JULINGTON CREEK – For both Gamble Rogers and Murray remaining undefeated comes with a huge target on your back each week, as your next opponent wants to be the one to finally knock you off.
Both Swiss Point and Liberty Pines nearly came close to accomplishing that goal before running out of gas as both Gamble Rogers and Murray remained undefeated still.
Gamble Rogers 24, Swiss Point 8
Swiss Point gave defending county champion Gamble Rogers everything they could handle and more before the Stingrays finally pulled away.
Tomas Jones broke free on the second play of the game for a 41 yard scamper putting the Stingrays inside the 15-yard line. Three plays later, Chase Anderson rumbled in from 4 yards out to give Gamble Rogers a quick 8-0 lead minutes into the game.
After a quick three and out on defense, the Stingrays offense took over again and drained the clock with a 12 play drive before ending the drive on a fourth down pass at the 40 yard line.
Another three and out on defense, and a great punt return from Jones, set up the Stingrays at the Raiders 34 yard line. Six plays later, Jones plowed in from 5 yards out increasing the Stingrays lead to 16-0 heading into half.
Chase Anderson 4 yard TD run gave Gamble Rogers 8-0 lead, Tomas Jones 5 yard run gave the Stingrays a 16-0 halftime lead. @DuvalSports
— Corey Davis (@ByCoreyDavis) September 19, 2018
However, a different Swiss Point team came out of the locker room in the second half as the Raiders came out with a different intensity in them.
Quarterback Taylor Rhodes hit Shaun McElroy on a 54 yard completion on the first play of the second half setting up the Raiders inside the 6 yard line to start the third quarter. Five plays later, Rhodes hit Jessie Murrell on a 7 yard catch in the end zone cutting the lead to 16-8 minutes into the third quarter.
Those were the first points given up by the Stingrays defense this season, bringing a bit of a shock to the Stingrays sideline.
After forcing another three and out on the Raiders offense, the Stingrays offense went back to work taking over the ball as the fourth quarter began.
Boy did they, the Stingrays behind quarterback Noah Lawless and Jones, went on a 12 play, 53 yard drive that chewed up nearly all of the fourth quarter. Jones picked up 29 yards on the drive, while Lawless was lethal on a designed keepers keeping the drive going with several big runs as well.
Gamble Rogers ran the ball 11 times on the 12 play drive, to not only keep hold of the ball but more importantly chew up the clock. Lawless capped the drive with a 1 yard sneak to increase the lead to 24-8 late in the fourth quarter.
“No doubt that the difference, we stop them there, we have all the momentum,” Swiss Point head coach Dan Davenport said.
Down two scores now, Swiss Point (3-2) had to hurry up its offense and benefited from a pass interference call to put them inside the 20 yard line. However, a undisclosed penalty on Swiss put them back to the 34 yard line.
A fourth down pass in the end zone was knocked away allowing the Stingrays (5-0) to take a knee and leave the field undefeated still.
“We tried to spread them out, we always are a slow starting team,” Davenport said. “We showed we can compete and play with them, we’re not scared of them.
Earlier in the week, Gamble Rogers defensive coordinator Ron Evans challenged his team to learn the lyrics to the 1986 hit Living on a prayer by Bon Jovi as a team bonding event. Here is a video of the team singing the song after practice.
Murray 24, Liberty Pines 8
Liberty Pines did what every county defensive coordinator has been trying to do each week, slow down the Murray offense.
Murray (5-0), which has been averaging 33.4 points per game, was held to a season low 24 points in the 24-8 win over Liberty Pines in the second game of the doubleheader.
It didn’t start that way though as tailback Shawn Harvey took a handoff and raced 50 yards on the first play of the game untouched for a quick 8-0 lead seconds into the game.
However, Liberty (2-3) had the perfect antidote for slowing down the Bulldogs offense by limiting their possessions and chewing up the clock as well.
Liberty went old school on Murray, lining up in the multi formation and running it nearly every play on a 15 play opening drive of the game, which resulted in a 2 yard sneak from quarterback Riley Trujillo tying the game at 8 all early in the second quarter.
Trujillo hit a wide open Ethan Miller on a third and long play on the first play of the second quarter to put Liberty down to the 3-yard line.
Their next drive wasn’t so lucky as Miller was picked off near midfield by JJ Meachem and returned 45 yards for a score and 16-8 lead for Murray.
JJ Meachem 45 yard pick six gave Murray a 16-8 lead just before half. @DuvalSports pic.twitter.com/pV9N2l0cxk
— Corey Davis (@ByCoreyDavis) September 20, 2018
Trailing 16-8 at the half, Liberty had to be feeling good where things stood holding the high powered Murray team to just 16 first half points.
Going back to its ball controlling offense, Liberty continued to chew up the clock and keep Murray off the field as well.
Ultimately, it was another mistake that ended up costing them as Trujillo was picked off by Harvey on the first play of the fourth quarter.
Harvey made them pay for it, taking a pitch on the ensuing play and racing 29 yards down the left sideline untouched for a 22-8 lead seconds into the fourth quarter.
Shawn Harvey was electrifying with two touchdowns (50, 29) and also had game clinching interception on first play of fourth quarter. @DuvalSports pic.twitter.com/pbguHUWM0i
— Corey Davis (@ByCoreyDavis) September 20, 2018
Now down two scores, Liberty went into hurry up mode on offense and began mixing it up offense while also trying to move the ball down the field.
Trujillo was picked off a third time this time by Cornell Thomas to give the Bulldogs the ball back ahead two scores midway through the fourth quarter.
Things started getting a little heated as Murray surprised Liberty with an onside kick after the score drawing some fans to shout things to the other side of the field.
Murray was called for pass interference on defense but officials didn’t reward Liberty with a automatic first down setting off the Liberty coaches as well as some fans.
One parent took things into his own hands by charging the field and attempting to yell at the head referee. This was a sign of things to come in the final minutes.
With about three minutes left in the game, Harvey appeared to have scored his third touchdown of the game after taking a pitch and zig-zagging his way 55 yards for an apparent score. However, as the play originally developed to the left side of the field, Harvey cut back right and was helped by two huge illegal blind side blocks nullifying the score.
The two injured Liberty players remained on the field lying on the ground for several minutes before they were eventually helped off. One particular player looked to be in more serious shape as the trainers and staff were seen holding his neck and body tightly.
Liberty coaches gathered their players minus the two injured players on their side of the field after officials and heated coaches agree to just end the game with three minutes left in the game.
Scores
Landrum 35, Sebastian 12
Patriot Oaks 16, Pacetti Bay 6
Fruit Cove 34, Valley Ridge 7
Next week
Fruit Cove at Gamble Rogers
Landrum vs Valley Ridge (Davis Park)
Sebastian at Pacetti Bay
Patriot Oaks vs Murray (Pomar)
Swiss Point vs Liberty Pines (Bartram Trail) Thursday
