It was perhaps as perfect a beginning a new head football coach could receive from his football team.
By overcoming a 10 point first half deficit, the Gentry High Rams gave new Head Coach Tavares Johnson his first victory at his new school last Saturday night with their 24-22 defeat of the Greenville High Hornets.
Playing in front of a packed house on their home field, the Rams used a second half shutout spun by their defense and three touchdown passes from sophomore quarterback Joshujuan Townsend - two of which were caught by Reginald Bolden - to fuel their victory.
“I was most pleased with the team’s resolve to not quit when we were behind. They had to rise up and they did by executing better on both sides of the ball in the second half,” said Johnson.
“It was a very good game. The crowd was huge and both teams put on a show for them.”
With the 2017 season-opener now behind them, this Friday will find the Rams traveling to Port Gibson High School for a 7 p.m. non-regional clash.
In the first ever meeting between these two schools, the Rams will face a Blue Wave squad which also opened their season with a victory by way of a 24-6 decision over McComb High School.
A member of Region 7-3A, Port Gibson High completed last season with a 4-6 record and according to Gentry’s Johnson, “They own track speed all over the field. They mix it up well with their spread offense and have a dynamic quarterback who can take over a game with his arm and speed.”
As for last Saturday’s game versus the visiting 6A Hornets, the Rams found themselves down by a 14-6 margin after one period of play following a 17-yard touchdown pass from Townsend to Bolden.
Despite a 60-yard drive midway through the second quarter which ended with sophomore Tyler Edwards scoring on a three yard scoring run, the Hornets posted another eight points which sent the Rams to the dressing room at halftime down by a 22-12 score.
The tide of the game would change in the third frame, however, as the Rams’ defensive unit began to control the line of scrimmage and render the Hornets scoreless the remainder of the game.
Meanwhile, the Rams’ offensive unit responded as well as they began the teams’ scoring comeback with a 43-yard touchdown pass from Townsend to Bolden with 4:57 left in the third quarter.
Now down by a 22-18 score, the Rams would score what proved to be the game-deciding points early in the fourth quarter when Townsend connected with freshman Tre’shun Johnson on an eight-yard scoring toss.
With 11:15 still remaining in the game, the Rams’ defensive unit answered the call by continuing to deny the Hornets the end zone.
The net result was a season-opening victory for the Rams, who have already matched the win total earned last season.
Offensively in this game, the Rams rushed 33 times for 158 yards and Edwards led this portion of the attack with 16 rushes which netted 69 yards and a touchdown.
Through the air, Townsend completed nine of his 12 pass attempts for 131 yards and three touchdowns.
Bolden’s three catches totaled 82 yards and the pair of touchdowns while Kajarvus Williams pulled in two catches for another 15 yards of offense.
Defensively, the Rams were led by sophomore linebacker Armani Bell, who accumulated four tackles, two of which were for losses, and two sacks.
Also turning in an active night was Calvin Griffin with six tackles and Theon James, who recorded four tackles and a fumble recovery.
