Jags roll to season-opening victory
HUNTSVILLE -- Spain Park High School racked up 540 yards of total offense and the defense stayed stout en route to a season opening win over Huntsville, 52-21, Thursday night at Milton Frank Stadium.
The Jaguars' first-time starting quarterback Bennett Meredith went 15-of-20 with 391 passing yards and four touchdowns, spreading the ball around to five different receivers.
Spain Park head coach Shawn Raney said Meredith looked calm and collected in his first start leading the offense.
“Bennett, first game he’s ever started in high school,” Raney said. “There would probably be some nerves there and he didn’t show any. He came out slinging it.”
The Jaguars defense bent but did not break throughout the contest. The defense forced three turnovers and stood tall with four turnovers-on-downs, with two coming inside the 10-yard line.
Raney said the defense stepped up when the team needed it most.
“Our kids kept fighting,” he said. “We had some good goal-line stands. We gave up a lot of yards, but just to see your kids fight, if they’ll do that you got a chance. The other stuff we can get fixed.”
The Jaguars gave up 520 yards, but only 21 points to show for it. Jayst Dorion led the team in tackles with 8.5 on the night.
Spain Park wasted no time on offense, getting started with Meredith hitting Jaylen Ward on a 49-yard touchdown on the offense’s third play of the night.
Three minutes later, Justin Pegues scored on a 5-yard run to give the Jaguars an early 14-0 lead.
Huntsville answered one of the touchdowns with a 6-yard run courtesy of Trey Crutcher in the first quarter to cut the lead in half. Spain Park added a field goal when Drake Tabor booted a 42-yard field goal to extend the lead to 17-7.
After both teams turned the ball over, Spain Park forced another fumble near the end of the quarter to regain possession.
Pegues took advantage of the Huntsville mistakes and cashed in his second touchdown run of the night for the Jaguars. The offense kept its scoring ways when Meredith found Cooper Kelley over the middle for a 69-yard touchdown.
Crutcher found the end zone for Huntsville late in the second quarter, but after a Michael Ogletree interception, the Jaguars scored again. Meredith dumped a swing pass out to Pegues for a 6-yard score and a 38-14 lead.
Spain Park’s defense stood strong, making a goal-line stand to take a 38-14 lead into halftime.
Pegues took the opening play of the second half 78 yards to the 9-yard line to set up a pitch and catch from Meredith to David Moultry on a tunnel screen to extend the lead to 45-14.
At the end of the third quarter, the Jaguars forced another turnover on downs at their own 5-yard line to keep Huntsville from scoring.
T’Nazj Means scored with 7:49 remaining in the game to finish the Jaguars scoring. Carlin Long added to Huntsville’s total, but Spain Park earned the 52-21 season opening win.
Spain Park hosts Briarwood next Friday.
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