ARLINGTON-Like they have all season long, Parker used a suffocating defense and an opportunistic offense to defend its Gateway Conference flag title with a 27-0 win over visiting Baldwin last night at Joe Hodge Stadium.
Parker wasted no time establishing an early lead as quarterback Jazmyn Simmons connected with wide receiver Rashonda ‘Ace’ Hall on a 2-yard pass giving the Braves a 7-0 lead barely five minutes into the game.
The defense set the tone early too as Dasia Shepherd picked up a sack on the Indians next possession at midfield.
Two possessions later, Simmons hit Kezeria Odoms on a 15-yard touchdown pass increasing the lead to 14-0 with 13 seconds left before the half.
Odoms started the second half with a bang picking off a Baldwin pass and returning it back to the 1-yard line. Simmons snuck in from a yard giving the Braves a commanding 21-0 lead minutes into the third quarter.
Five minutes later, Odoms hauled in her second interception of the quarter at the Indians 10-yard line keeping the shutout in tack.
Simmons threw her third touchdown of the game connecting with Shepherd on a nice 19-yard pass on the last play of the third quarter increasing the lead to 27-0.
Shutting out an opponent is nothing new for the Braves defense, who have 9 shutouts in 12 games so far. The Braves have outscored their opponents 350-19 and have not allowed an opponent to score more than 7 points against them.
“We take a lot of pride in the shut outs,” Parker coach Keith Poole stated. “We start four seniors on defense and we told them early on they would have to step it up and keep us in games while our young quarterback develops and they took that to heart.”
Poole, brother of former McDonalds All-American from Forrest and the University of Florida Stacey Poole, quoted Alabama coach Nick Saban as a coaching mentor and idolizes his coaching philosophy.
Despite being up 20-21 points in the semi-finals and finals, Poole was still coaching up his players on the sideline.
“Saban stresses the little things like doing it exactly right regardless of the situation, make plays and get in the right spots and do your job , one play can cost you a game.”
Over the last two years, the Braves are 26-1 and have won back-to-back conference titles and now set their sights on advancing past the second round of the playoffs for the first time in school history after falling to FAMU and Godby in the second round the last two years.
With one goal accomplished, now the Braves turn their attention to winning their third straight district title and third straight playoff berth.
Parker (12-0) will host the District 3-1A tournament May 2 at Joe Hodge along with Englewood, Paxon and Raines.
“For us to make it past the second round finally, we are going to have to stay focused and don’t let the jitters get the best of us,” Poole said. “We can’t afford to start flat and we have to keep up with the intensity and execute.”
2017 Parker Braves Schedule/Results
March 16 at Wolfson * (1-0) (1-0) 44-0
March 29 Fletcher (2-0) 41-0
March 30 Raines * (3-0) (2-0) 38-0
April 4 at Englewood * (4-0) (3-0) 39-0
April 6 Paxon * (5-0) (4-0) 27-0
April 13 Stanton * (6-0) (5-0) 7-6
April 17 Jackson * (7-0) (6-0) 55-0
April 19 Westside (8-0) 19-0
April 20 Ribault * (9-0) (7-0) 20-7
April 25 Gateway (Mandarin) (10-0) 13-0
April 26 Gateway (Westside) (11-0) 20-6
April 27 Gateway (Baldwin) (12-0) 27-0
