JACKSONVILLE-If you haven't heard of the name Javon Bell, perhaps you have now. As Bell, a senior wide receiver single handly helped Ribault stun host First Coast 27-25 at the Battle Ground for their first win over their Northside rivals since 2002.
Javon Bell had three touchdowns including the game winner with .21 seconds left.
Bell opened and closed the game with touchdowns helping the Trojans establish early momentum and finish the deal.
After seeing First Coast take their first and only lead of the game with 50.8 seconds left in the game, Ribault looked to Bell again for another huge play.
Junior quarterback Damien Fleming somehow connected with Bell for a 53-yard completion as Bell out jumped three defenders before being pushed out the 22-yard line. A play later, Bell again out leaped two defenders for a 22-yard touchdown and 27-25 lead with 21.2 seconds left.
"That's that 42-inch vertical, anytime we need a first down or score we go to Bell,"
Ribault head coach Anthony Flynn said.
A high energized Bell knew the importance of the game tonight and commented on the smaller 2A school beating the 5A school.
"This feels good, we just beat a 5A team, a lot of people didn't think we would win tonight," Bell said. "I had three guys on me and the corner knocked it down right into my hands."
Offensive coordinator Aaron Austin also commented on Bell's performance and abilities.
"These kids never say die, Bell is the best receiver in the state hands down, if he continues to work hard the accolades and scouts will come to him," Austin stated.
The final drive was an indication of what Bell did on the night, finishing with 212 yards on 7 catches and three touchdowns.
Following a downed kickoff at the 20-yard line, on the first play of the game, senior quarterback Malik Jackson, checked off at the line of scrimmage and called an audible.
"The called play was a dive play but Malik noticed they were covering Javon one on one and he called an audible to the best receiver in the state. Malik made a good throw also. " Flynn said.
Jackson placed a sharp pass to Bell at the 50, Bell cut left to elude the lone defender and raced untouched down the sideline untouched for a 80-yard touchdown catch just seconds into the game giving the Trojans an early 7-0 lead.
When Bell wasn't burning First Coast on offense he was pinning them back inside the red zone with several booming punts consisting of 73, 33, 55, 37, 54 and 55yards.
First Coast senior defensive end Tavaris Barnes, an FSU commit, sacked Jackson for a one yard loss forcing the Trojans to punt three plays later.
Bell's first punt of 73 yards was downed at the 6 after the Bucs failed to send a guy back and appeared to not attempt to block the punt.
On First Coast third possession of opening quarter they put a solid drive together as senior quarterback Sammy Crawford (14 of 33 for 178 yards) hit junior receiver Kenneth Myers for a 29-yard gain bringing them to midfield. Crawford's 11-yard run and off sides on Ribault on an ensuing play put the Bucs inside the 25; however a high snap over Crawford's head the first of several errant snaps put the Bucs 15 yards back and a punt.
Tavaris Barnes recorded a sack and held Ribault to 74 total yards rushing in the loss
After a quick three and out on Ribault next drive, Bell boomed another punt 55 yards down to the 10 where senior tailback Daron White picked up the loose ball and found a hole returning it 55 yards back to the ten before Bell made a touchdown saving tackle.
Three plays later, Crawford rolled left and hit junior tailback Eric Beverly for a 7-yard score tying the game at 7-7 with 6:53 left in the second quarter.
Ribault didn't waste any time retaking the lead, just three plays later as junior receiver AC Leonard, a Palatka transfer, out jumped two defenders and raced 51-yards for a score giving the Trojans a 13-7 lead with 5:00 left in the second quarter.
Bell's 54 yard punt downed at the seven with under a minute left in the half put the Bucs in another bind forcing Crawford to take a knee and trail 13-7 at the half.
A quick three and out by the Bucs on their opening possession of the second half helped the Trojans go to work quickly.
Having rotated both Fleming and Jackson throughout the game (who combined to go 12 of 22 for 284 yards), Flynn went with Fleming on the first drive of the third quarter.
Fleming connected with Leonard for a 9-yard gain and then scrambled 27 yards on a short sneak popping outside the pocket for a big gainer putting them at the 43-yard line. Fleming hit Bell for a 19-yard completion putting them inside the 24 and again to Bell on a 24-yard fade route for a score in which he out jumped three defenders for a 20-7 lead with 6:35 left in the third quarter.
One of the two lone mistakes Bell made on the night came when a punt late in the third quarter sailed off the side of his foot giving the Bucs great field possession at the 39-yard line.
Crawford connected with senior receiver Jordan Heard for a 9 and 12 yard catches on back-to-back plays moving the Bucs inside the 13-yard line. As the drive moved into the fourth quarter, Beverly took a handoff from Crawford on the first play of the fourth quarter to the 1-yard line.
In shotgun formation, another high snap sailed over Crawford 's head as Crawford was dropped back at the 16-yard line. However, Crawford rebounded to hit Beverly for a 15-yard gain down to the 1-yard line, an incomplete pass set up a fourth and one from the 1-yard line. Crawford's fade pass intended for sophomore receiver Chris Black was swatted away denying the Bucs a score.
Despite the hold, Ribault wasn't out of danger yet backed up at their own 1-yard line and was held to a three and out series. Bell jumped up high and prevented a safety on a high snap play and pinned a 55-yard punt downed at the 35.
Three plays later, Crawford hit Black for 28-yard completion and followed with a 10-yard completion to Myers putting the Bucs at the 2-yard line. Three plays later, Beverly bulldozed his way in for his second score of the night cutting the lead to 20-13 with 4:34 remaining.
A bad snap on the point after attempt by kicker Thomas Gill, prevented the Bucs from getting one point closer.
Bell dropped a sure first down on third down a few plays later, forcing another Ribault punt. His ensuing punt was partially blocked by Justin Osborne and picked up by a teammate and returned to the 20-yard line with 2:34 left in the game.
Crawford's fourth down and 14 pass to Myers just reached the first down marker by an inch to the 11-yard line. Beverly took an inside handoff from Crawford and raced 11-yards on the next play cutting the lead to 20-19. However another bad snap on the point after attempt by Gill prevented him from tying the game with 1:39 left in the game.
First Coast recovered the onside kick catching Ribault sleeping at midfield. Beverly rumbled 10-yards and Crawford scrambled for 27 yards on the first two plays of the drive putting the Bucs at the 18-yard line.
Faced with third and 11, Crawford connected with Black for a 15-yard gain down to the 5-yard line. Beverly went in standing up from 5-yards out for his third score giving the Bucs their first and short lived lead of the night at 25-20 with 50.8 seconds left in the game after Hill's point after attempt sailed wide right.
A week ago, First Coast saw themselves stumble to nationally ranked host Camden County as the Wildcats surprised the Bucs with a 41-yard Hail Mary touchdown pass on the final play of the game for a 30-24 win.
You had to think that was still fresh in the mind of those players who began to prematurely celebrate on the sideline after taking their first lead over Ribault with less than a minute remaining.
Flynn and several Trojans coaches were at last week's First Coast game and witnessed firsthand what happened.
"We feel like we have a lot of playmakers that make plays," Flynn stated, "First Coast didn't give up last week and tonight, we finished tonight though."
First Coast (0-2) will host Ed White (1-0), a 37-22 winner over host Raines next week while Ribault hosts Sandalwood (2-0) a surprising 14-13 winner over arch-rival Fletcher, both next Friday.
No comments:
Post a Comment