Princeton shuts out Shady 48-0
Princeton (48) vs. Shady Spring (0)
Written: Aug 29, 2015
By GARY FAUBER
For the Daily Telegraph
PRINCETON — The Wes Eddy era got off to a great start.
Jordan Jones rushed for 114 yards and three touchdowns, and the Princeton defense came up with a couple of turnovers in defeating Shady Spring 48-0 Friday night at Anne S. Hunnicutt Stadium.
All three of Jones' touchdowns were scored in the first half as the Tigers took a 35-0 lead into the break. Eddy, making his debut as Princeton's head coach, pulled his starters early in the third quarter.
Princeton outgained Shady 450-181 in total offense.
"This was a fun game," Eddy said. "We did some things that were good. We got a lot of kids in the game. It was a positive attitude, a positive situation. We know what we've got to clean up. We're all aware of it. We're going to work on it as a staff and clean it up."
Eddy was probably referring to penalties, which plagued the Tigers all night. They had three long touchdowns nullified by holding calls, and two players were ejected after unsportsmanlike conduct penalties.
Princeton on those drives anyway, but Eddy knows it needs to be addressed.
"I don't know where that came from," he said. "The first scrimmage game, none. In the second scrimmage we had some problems. Tonight we had some problems. So we have to work on our mental focus, and that's my fault as the head coach."
Jones, a 5-foot-11, 190-pound senior, scored on runs of 53, 11 and 20 yards.
Princeton (1-0) led 14-0 with 7:04 left in the first quarter and had only one offensive play. Jared Hamm ran back a punt 96 yards for their first touchdown with 10:20 on the clock.
After Princeton sacked Shady quarterback Jarod Cline for a turnover on downs, Jones cut through the defense for a 53-yard score on the ensuing drive's first play.
"I liked it and I think everybody liked it," Jones said. "We had a strong start and finished strong. We called the right plays on defense. Everything, I thought, was good. We had our penalties, but that's something we've got to work on in practice."
The Princeton defense sacked Cline three times, and Tyler Whitt had an interception in the end zone.
Shady (0-1) had its chances to stay close in the first half. Three of its drives went into Princeton territory — one at the 1-yard line after a spectacular leaping catch by Keith Sexton — but they all resulted in no points.
After Sexton's catch, a false start slowed the drive, which ended with Princeton's Isaiah Edwards blocking a field goal attempt.
Sexton suffered a shoulder injury after his catch and missed the rest of the game.
"We pulled out some tricks that got them excited and threw the ball pretty good," Shady coach Vince Culicerto said. "The line gave us some time and we had them a little off kilter there. When Sexton got hurt that kind of put a damper on what we like to do and put a limit on us a little bit."
Kevin Phillips, who had 94 yards on just four carries, scored on a 40-yard run halfway through the second quarter.
Junior Je'Nye Hearn scored twice, from 23 and 50 yards, in the third quarter to close the scoring.
Cline completed 8 of 24 passes for 68 yards.
Princeton hosts Mercer County rival Bluefield next Friday.
"One of the premier programs in the country," Eddy said. "I have a ton of respect for them and it's an honor to play a great program like them. We'll see how we compete."
Shady will welcome Logan to H.B. Thomas Field.
"We're not going to think about this too long. We can't," Culicerto said. "We're going to work on what we can fix. As a team, we're not happy. We just got beat 48-0. Come Monday we're going to be ready to roll. This one's past us and get ready for the next game. That's what you've got to do."
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