Jacksonville FL- The time was now for both Orange Park and Atlantic Coast to make a stamp on their early seasons. Both teams came into their Thursday evening contest at 0-2 and looking to turn it around. But in order for a season shift to happen, somebody had to step up and be the player the team could depend on to lead them out of their 0 and 2 hole. For Atlantic Coast it wasn’t just one player, it was several.
The Stingrays have a very talented roster, but found it hard to finish in their first two games of the season. Tough losses to Mandarin and Bishop Kenny left the boys in burnt orange burning with questions. Who is going to be the one to make the plays for four quarters? That question was answered first by Quarterback Tannor Watson and Wide Receiver Travon Wallace. Watson and Wallace hooked up twice for touchdowns in the game. Both were fades into the end zone where Watson lofted high arching passes to his playmaker in the redzone. Wallace, has extreme jumping ability and out leaped the Orange Park defenders to sky for both scores.
The next playmaker to answer the question was Quarterback Terry Gilliam Jr. Gilliam took the Stingrays down field
in the second quarter. In a tie ball game, Gilliam scrambled up the middle and leaped over a defender head first into the endzone for the touchdown. It was a play that sacrifice and heart, one that galvanized his team going into the second half.
Awesome shot by @JoelMolotzak catching the TD by QB Terry Gilliam! Atlantic Coast leads Orange Park 13-6 2nd pic.twitter.com/B1jx75KPXf
— Duval Sports (@DuvalSports) September 7, 2017
For new Head Coach Jimmy Hill, being able to have a lead late in the fourth quarter was something he hadn’t experienced in his first two games as the Stingrays coach. With this game scenario before him he called upon his senior running back Jamari Broussard to carry the team to victory. Broussard did not disappoint and answered the question with his play. On several plays the talented runner knifed through the Raider defense serving up several big runs. His biggest of the night was a 83 yarder that he nearly took the distance if not for a shoe string tackle by CB Antwaun Cooper who hustled from the opposite side of the field to catch the track star. Broussard finished unofficially with 179 yards rushing on the ground.
There were several other individual efforts by Orange Park that kept them in the game. Quarterback Terrance Johnson is a one man gang for the Raiders a Quarterback. He sliced off several nice runs eluding defenders and scoring Orange Park’s first touchdown to tie the ball game early. He was joined by LB Kendy Charles who blocked a punt late in the game which was recovered by LB Carson Jackson deep in Stingray territory.
Kendy Charles and Carson Jackson combine for punt block and recovery for Orange Park 4th pic.twitter.com/1MfCWpjx80
— Duval Sports (@DuvalSports) September 8, 2017
Marquise Brown scores to get Orange Park Closer 23-13 4th vs Atlantic Coast! pic.twitter.com/r8VLBEDMwR
— Duval Sports (@DuvalSports) September 8, 2017
Unfortunately for Orange Park, they couldn’t turn the possession into points and Atlantic Coast’s Bruno Takeda added three points to close out their scoring 23-6. Marquise Brown tacked on six late in the game on a pass from Johnson but it was too little too late. Atlantic Coast took the “W” 23-13.
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