WS Chronicle

The first quarter of the game between Mt. Tabor and Glenn was a sloppy one on both sides. Penalties and turnovers played a major role to open the game, but the Spartans got on track later, pulling out at 28-6 victory over the Bobcats.

Nerves and a few mistakes are to be expected in the first game of the season, especially on the JV level. The Spartans regrouped well and rode their stellar defense all the way to the finish line.

“Tonight wasn’t bad,” said Kedrick Carpenter, Mt. Tabor JV head coach. “At the end of the day, we have to polish up a few mental mistakes. We are young this year, normally we are used to having a good mix, but this year we have a lot of freshmen and we are just trying to teach them how to play football the Mt. Tabor way.”

The opening possession for both teams was not the way either squad wanted to begin the year. The Bobcats received the opening kickoff and promptly fumbled a few plays later. With good field position, the Spartans looked to get on the scoreboard early, but they too gave the ball away with an interception from quarterback Q. Deloach. 

Glenn was bit by the turnover bug once again as they fumbled on their next possession. This time, the Spartans capitalized on the miscue when running back Jayson Cowan scored on a run right up the gut to give Tabor an early 7-0 lead.

“We have to know what we are doing out there, because when you know what to do, you play a lot faster,” said Carpenter.

Mt. Tabor added to their lead when quarterback Samaj Reaves-Smith threw a 44-yard touchdown pass to Antwan Williamson, giving the Spartans a 14-0 lead late in the second quarter. On the ensuing kickoff, Tavian Wolfe returned the kickoff to trim the lead to 14-6 with 3:35 left in the half. Tabor held on to their slim 14-6 lead heading into the half.

Glenn struggled to get on track offensively all game. The defense from Mt. Tabor stifled much of what the Bobcats wanted to do with the ball. Even though the Bobcats lost the game, head coach Julius Reese Sr. was pleased with the effort his team played with all night.

“I’m just going to be honest, as long as they give me that winning effort, I’m cool,” Reese said. “I am not one of those coaches that’s going to bang them over the head, because I understand they are 15. We just have to get out there and get on the drawing board and practice, practice, practice.”

Tabor had possession of the ball after the half. They proceeded to go right down the field on a scoring drive.  Reaves-Smith connected with Justin Brunson for a 34-yard pass to get the Spartans down to the 11-yard line.  Reaves-Smith threw his second touchdown of the night when he found Kevin Cole for a short touchdown pass to go up 21-6.

Nasir Shipman added another score late in the third quarter when he ran it in from 3 yards out. With the score now 28-6, the Spartans used the ground game to run out the clock for the victory.

Carpenter said he was pleased with his team in all phases of the game. The mistakes his team made against Glenn will be cleaned up as the season progresses, he said. Carpenter is also the Spartan JV basketball head coach and preaches defense. As the first-year head coach of the JV football team, he wants to bring that same defensive intensity to the football team.

“Over here off of Polo Road it’s going to always be about defense, just flat out period point blank,” Carpenter continued. “We always believe that offense sells tickets and defense wins championships.”

According to Reese, he preaches “winning effort” in practice, because just effort alone is not good enough for him.  Reese feels his team will get better as the season goes along.