Jamborees give one last preview before season
Published 12:22 am Monday, August 15, 2011
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ERIC SHELTON | THE NATCHEZ DEMOCRAT — Cathedral’s Daniel Huffines gets past a player during Cathedral’s jamboree game Friday night at home.
NATCHEZ — Cathedral High School put up big numbers across the board in Friday night’s jamboree game against West Lincoln.
The Green Wave won 42-14 in a game that saw a couple of scoring receptions by sophomore Ishmael Blackmon. Blackmon caught two touchdown passes from backup quarterback Thomas Garrity, one for 23 yards and one for 16 yards. But they weren’t even his most impressive feats of the night.
Blackmon was responsible for three Green Wave interceptions, and head coach Ron Rushing had high praise for his player’s performance Friday night.
“He had a great night,” Rushing said. “He’s very athletic, and he played extremely well. He was given the opportunity to see what he could do, and he made the best of it.”
Rushing said Blackmon’s natural instincts were the biggest factor in his three interceptions.
“I think that’s a lot of it (when it comes to his play at defensive back),” Rushing said.
“You can coach as much as you want to, and I think our coaches have done a good job tuning him up, but he has the ability to know where the ball is, and that’s something that’s not really coachable.”
Trinity Episcopal
Trinity Episcopal also won big in their jamboree game at Cathedral Friday, beating St. Aloysius 44-7. With Givonni Dent having graduated in the spring, Saints fans were likely wondering how new quarterback Scott Turner would fare at the position.
Turner only attempted seven passes, but the results were there. He completed four of them for 117 yards and one touchdown pass, a 66-yard throw to Tanner Cage.
The Saints open their season at Jefferson County High School Friday.
Adams County Christian School
Adams County Christian School will prepare to host Cathedral Friday, and the Rebels traveled to Copiah Academy for a jamboree Thursday night.
ACCS beat Canton Academy 13-0 but lost to MRA 16-0 in two 20-minute games where the clock ran continuously.
“I was pleased with the Canton game,” ACCS head coach Hunter McKeivier said. “We came out executing our offense, and defensively we were physical and able to work with the scheme well.
“I was kind of disappointed in the MRA game. I felt like we lost focus mentally. We would drive offensively then have a penalty here or a missed block there. Defensively, it was the same thing, just missed assignments.”
Natchez High School
Natchez High won its jamboree game against Hazlehurst 20-6. The Bulldogs’ Larry Chatman led the team in rushing with 80 yards on nine carries.
“He had a good performance,” NHS head coach Lance Reed said. “He’s trying to work his way back into shape. Hopefully he’ll stay consistent and we’ll have a good year out of him.”
Reed said his senior running back’s offseason wasn’t quite what Reed wanted in terms of strength and conditioning, and the staff is challenging Chatman to get to where they can maximize Chatman’s talent.
“He can do it all,” Reed said. “He has speed and strength, and he’s a tough, good-sized kid. He’s the kid of guy that can carry loads, depending on how good his conditioning is.”
NHS will begin its season at Wilkinson County High School Friday.