Mavericks run past Narrows 33-8
James Monroe (33) vs. Narrows (8)
Written: Aug 25, 2012
By TOM BONE
Bluefield Daily Telegraph
LINDSIDE — Micah Deskins ran for 131 yards and two touchdowns, John Mustain picked off a pair of crucial interceptions, and the James Monroe Mavericks sloshed through the Narrows Green Wave for a 33-8 win to launch the season on Friday night.
It has become a tradition for James Monroe to start the season by playing their neighbors from the New River Valley, to whom they have never lost in school history. Last season the Mavericks hung a 34-6 defeat on Narrows, one of only two wins for the Mavs.
James Monroe head coach said there was no comparison between the last two meetings. He said Narrows was better than last year, "but last season we weren't nearly as dominant as we were tonight."
"I was pleased that we played with a little bit of emotion," he said. "This is a total different atmosphere to what has been here the last couple of years. I was real pleased with that."
The Mavericks compiled 331 yards of total offense and 99 yards of that was through a passing game under the direction of sophomore quarterback Reed McNeer.
Jackson said he kept the offense "pretty simple" for his new starter. "He made some real nice reads out there," the coach said. "He's coming along. He'll be a nice quarterback down the road."
Deskins, a 195-pound runner commencing his senior year, already has been down the road a bit.
Jackson said, "Micah had a super game. He ran hard, and he showed pretty good speed."
After a first quarter in which neither team could get untracked, Deskins rambled through a big hole and dashed past defenders for a 35-yard score. The next possessions for Narrows and James Monroe both stalled, but a muffed punt by Narrows was pounced on by the Mavericks' Rasheed Lowe with 2:06 left before halftime.
The Mavericks cashed in two snaps later, as McNeer tossed the ball to senior tight end E.T. Weiss, who fought off a series of Narrows tacklers to make it to the end zone. Ryan Wickline's second PAT kick of the night gave the home squad a 14-0 halftime margin.
Jackson said, "We used a few more formations than we usually do. I thought we spread the field pretty good."
Regarding the trial-and-error first couple of series, he said, "We kind of pecked around for awhile, and then we kind of found a soft spot, and we were able to attack it with a different formation."
The Green Wave's first series of the second half ended with an interception by Mustain at the James Monroe 17. The Mavs depended on Deskins to move the ball during most of an 83-yard scoring drive, which Deskins capped off with a 9-yard run around left end.
Junior Brian Young to end the Mavericks' next possession, a six-play drive, for a 27-0 advantage.
Mustain ended Narrows' hold on the ball four plays later when he sped across the secondary and plucked off a pass, returning it 21 yards.
Jackson said, "Those were big plays. John made two nice plays out there."
James Monroe chewed up the clock in the fourth quarter with a nine-play offensive effort, ending with a 2-yard touchdown run by Shay Tomlinson, who ended the night with 20 yards on nine carries.
With less than three minutes left in the contest, Narrows drove downfield and got the night's final score. Quarterback Rodney Perdue found his favorite receiver, 6-foot-2 Chandler Burton, for a 28-yard aerial touchdown on a flag route with 1:25 left. Dustin Meadows ran across the two-point conversion.
Narrows junior Austin Lively was a defensive standout for the Green Wave. He said about playing the first game of the year, "It was actually really good to come out of practice and be able to hit somebody else."
He predicted wins ahead for Narrows, which lost its 14th straight football game. "We should do pretty good," he said.
Perdue passed for 116 yards on a 7 for 17 night. Burton caught three passes for 81 yards and Meadows had three receptions for 21.
Weiss had two catches for 72 yards to lead the Mavericks receivers.
The Mavericks visit Summers County next Friday night, while the Green Wave flows to Eastern Montgomery High School.
—Contact Tom Bone at tbone@bdtonline.com
At H.E. Comer Jr. Sports Complex
Narrows.....................................0 0 0 8 — 8
James Monroe.........................0 14 13 6 — 33
Second Quarter
JM - Micah Deskins 35 run (Ryan Wickline kick), 7:23
JM - E.T. Weiss 49 pass from Reed McNeer (Wickline kick), 1:16
Third Quarter
JM - Deskins 9 run (kick failed), 6:00\
JM - Brian Young 8 run (Wickline kick), 1:51
Fourth Quarter
JM - Shay Tomlinson 2 run (kick failed), 7:17
N - Chandler Burton 28 pass from Rodney Perdue (Dustin Meadows run), 1:25
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING -- Narrows, Trevor Hart 7-23, Zachary Skeens 2-8, Rodney Perdue 6-1, Dustin Meadows 7-41, Brandon Stowers 3-11, Tyler Evans 1-9. James Monroe, Micah Deskins 13-131, Shay Tomlinson 9-20, Brandon Carter 2-5, Reed McNeer 8-16, Jeffrey Lewis 10-50, Brian Young 1-8, Josh Dransfield 1-(-2), Robbie Thomas 2-4, Landon Shires 1-(-2).
PASSING -- Narrows, Perdue 7-17-116-1 TD-2 intc. James Monroe, McNeer 5-10-99-1 TD-0 intc., Dransfield 0-2-0-0-0.
RECEIVING -- Narrows, Burton 3-81, Meadows 3-21. James Monroe, E.T. Weiss 2-72, Deskins 1-1, Mustain 2-26.
TEAM STATISTICS
First downs, JM 16 N 7. Total yards offense JM 331, N 209. Rushes-yards JM 46-232, N 25-93. Passing yards JM 99, N 116. Attempts-completions-interceptions, JM 5-12-0, N 7-17-2. Punts-avg. JM 3-30.5, N 4-33.5. Penalties JM 9-77, N 10-87. Fumbles-recovered JM 2-02, N 6-5. KO returns JM 2-15, N 5-68. Punt returns JM 1-(-11), N 1-3.
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