Jackets Blast Cougars on Homecoming Night

For many high school aged lads, the prospect of finding a date for homecoming can be quite a predicament. It's doubtful that standout James Monroe running back Ethan Preston will have any problem finding dance partners tomorrow evening. Preston's 126 yards rushing and two touchdowns led James Monroe to a 39-16 victory over rival Courtland High School on homecoming night.

"It felt good to get the win on Homecoming weekend in front of all the fans," said Preston of the victory. "Now we get to relax and then go to the dance. This win makes the girls come to us."

James Monroe jumped out to a 12-0 halftime lead, which would have been larger were it not for a phantom holding call on a punt return and dropped passes.

"We should have gone into halftime up four touchdowns," remarked James Monroe head coach Rich Serbay. "But those things happen. We bounced back in the second half... You couldn't ask for a bigger victory to win a game like this on homecoming. I'm proud of every one of these kids."

Quarterback Demontaz Brown completed only one pass on the evening, but it was a big one. He found wideout A'Darius Brown with a 57-yard touchdown strike with 2:57 remaining in the third quarter. The junior signal caller added a rushing score in the fourth quarter. Brown's mobility is an aspect of his game that flies largely under-the-radar, according to Coach Serbay.

"People don't know how well Demontaz can run the football," said Serbay. "But we have to gingerly run our quarterback. We have to be careful because he is a commodity."

While Preston pounded away at the interior of the Courtland defensive front, Coach Serbay utilized his speed weapons on the perimeter. Wide receiver Kasine Conway also found paydirt on two long scoring runs.

Said Conway, "We needed plays, so they handed me the ball and I just did what I had to do. Coach looks at us to make plays and that's what I did."

The Yellow Jacket defense made plays all night, coming up with four interceptions, two ending up in the hands of junior defensive back Julian Bumbrey.

With just two games remaining on the schedule, the Yellow Jackets are on the verge of a rarity in Virginia high school football: an undefeated perfect season. Still, according to Conway, this squad has something to prove. 

"We're going to stay motivated because everybody is doubting us. Everyone thinks we're going to lose one of these last two games. So we're going to take the field and do it how we do it."

The Jackets (8-0, 5-0 Battlefield) will travel to Spotsylvania High School next Friday, Oct. 28.

Stats Central

JM Rushing Totals

E. Preston: 21 carries, 126 yards, 2 TDs

K. Conway: 3 carries, 136 yards, 2 TDs

D. Brown: 3 carries, 25 yards, 1 TD

A. Brown: 3 carries, 6 yards

JM Passing Totals

D. Brown: 1/11, 57 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT

JM Receiving Totals

A. Brown: 1 catch, 57 yards, 1 TD

Special Teams/Defensive Notes

2^nd Q/8:10 - D. Dyson  85 yard punt return wiped out by penalty

2^nd Q/4:22 – T. Ferguson INT (38 yard return)

2^nd Q/0:45 – J. Bumbrey INT (38 yard return)

3^rd Q/3:19 – J. Bumbrey INT (no return)

4^th Q/8:30 – T. Scott INT (20 yard return)

Box Score

                1^st Q    2^nd Q   3^rd Q    4^th Q    Final

JM           6           6           13         14        39

Court.      0           0            8           8         16

Scoring Summary

First Quarter

JM– K. Conway 49 yard run 8:59 (Kick Failed)                                

Second Quarter

JM– E. Preston 25 yard run 11:20 (Pass Failed)                           

Third Quarter

JM– K. Conway 89 yard run 3:33 (2 pt. conversion failed)                                

JM– D. Brown 57 yard pass to A. Brown 2:57 (Dit Kick)

Courtland– N. Zaluzney 79 yard pass to EJ Green 1:39 (2 pt conv good K. Wilson)

Fourth Quarter

JM– D. Brown 8 yard run 9:24 (Dit Kick)                                 

JM– E. Preston 3 yard run 8:04 (Dit Kick)

Courtland– J. Tyson 2-yard run :29 (Tyson Run)