By Scott Richards
CP Correspondent
The Caroline Cavaliers took a hard loss against the Jaguars of Glen Allen in the first game of the 2014 varsity football season last Friday night by a score of 34-10. Both teams had their workhorses, providing excitement throughout the contest.
For Caroline, senior Jaquan Monroe played the entire game going both ways, running the offense for the first half at quarterback and then playing wide receiver the second half and defensive back for the entire game. Glen Allen’s James Johnson got going late in the first half but proved to be the Jaguars’ top offensive player, running the ball 25 times for 209 yards and one touchdown.
Glen Allen broke the game open in the second half as they closed their scoring with 8:50 left in the game on a 15-yard touchdown run by Tyler Kidd. Greenhill’s failed kick left the score 34-10. At 9:23, just 33 seconds prior to Kidd’s scoring run, James Johnson scored on an 11-yard run with Greenhill’s PAT, making the score 28-10.
The only other score in the second half was a two-yard run by Dé Jour Braxton. Cole Blackman ran a two-point conversion, and the score at the end of three quarters of play was 21-10.
Glen Allen drew the first blood of the night scoring from two yards out on a run by Braxton. Greenhill’s kick gave the Jaguars a 7-0 lead. With time running out in the first half, Glen Allen quarterback Jeremy Lacy hit Garyson Middulla with a 12-yard touchdown pass. Greenhill’s kick failed, and both teams went into the locker room at halftime with the score Glen Allen 13, Caroline 10.
Caroline did all their scoring in the first half. After the first touchdown by Glen Allen, Monroe ran the kickoff back 90 yards for a score. Joel Tidman’s PAT evened the score at 7-7. In the second quarter with the ball on the one-yard line, a bad snap sent the Cavaliers back. Tidman added three points on a 30-yard field goal, giving Caroline their only lead of the game 10-7.
“These guys got tired because they were playing both ways,” commented Coach Antron Yates. “Jaquan (Monroe) was everywhere, but there wasn’t a chance for him to take a break.”
Yates mentioned the tiredness resulted in a lack of concentration and focus that caused them to miss the touchdown opportunity in the second quarter with one yard to go.
Glen Allen Coach Keylon Mayo spoke highly of James Johnson, stating, “He has worked hard all summer, and I have been waiting for him to be in condition to run like this.”
Jaquan Monroe remained the gutsy, tough competitor he has always been, with fire in his eyes, giving the comment that summed up the feeling among the Caroline Cavaliers: “We are going to get stronger.”
This week, Caroline travels to play Henrico High School.