Coming into the game winless, the Jacksonville Titans were quick to rectify the problem, to say the least.
The Titans scored two touchdowns on their first two running plays – in addition to Jeremy Kelley's 80-yard fumble return for a touchdown – setting the tone Friday night for a 36-14 victory over Watson Chapel in the Wildcats' homecoming game.
Jacksonville (1-4, 1-1 in 5A-Central) totaled 335 yards on 26 carries and had two players reach the century mark. Kentrell Thompson ran for three touchdowns and 168 yards on 12 carries. Martavius Casey bolted for 130 yards and a TD on nine carries.
"It's a struggle. Our kids' effort is there," Wildcats coach Jared Dutton said. "Our kids' want-to is there, and it's just not going our way. We're steadily losing kids. We had two get injured last week [at Pulaski Academy] and I don't know if I'll have them back. And then we lost two more early on this game."
Attrition has hit the Wildcats (0-4, 0-2) hard as they struggled to find an answer for the Titans' ground attack. With a thinned backfield due to injuries and a large number of players already spending time on offense and defense, the Wildcats relied heavily on junior Robert Brown, who registered 157 yards on 34 carries.
"It's one of those things where you've got to roll with who you got," Dutton said. "We've got to get healthy and we've got to find more depth. Nobody around here is quitting and nobody around here is not doing things right. It's one of those things where it's a perfect storm right now and we've just got to get healthy."
THE GAME CHANGED WHEN ...
Watson Chapel marched 49 yards in 10 plays down to the Jacksonville 20-yard line on the opening drive. On the 11th play, Kelley scooped up a fumble and returned it the other way to put the Titans on the board first at the 7:17 mark of the first quarter.
The Wildcats pulled within 7-6 after sophomore K.J. Ferguson ran a reverse 14 yards into the end zone, finishing a 55-yard drive that took off 6:03. But the two-point conversion failed, and the Wildcats never had a potential go-ahead drive again.
On Jacksonville's very first play from scrimmage, Thompson raced 53 yards to pad the lead to 14-6. After Watson Chapel was forced three-and-out, Casey then made himself known on a 62-yard sprint on just the Titans' second offensive play. The Wildcats' Lamar Jefferson blocked an extra-point attempt, but a penalty flag against the home team gave the Titans another shot, and Casey added two points with 10:53 to go before halftime.
The score remained 22-6 until Brown keyed an eight-play, 55-yard Wildcats drive and capped it with an 18-yard scamper.
The Titans scored twice in the fourth quarter. Thompson's 4-yard touchdown run finished a 90-yard drive at the 10:43 mark, and after a quick three-and-out for the Wildcats, he pulled a football version of a hat trick with a 72-yard on Jacksonville's next play from scrimmage.
Fullback Tyler Williams rushed seven times for 35 yards and quarterback Marquez Brentley completed five of 11 passes for 21 yards with an interception for Watson Chapel. Jacksonville, which attempted just one pass the entire game, outgained Watson Chapel 335-220 in total yards.
HOMECOMING NOTES
Jayla Johnson was crowned homecoming queen. Members of the Watson Chapel class of 2011 were in attendance. The 2010 team, quarterbacked by future Arkansas State University and University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff player Kyle Coleman, reached the 5A state semifinals.
THE GAME BALL GOES TO ...
Jacksonville's running backs, who outgained Watson Chapel's offense on about half as many carries as the Wildcats made51 for 199 yards.
NEXT UP ...
Watson Chapel will go into another bye week and host White Hall on Oct. 15. Jacksonville will host Maumelle Friday.
