Patriots adsorb key Class 7A, Region 4 loss for homecoming
Undefeated Austin returns to Madison City Stadium this week for a Region showdown with James Clemens
MADISON – Bob Jones absorbed the first haymakers thrown by Austin, but the Patriots couldn’t overcome the knockout punch that came in the waning minutes Friday night.
A 42-28 Black Bears victory at Madison City Schools Stadium left them staring at a Class 7A, Region 4 showdown for league supremacy in this same venue against James Clemens, while the Patriots fight for their postseason fate when they travel to Albertville.
Bob Jones senior running back Samuel Monroe stoically laid out plans for the Patriots to succeed as they came out of the fourth turn headed toward the checkered flag of a regular season ending with region games against the Aggies and Huntsville.
Monroe’s recipe included one key ingredient – consistency.
“We can’t turn back the clock,’’ he added. “We’ve got to focus on getting better these next two games.’’
Bob Jones trailed 21-7 before charging back to make it 21-all at halftime. The Patriots later trailed by seven in the final minutes and were driving toward a potential game-tying score before senior Kenneth Joshua intercepted a pass on fourth-and-three and returned it 74 yards to the 1-yard line. Joshua, who along with senior Gavin Fuqua scored two rushing TDs, went in on the next play for the 42-28 final with 1:36 remaining.
“I thought our guys fought hard, man,’’ Patriots head coach Kelvis White said. “They jumped out two touchdowns on us. But we just gotta find a way to get some big stops and continue to score points. We just gotta go back to work and get ready for Albertville.’’
The game was played well into a cool-ish fall night. The back-and-forth action was twice stopped by long delays. The first came during a 40-minute halftime featuring school hall of fame/homecoming presentations. The second was a 20-minute stop when Fuqua was stretchered off the field and taken by ambulance to the hospital with an undisclosed injury as what one Austin official called a “precaution.’’
Bob Jones (4-4 overall, 2-3 in Region 4) is part of a hazy playoff picture. Austin (7-0, 5-0) is followed by James Clemens (5-2, 4-1) in the standings. Next in the chase for four postseason berths are Florence (3-4, 3-2), Bob Jones, Sparkman (4-4, 2-3), Huntsville (4-3, 2-3), Grissom (2-5, 1-4) and Albertville (0-7, 0-5).
“We’re just trying to get in right now,” White said. “It’s jumbled up, but all we can do is control our own destiny.’’
Bob Jones got two TD receptions by Rhys Dorsey, another one from Malachi Foster and a 1-yard run by Monroe. Quarterback Johnny Jackson tossed two TD passes.
