For the second game of the season, Cartersville again played at home on August 25th, against the Jonesboro Cardinals. Beginning late, and ending even later, the game was marked by injuries, timeouts, and exhaustion as temperature climbed far enough to cause mandatory water breaks. Despite the pain, Cartersville pushed through for a 24 – 13 win in the face of Jonesboro’s aggressive defense.
Cartersville began the game with a play of football wizardry. On the first snap from the 43-yard, QB Nate Russell hands off to Jamauri Brice, who casually sent the ball downfield to Kendrick Price, who took off to the endzone, nabbing the Canes a 67-yard touchdown only seconds into the game. Kicker Ryan Johnson then brought the team an extra point and the first of many kickbacks for the turnover.
Unlike Cartersville’s, Jonesboro’s possession did not begin well. Their QB was flushed out and made an incomplete pass. Deciding they couldn’t hold the ball long, Jonesboro’s next plays ran up the middle, making it to 1st down on the next two plays. But Cartersville adapted quickly. No yards gained over the next snaps as the Canes repeatedly pushed through the Cardinal’s lines. Two Hurricanes did slam into each other as they both went for the same player, leaving each other grounded worryingly. After that, a Jonesboro player was helped off the field, being the first of many injuries. Possession returned to Cartersville.
Cartersville’s first snap was met with an aggressive defense and negative yardage. In fact, possession was almost lost after an incomplete pass was caught and then fumbled by a Cardinal. Russell compensated on the next snap with a pass to Baylon Long who, with the help of the O-Line, made it to 1st down on the 35-line. A penalty was thrown on the Canes, but the next play achieved 1st down regardless. With Cartersville gaining momentum, Jonesboro chose to get aggressive, and slung Richard Houston down near the 20. Despite that, Houston carried the ball to 1st down. Fortunately for the Cardinal’s the Canes lost momentum, with their possession ending with an incomplete pass and then a missed snap.
The Cardinals couldn’t make any gains, with Jamauri Brice forcing negative yards. Cartersville continued to flush out the QB and Jonesboro’s possession ended quickly, with a faux followed by a real punt to the 50-yard line.
Cartersville shrugged off Jonesboro’s roughness and kept hammering. Immediately, Lando took hit after hit, but gained 9-yards. Houston then pounded through on the next snap for 1st down. Carterville was given a flag for early movement, but they kept moving, with Houston carrying a few Jonesboro players to gain yardage. With Cartersville approaching their endzone, the second quarter began.
Despite a no-gain play, a penalty on Jonesboro pushed the Canes up 5 yards. With reassured airs, Russell passed to Jamari for a 20-yard touchdown, with Ryan Johnson adding the extra point.
Another kickback, and Jonesboro began on the 25. Their offense proved incapable of reaching 1st down in the face of Cartersville’s burgeoning linemen and were forced to punt on the 4th down.
Cartersville’s O-line maintained their reputation of absolutely bollocking anyone in their way, with Luke Surrett bulldozing enough Jonesboro player for Lando to gain four yards. But Jonesboro decided to meet their effort, as Cartersville next two plays were inconsequential with Russell being flushed out and pinned before getting the ball off. After letting the play clock almost run down, Cartersville punted on the 4th down. Oddly, the Jonesboro player who caught the ball, signaled for a fair catch, but took off anyways. He was soon pancaked by three Hurricanes.
On the first play of their possession, Jonesboro ran their ball up the side, with a thick cover for a few yards. Another injury resulted from the heavy hitting, this time befalling Tay Carter of the Canes. The focus of Jonesboro’s plays shifted to the center, which proved to be a mistake. Cartersville’s line barreled into the Cardinals hard enough to prompt a timeout. Jonesboro chose to punt on the 4th and the ball went to the Canes.
The next possession was marked with rough playing. A gainless snap ended with Long being shoved after the whistle and the Canes being shifted back. The O-Line swung in and Long flew for 8-yards behind a wall of Malachi Toliver and Luke Surrett. But the heat seemed to be exciting Cartersville, as they were tossed a flag for early movement before the next snap. Unable to meet 1st down over the ensuing plays, Cartersville punted. Again, a Jonesboro player signaled for fair catch but still ran, only to be demolished and toss the ball, which was caught by the Canes. What should have been at least a penalty or turnover was ignored by the referees and possession turned over.
Jonesboro’s possession yielded nothing despite their best efforts getting them close to a touchdown.
The exhaustion of the heat was getting to both teams at this point, because after gaining yards and then losing them on a penalty, Russell lost the ball and Cardinal Justin Hill nabbed the skin. Though Hill got to feel what it’s like to be slung by Tay Cochran.
Halftime brought both teams a reprieve of air conditioning and Jonesboro’s halftime show made the case that the Cardinal’s budget goes mostly to snare drums instead of football sleds.
Cartersville’s defense pummeled through, and continued the game’s trend of short possessions, as Jonesboro overshot their throws and did not make 1st down.
On the offense again, Cartersville found energy after halftime to move the ball snap after snap, with Lando diving and rolling, and Houston taking the ball to 1st down twice. After a timeout, the Canes were close enough to the endzone for Long to flank right easily and score another touchdown, bringing the score to 14 – 0 after the extra point.
Jonesboro seemed weary, as their play clock ran down and they received a penalty. The team did make some significant plays however; at one point QB Weinman rolled and made a 14-yard gain. Despite this, the Defense played rough enough to keep the ball a yard shy of 1st down, and a fumble gave Cartersville possession.
Jonesboro’s defense swept against Cartersville, as a second QB was put in and shortly replaced again by Russell. The personnel shift did little, as overshoots kept Cartersville from reaching 1st down.
Cardinal Lucious Murray slid past the Defense and had to be stopped by Turner Abernathy, who responsibly decimated the Cardinal out of bounds and into cheerleaders. One wonders if Abernathy was trying to get the player a date. The rest of the defense seemed inspired by Abernathy, as a lineman forced Weinman down and caused an incomplete. Jonesboro was perhaps shaken by the pancaking, as bad snaps, illegal procedures and incomplete passes wrecked the Cardinals, and sent possession to the Canes.
Their possession began well, with Baylon making a 4-yard gain immediately, but on the next snap, Jonesboro’s entire defense swept onto Baylon, appeared to yank the ball out of his hands, and in some dazzling blood curdling action made a 55-yard touchdown. The Cartersville side erupted into shouts and chaos broke across the gridiron. Coach Foster contested the touchdown but that only lead to a 15-yard penalty on the Canes.
In the shadow of this interception, Cartersville did not fare well. The Hurricanes were burned by a violent defense, which pulled down Lando on the last snap of the third quarter. The fourth quarter began in angst as Cartersville met a wall on their run. A weary fear took hold as Jonesboro intercepted and spun around to score another touchdown. A Canes’ helmet went flying as they tried to stop the run, but to no avail—the score board read 21 – 13.
With Jonesboro snapping at their heels Cartersville began moving hard. Charles Taylor broke the line and raced to the 43 line, all the way from the 20. Lando came in next, slashing his way up to 1st down. The ball switched between Houston and Lando over the next few plays, and the duo played up the field all the way to the 2-yard line. Despite the seemingly unstoppable momentum, all this occurred between timeout after timeout. Taking so much time but maintaining forward velocity is a testament to Cartersville’s skill. Presciently, Foster took a delayed game penalty, allowing Cartersville to kick for a three-point conversion with a little more room. Cartersville could breathe easier as the score gap opened to 24 – 14.
A touchback kept Jonesboro on their toes, as they began to fight up the field. The game had gone on too long, and Jonesboro could not keep up. Their offense slowed, with the line taking time between trivial snaps. The Cardinals almost rallied but their ball was intercepted. Another breath of fresh air for Cartersville.
The Hurricanes made few moves, playing a safe game, trying to run the clock down. But the heat had worn on them as well, with a fumble almost causing an upset. The 4th down came quick, and Cartersville kicked the ball with 1:46 remaining.
Jonesboro played their final possession with dignity, but Cartersville kept the pressure on. The sweat seemed to rise off the turf in the late-night heat as the clock approached zero. With 8 seconds left, the players settled in for the final snap. Jonesboro connected on a pass, and the clock hit zero. 24 – 13, Cartersville.
An exhausting game just to watch, an even more exhausting game to have played in. Cartersville proved smarter with their plays, and capable of going just a little harder in the heat. The extra-pain of summer conditioning pushed them just far enough. Hopefully, this little extra skill goes a long way in the rest of the season.
