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The Johnson County Trojans (8-0)
traveled down Highway 15 to Soperton on Friday for a game against the Treutlen Vikings
(3-4). The Trojans took the lead on their first possession and never
trailed on the way to a 42-22 victory. The score could have been much
worse. JOCO lost four fumbles, two deep in Treutlen territory as they
were about the score. Also, Treutlen scored their final eight points
with 17 seconds remaining. This stretches the Trojans streak to seven
consecutive wins over the Vikings. With the win JOCO has secured the
#1 seed from Region 3-A West.
JOCO took the opening drive 50
yards for their first touchdown. D. J. Rozier went the final four
yards for the score. It looked like Treutlen might even the score just
a few minutes earlier. After holding the Vikings the Trojans fumbled
the punt, setting Treutlen up at the Johnson 20. However, the Trojan
defense forced the Treutlen offense to turn the ball over on downs.
The Trojans proceeded to march 82 yards in 12 plays to tally their second
score. D. J. Rozier hit Zack Walker with a 12 yard touchdown pass.
After the two teams exchanged punts Treutlen got their first score of the
game. R. J. Dennard hit Devonte Pierce from 34 yards out to get the
Vikings on the board. JOCO would come right back down the field,
though. With 55 seconds remaining in the half D. J. Rozier hit
Shamarko Brown over the middle from 23 yards out to stretch the lead back to
two touchdowns at the half.
To start the second half Alex
Allen laid down a perfect onside kick that the Trojans recovered on the
Treutlen 42. D. J. Rozier finished off the drive with a 10 yard run.
Alex Allen laid down another great onside kick but a Trojan player touched
the ball a couple of feet before it went 10 yards. Treutlen took
advantage of the good field position. They went 49 yards in 9 plays
with Devonte Pierce getting the touchdown pass from R. J. Dennard from 7
yards out. JOCO drove the ball to a first and goal at the Truetlen six
but fumbled the ball to the Vikings on the next play. After holding
the Vikings, a bad snap on the punt led to a short kick. A personal
foul set the Trojans up in even better territory. However, on the
first play of the fourth quarter the Trojans fumbled the ball back to the
Vikings. After an exchange of punts and a fourth down stop by the JOCO
defense the Trojans would mount their fifth scoring drive of the game.
JOCO went 53 yards on 5 running plays, with D. J. Rozier going the final
nine, to take a 35-7 lead. JOCO would stretch the lead a little
further as the Trojans defense finally got a turnover of their own.
Jakari Bridges intercepted a Dennard pass at the Treutlen 47 and returned it
34 yards down to the Treutlen 13. Nigel Bacon got the touchdown from
four yards out with 2:58 remaining. Treutlen took the ball 64 yards in
8 plays to tally their last meaningless touchdown.
The Trojans were led by the usual
suspects. D. J. Rozier finished with 119 yards rushing and 138 yards
passing. Glendarrius Darrisaw finished with 90 yards rushing on 13
carries. Zack Walker caught 7 passes for 77 yards and Shamarko Brown
caught 4 passes for 61 yards. Despite giving up 22 points the Trojans
defense played good. They held the Treutlen passing game in check for
most of the game. R. J. Dennard ended up with 202 yards passing but 62
came on their last drive. Also, Dennard came into the game completing
just over 60% of his passes. The Trojans only allowed a 43% completion
rate for the Viking quarterback. Devonte Pierce caught his usual
numbers of passes but for only 61 yards (less than 8 yards per catch).
Pierce had been averaging almost 18 yards per catch. In the second
half Pierce was mostly non-existent as he caught four passes for a grand
total of 3 yards. Treutlen also managed only 46 yards rushing against
that tough Trojan defense.
The Trojans get a much needed off
week this week before returning home for a game against the Montgomery
County Eagles. After that game the Trojans will host the #4 team from
Region 3-A East in the region play-in game. Barring an upset that will
be a rematch with Calvary Day.
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