It was a valiant football effort by the Gentry High Rams on their home field last Thursday night.
However, when the final buzzer sounded, the Rams were forced to absorb a 19-8 loss to the still undefeated Holmes County High School Jaguars.
What made the loss harder to swallow was a Rams defensive effort which limited the Jaguars from Lexington to nearly half of their points-per-game scoring average.
“Our defense really played well,” said Gentry Head Coach Mario Young, “but turnovers just absolutely killed us.”
The loss moved the Rams’ record to a 4-4, 1-1 mark while Holmes County remained unbeaten with an 8-0, 2-0 record.
Suffering at least seven turnovers in this game, none were more damaging than an interception returned for a touchdown and a lost fumble inside the Rams’ 5-yard line; an opportunity which the Jaguars turned into a touchdown.
“The game could’ve been an 8-7 win for us without those two turnovers,” noted Coach Young. “It is tough, but we have to move on and try to finish at least second in the region.”
That “moving on” begins tonight when the Rams travel to Cleveland Central High School for another Region 2-5A match up against another team having a strong season.
The Wolves of Cleveland Central High School come into today’s 7 p.m. game owning a 6-2 record while matching the Rams’ 1-1 mark in regional play.
The Wolves’ regional loss was a 14-7 decision to Canton High School two weeks ago.
The only other blemish thus far on the Wolves’ season was a 38-34 midseason loss to Charleston High School.
Last week the Cleveland Central squad posted its first regional win with a 42-0 beating of Greenville High School.
Tonight’s game is the first-ever meeting between these two teams — in 2017 the two high schools in Cleveland were consolidated into its current one-school state.
In last Thursday’s loss to Holmes County, the Rams scored their lone touchdown of the night by way of a 24-yard sprint to the end zone by Jay Silas.
Jamarcus Turner then found the endzone on a successful two-point conversion run to complete the Gentry High scoring on the night.
