Weather toughest opponent in pre-season games

By Robert Carter

The North Jefferson News




As local high schools played — or tried to play — their traditional pre-season jamboree games, the toughest opponent turned out to be one not wearing helmets or pads.

Thunderstorms played havoc with the schedule, forcing three of the five games to be postponed, and another cancelled altogether.

In the end, most players finally got a chance to hit somebody not on their own team, and get ready when the season begins in earnest later this week.



Mortimer Jordan 0, Pinson Valley 0

The Blue Devils had two touchdowns wiped out by penalties, and a short field goal attempt that followed one of them sailed wide right, as the Blue Devils played the Indians to a scoreless tie in two quarters of varsity play Saturday.

Marquis Dobbs’ run for a touchdown was brought back by a holding penalty, and a scoring pass from Blake Renshaw to Skylar Myrick was nullified because Myrick was not on the end of the offensive line, and therefore an ineligible receiver.

An interception by Jordan Thomas with 11 seconds to play kept Pinson off the scoreboard. A hail-Mary pass by Renshaw on the final play fell incomplete.

Still, Jordan coach Greg Watts was pleased with his team’s effort.

“I thought they showed some togetherness out there, which they haven’t done in the past,” Watts said. “They seemed like they were enjoying themselves. Our offense showed promise.”

The jamboree was postponed from Friday night because of storms.



Gardendale 14, Hewitt-Trussville 6

The Rockets overcame an opening-drive 26-yard touchdown pass from Brett Miller to Hunter Johnson to win the two-quarter scrimmage.

On a trick play, Dallas Tidwell passed to a wide open Ja’Micheal Willis for a 70-yard touchdown strike.

Willis later scored on a direct snap, which he took 60 yards for the score.

“We got exactly what we wanted to do. We got do some things full speed,” said coach Chris Fancher. “We did a lot good things and a lot of bad things that we need to correct. Tonight was about learning.”

Gardendale thwarted another threat when they stopped the Huskies’ drive on the 1-yard line, thanks to a sack by Casey Carroll.

Mark Monosky



Lawrence County 35, Hayden 14

Quarterback Reese Butts ran for two touchdowns in the final four minutes of the full-length game, but by that time the Wildcats were already down 35-0.

Red Devils quarterback John Thomas Louallen threw two touchdown passes and ran for another.

Robert Bradford



Montevallo 21, Fultondale 12

The Wildcats got a touchdown catch from Deaundrea Marshall and another score on a Chris Barber run, but that wasn’t enough to stop the Bulldogs, in a jamboree that was postponed from Thursday to Friday.



Vinemont at Corner, cancelled

Thunderstorms forced Thursday’s jamboree to be postponed until Friday, then more storms that night finally forced Corner to call the game off entirely.