FOOTBALL: Johnson County eclipses Montgomery County, improves to 2-0

WRIGHTSVILLE – Johnson County stayed in peak early-season form Friday night as it managed another non-region test, beating Montgomery County 38-7 in the Blue Monster. 

The Trojans made an impression not only running the ball, but also throwing it for two touchdowns as their defense scored once, and kept the Eagles silent until late in the game. 

“Our kids were on tonight,” said JoCo head coach Don Norton. “They did well, and probably one of the best things I saw tonight was a lot of unselfish people. When you have that, where they are arguing about who wants to block for each other rather than carry the ball to go score, and they’re taking more pride in blocking for their teammates, you’ve got a chance to be OK.” 

Montgomery County received the opening kickoff, but the Trojans held them to four plays. 

Johnson County, likewise, didn’t move the ball against the Eagles on its first drive, and Will Peebles punted.

On the next, play Dewayne Abrams recovered a Montgomery County fumble on the Eagle 22 with 7:17 left in the quarter  

Kelsey Waters ran for six. Tayshawn Norris ran for four. Corey King ran for seven. Then Jeremiah Taylor ran for the 5-yard touchdown with 5:42 remaining in the first. The kick failed but the Trojans were up 6-0. 

“We started off fast and strong,” Taylor said. “The first drive wasn’t what we wanted, but we ended up being able to adjust from it and do what we thought we could do.” 

On the third play of the next drive, Scott picked off an Eagle pass and the Trojans got possession on the MoCo 43.

Scott rushed for two. Norris ran for six.  King ran for five, then 11 on the next play. Waters had the 19-yard touchdown. With Peebles’ kick, the JoCo’s lead moved to 13-0.

With a minute to go in the quarter, Nathan Turberville connected with Norris on a 62-yard touchdown pass. The kick failed, but the Trojans extended the lead to 19-0. 

There was an Eagle fumble on the following kickoff. Scott scooped and scored, and the Trojans increased the lead to 25-0.

The big lead allowed Norton to give reps to younger players early in the game. 

Later in the first half, Chance Wombles threw his first varsity touchdown pass. Cory King had the  68-yard reception. The kick was good, and the score was 32-0 with 6:20 to go until halftime. 

Wombles praised the offensive line, the backs, the defense and the coaches.

“The coaches taught us everything we needed to know, and we just did our thing tonight,” he said. 

The second half had a running clock. 

Jacaden Webb ran in a 46-yard touchdown with 7:46 left in the third. After the kick failed, the score was 38-0. 

Late in the game, Montgomery County scored on a 54-yard run. With the point-after the score was 38-7. 

Johnson County had 362 yards total offense, and 130 passing. 

The Eagles had only 85 total: 95 passing with negative rushing.

Jeremiah Scott was the Trojans’ leading rusher with eight carries for 87 yards. Jacaden Webb had three attempts for 61. 

Cory King and Tayshawn Norris led the tackling with three each. 

Johnson County (2-0) will take its unbeaten record on the road for the first time as it visits Warren County this Friday.