Balla Camara runs for Bob Jones in jamboree action
(PHOTO CONTRIBUTED/TAMMIE STEPHENSON)

MADISON- It was just a preseason jamboree game but fans from Madison and Muscle Shoals packed both the home and visitors sides of Madison City Schools Stadium to get a first look at their football teams.

In two quarters plus a series in the third quarter, Bob Jones starters led 21-16 before retiring.

The Bob Jones offense scored touchdowns the first time they had the ball and the last time but in between were enough miscues to have head coach Kevin Rose fuming.

The mistakes included an interception deep in their own territory, a penalty that wiped out a first-down run, a personal foul penalty that gave Muscle Shoals a fresh set of downs and ultimately a touchdown, a blocked extra point, a safety allowed, and a punt return allowed for a touchdown (that was called back).

“Defensively we did a lot of good things but we didn’t do a good job of getting off the field on third down. We had two 15-yard penalties that extended drives and resulted in touchdowns. There is no excuse for the penalties, both after we had stops,” Rose said.

”Offensively we stopped ourselves three times with a holding penalty, a safety, and an interception so we got to get away from that.”

The Bob Jones offense scored on their first series as quarterback Jeremy Frye hit Derek Marion for a 12-yard touchdown pass. Miles Strickland got the offense going with a 38 yard run to set up the touchdown.

Frye completed four of seven passes for72 yards and three touchdowns. But he was intercepted on an overthrown pass deep in Patriot territory. He also completed a pass to Jonathan Moss in his own end zone that resulted in a safety.

Bob Jones went up two scores when Frye and Jonathan Rice hooked up on a 28 yard touchdown pass. The extra point attempt by Matt Stephenson was blocked.

Muscle Shoals led 16-15 at the half after a touchdown run set up by a personal foul penalty on Bob Jones.

Frye closed the scoring in the third quarter with a 32 yard touchdown pass and run to Deondre Douglas.

Rose said he was glad he elected for this game to be a jamboree instead of a regular season game.

“That is why we play jamborees and play quality opponents so they can expose you in some area so we can go back and get better before the season starts,” Rose said.

New faces on defense got extensive action. Among those making plays were Jack Galloway, Jeffery Benton, and Demarcus Clark.

Backup players played the third and fourth quarters. Muscle Shoals came out ahead 28-9 in that action. Bob Jones game up two touchdowns on high punt snaps.

Bob Jones opens the season against Decatur next Friday night at MCCS Stadium. Decatur defeated Homewood 13-10 in a regular season game.