept the ball for 12 plays and came up empty. First, they recovered the punt when Chandler Cook took the ball away from the returner.
Then, facing a fourth-and-12 at the 47 of Stafford, Jimenez faked the punt and found Saylaion Dunlap for a 22-yard gain.
But Columbia got as far as the 23 before running out of downs.
Trailing 13-0 in the second period, the Roughnecks finally got on the board on a nine-play, 63-yard drive with Dakarius Bell running in the final 10 yards.
Again the Spartans came back on Columbia on their next drive, and it took a reverse play with Caleb Parker finding Jones in the end zone for a 24-yard score.
Right before halftime, Columbia marched the ball from its own 37-yard line to the 37 of Stafford with 10 seconds remaining. On fourth-and-seven, Grayson found Darius Harris (8-55 yards) downfield for a 9-yard hookup, but on the same play the hook and ladder was executed to perfection with Dunlap trailing the play as he ran in the final 28 yards with no time remaining on the clock.
Columbia converted the two-point conversion when Jimenez found Grayson in the end zone to close the gap to 20-14.
The Roughnecks will host Bay City at Griggs Field next Friday.