By JERRY BYRD, Journal Sports
“They’ll be at school tomorrow,” C.E. Byrd head coach Stacy Ballew said as he shook Principal Jerry Badgley’s hand after the Jackets’ 61-35 District 1-5A win over the Benton Tigers last night at Independence Stadium.
For the past three weeks, Byrd has suffered emotional Thursday night losses making it difficult to get up off the mat and make it to 3201 Line Avenue the next morning.
There will be a different feeling at The City of Byrd today.
“I was nervous all the way to the end,” Ballew said. “We’re a young football team. We’ve replaced a lot of guys. A lot of inexperience. So for these guys to come out, keep getting better every week, even going through four straight losses. For them to work and work and work, I’m happy for our team and I’m happy for these kids.”
“Someone has got to step up.”
Byrd players have heard coaches say it in practice, and Byrd fans heard the Voice of the Jackets, Charlie Cavell, say it on Thursday’s pregame show.
On Thursday night, senior running back Jontavious Mobery was that ‘someone.’
Coming into the game, Mobery had less than 50 yards rushing in four games. Against the Tigers, Mobery rushed for 157 yards on 10 carries, three going for touchdowns.
“He can run,” Ballew said. “He made some mistakes, but when he cuts loose and runs, he looks good.”
The Jackets were missing their top two runners. Malachi Johnson, who was dynamic in defeat last week against Captain Shreve and ranks among local scoring leaders, sat out with an injury. Sidelined for the season with an arm injury suffered last week is fullback Dixon Poirier.
Mobery stepped up right away. He started the scoring for the Jackets with a five-yard run with 7:57 left in the first quarter. He added TD runs of 8 and 38 yards in the second and third quarters.
The source of Ballew’s nervousness was Benton running back Greg Manning, who finished with 134 yards on 20 carries including two touchdowns.
Manning’s 11-yard touchdown run with 46 seconds remaining in the first half made it a one-score game at 30-22. Two of Benton’s points came on Manning’s jump pass to Cody Wilhite.
Byrd’s offense was able to move the ball down the field and the University of Miami commit, Abram Murray, kicked a 35-yard field goal to give the Jackets a 33-22 lead at halftime.
It was Murray’s second field goal of the first half. He was successful on a 25-yard field goal with 2:51 left in the first quarter.
Benton’s other two first-half scores came on touchdown passes from Jeffery King to Trey Smith. The first was an answer to Byrd’s first touchdown – an 80-yarder. It was a simple hitch. Smith made the corner miss and was off to the races. The second touchdown came on a 25-yard pass.
King finished the game with 305 yards. He completed 24 of 33 passes.
Byrd’s other touchdowns came on runs early in the second period. Quinton Hilliard scored from 15 yards. Sophomore quarterback Asher Murray scored from 39 on Byrd’s next possession.
In the second half, Byrd pulled away. Before Mobery’s third touchdown of the night, Desmond Simmons would get the first points with a three-yard run. Later, Asher Murray found Alex Schoonover in the back of the end zone.
Byrd’s defense was led by linebackers Ashton Fullwood and Sam Greer, who had 10 tackles including three tackles for a loss. The Byrd secondary also created two turnovers as senior Grant Johnson and Kaiden Abraham-Miller recorded one interception each.
Byrd’s final touchdown came on a 25-yard pass from junior Harrison Ayres to sophomore Troy Bow with 6:25 left in the game.
Ayres did a little bit of everything for the Jackets. He split time at quarterback with Murray. He lined up at fullback for a couple of snaps. From those positions he had 76 yards on 11 carries, and the TD pass. He also played some tight end.
“It feels awesome,” Ayres said. “Glory to God for this win. We’ve been working hard this whole season and chopping. Swinging the axe. It’s been hard (for the seniors going 0-4). It’s their senior year. They want to do great.
“But the year is not over. Take this energy we have. Keep on praying. Keep on working. Keep on grinding. The sky is the limit for this season.”
Ayres and the rest of the Jackets, 1-4, will now turn their attention to Haughton, where they will travel next Friday. Benton, who falls to 1-4, will host Natchitoches Central.
Contact Jerry at sbjjerrybyrd@gmail.com
BYRD 61, BENTON 35
Benton 7 15 7 6 – 35
Byrd 16 17 14 7 – 61
Byrd – Jontavious Mobery 5 run (kick failed)
Benton – Trey Smith 80 pass from Jeff King (Will Pedro kick)
Byrd – Abram Murray 24 FG
Byrd – Quinton Hilliard 15 run (Ab. Murray kick)
Byrd – Asher Murray 39 run (Ab. Murray kick)
Benton – T. Smith 25 pass from King (Petro kick)
Byrd – Mobery 8 run (Murray kick)
Benton – Greg Manning 11 run (Cody Wilhite pass from Manning)
Byrd – Ab. Murray 35 FG
Byrd – Desmond Simmons 3 run (Ab. Murray kick)
Byrd – Alex Schoonover 24 pass from As. Murray (Ab. Murray kick)
Benton – Jackson Jones 41 pass from King (Petro kick)
Byrd – Mobery 38 run (Ab. Murray kick)
Byrd – Troy Bow 24 pass from Harrison Ayres (Ab. Murray kick)
Benton – Manning 3 run (kick failed)
RUSHING – Benton (34-136), Manning 20-134, 2 TDs; King 10-15; Conner Jeter 3-6. Byrd – (53-466) Mobery 10-157, 3 TDs; Simmons 18-120, 1 TD; Harrison Ayres 11-76; Gevin Phill 1-44, Ash. Murray 7-40, Q. Hilliard 2-31.
PASSING – Benton, (24-34-2-305) King 24-33-2-305, 3 TDs; Malachi Zeigler 0-1-0. Byrd, (3-5-0-100) Ayres 2-4-0-76, 1 TD; As. Murray 1-1-0-24, 1 TD.
RECEIVING – Benton, Smith 10-158, 2 TDs; Manning 5-42; Wade Chandler 3-36; C. Wilhite 3-22. Byrd – Schoonover 2-76, 1 TD; T. Bow 1-24, 1 TD.