Spalding plays homecoming spoiler with 47-14 win over Fayette County

When it comes to setting tones early, the Spalding Jaguars wasted no time in doing so defensively Friday night in their 47-14 win over Fayette County for their second win of the season and more importantly, improving to 2-2 in their region standing, allowing them to remain within string distance of the top four positions in the standings.

“Very much needed,” Spalding head coach, Nick Davis said of the Jaguars win on Friday. “We told the guys, we control our own destiny and enjoyed the kids coming out, starting fast,” Davis added as his players efforts in the game despite “mistakes” he wants them to correct as they start preparing for their next matchup.

“You know, personal fouls and stuff like that, that stuff has just been killing us all year. We have to become a more disciplined football team,” Davis said. However, he was not short to acknowledge how the Jaguars’ defense made their presence felt early in the game, forcing the Tigers to turn the ball over on their first two possessions of the night.

“That had not happened a lot for us. The ball had not bounced our way all year defensively trying to get turnovers and things of that nature but tonight it happened for us and we’re very proud of that and hopefully we continue that,” Davis said as he shared his thoughts on watching his defense come up with an interception on Fayette’s first drive of the game, which resulted in a Deshun Gilbert rushing touchdown on the ensuing Jaguars possession, followed by a forced fumble and recovery on the Tigers second drive of the game, in which Spalding would once again score after a Gilbert touchdown pass to DeMondrae McDowell as they would take a 12-0.

The Jaguars would eventually close out the opening quarter with a 19-0 lead after a Draylin Gilbert rushing touchdown and as the second quarter got underway, thanks to their defense pinning the Tigers back up against their own end zone and forcing them to attempt a punt that would result in a safety due to trouble on the snap and the Fayette County punter kick the ball out of the back of the end zone for a safety, Spalding would take a 21-0 lead.

As the second quarter continued, three more rushing touchdowns by Jordan Jones, Joshua Parker and Amere White, the Jaguars would take a 41-0 lead into the locker room at the half and once the third quarter got underway, Tavares Stinson would push the Spalding lead to 47-0 after returning a blocked punt for a touchdown as they would go on to pick up the 47-14 win.

“I’m very glad about that,” Davis said of his offense being able to take advantage of short field situations that the Jaguars’ defense created throughout the night. “We’ve been getting in the red zone but getting penalties, personal fouls, things that have been backing us out, hurting ourselves and so we have to keep maturing,” Davis added.

Now turning their focus to preparing for another region opponent in Sandy Creek, Davis said “the little things” will be important for the Jaguars to focus on next week. “The discipline part of it, that’s what we have to work on and not shooting ourselves in the foot. And the mental preparation, the mental toughness,” Davis said.