Jones, Jones & Johnson Lead Sponger to District Win

St. Petersburg, Fla. – Even Travis Failey could not keep Rick Sassone’s singing voice quiet from belting out… ‘Mr. Mr. Jones’ as the Tarpon Springs Spongers were enroute to a 31-7 drubbing of the Dixie Hollins Rebels at H. Bentley Lawson Stadium last night.  A game which feature all 38 points in the first half.

Arkell Jones and Damarkus Jones were in the face of Dixie Hollins and Senior QB Drew Boylson all night.  Boylson was chased, harassed and hit as the Spongers continued to  bring pressure time and time again.  The big play that turned the momentum to the Spongers for good was a Boylson fumble that was returned 18 yards for a TD by Arkell Jones.  At that time the score was 7-0 Spongers with the Rebels showing some offensive life moving the ball.  The Jones TD made it 14-0 and the Spongers never looked back.

As the Jones’ were the main antagonists for Boylson, Allen Wilson also spent time in the offensive backfield getting, well just plain offensive.  The Sponger defense was just plain impressive as a unit whether it was Patrick Miller, Eric Kehoe and even Daniel Saunders who came off the bench to lay a big smack on Boylson in the fourth quarter.

The Spongers scored on their opening drive when Montel Johnson ran the pigskin  in from the five with 9:04 left in the first quarter.  Louie Zrevos splits the uprights, 7-0 Spongers.

There was 3:14 left to in the first quarter when Boylson put the ball on the turf when Arkell Jones scooped it up and race 30 yards for the score, Louis Zervos  again splits the uprights, 14-0 Spongers.  This defensive TD would serve as the eventual game winner.

The Rebels get on the board with a QB sneak from Drew Boylson with 7:32 left in the first half as Bojan Skoplijak’s extra point made it 14-7.

Darmarkus Jones decided to get into the offensive side of things when he glided into the endzone for a TD from the five with 4:07 left to half, with the Zervos PAT the Spongers extend the lead to 21-7.

Then, with only 1:10 left in the half the Spongers have a 3rd and 10 when they execute a perfect screen pass to Montel Johnson.  Johnson  races   80 yards for pay dirt for his second TD of the game. Zervos is automatic 28-7 Spongers lead.

With :39 left to go in the half, after a penalty the Rebels have the ball on their 20 yard line with a 1st and 30 and would have been advsied to take a knee to the locker room.  Instead Drew Boylson looks deep down field and throws a pick as Dylan Bonstrop came back to the ball,  got it at its highest point  in great defensive back form.

After a screen pass completion to Zach Gibb, and a strong run by Montel Johnson the ball was at the 12 yard line.   After an incomplete pass in the end zone,  it was Zervos time.  Louie drilled the ball through the pipes for a 29 yarder as the clocked show all zeros.  31-7 Sponger halftime lead which was the eventual final score.

The three way Sponger of the game was voted…    Arkell Jones, Darmakus Jones and Montel Johnson.  Arkell Jones and Damarkus Jones lead the defense and scored 1 TD a piece while Montel Johnson provided the rest of the offense with 133 totals yards and two TDs,  one rushing and one receiving.  Michael Ford rushed for 104 yards on 14 carries.

The Spongers (3-1, 1-0) are home at Spongers Field Friday hosting the Northeast Vikings as the Rebels (0-4, 0-1) host the Clearwater Tornadoes at H. Bentley Lawson Stadium.

Join Rick Sassone and Coach Ron Hawn for the Coaches Show Monday 6pm live at Lagerheadz .  listen on WTAN 1340am or on Rocket Sports & Entertainment Network  or JOIN THE AUDIENCE LIVE!

Join us live on the same stations for the the Northeast game  with the pre-game show starting at 7:05pm.

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