Canes Fall in Home Opener to Putnam

Last Friday did not go according to plan for the Jasper County-Monticello High School football team.

Playing the first varsity game in their long-waited new stadium, the Canes (0-2) were blanked 49-0 by visiting Putnam County High School. It was a loss made even tougher by the fact the team suffered some injuries to key players.

“Things just didn’t go our way,” said coach Rydell Jackson. “We started the game off well. We held them and then began putting together a drive. At that point we had some mistakes and then the injuries became a factor. We were trying to overcome a lot and it got away from us.”

The War Eagles scored 14 points in the first quarter and would lead 21-0 at halftime. Putnam County then added three more scores in the third quarter and a final touchdown in the fourth.

“We just have to keep working and keep getting better,” Jackson said. “The key for the coaches will be to keep the kids motivated. There is still plenty of season remaining. We just have to keep fighting.”

Through the team’s first two games Mac Barton is the leading rusher for the Canes with 110 yards. Shamarian Greene is the leading receiver with three catches for 51 yards.

Cedrion Stone has helped lead the defense with 16 solo tackles and one assist with one tackle for negative yards. Teammate Jacarion Grier has recorded 13 solo stops. Mason Copeland has five solo tackles and three assists while Brandon Ridley has four solo stops as well as five assists and a tackle for loss.

The Hurricanes will look to get into the win column this Friday when they travel to Morgan County High School in Madison for a 7:30 p.m. contest at Bill Corry Stadium.

The Bulldogs are 0-2 but have been involved in two competitive games. Morgan County lost to Putnam County in overtime before falling to Monroe Area 13-9 last week.

“Morgan County is a good team,” Jackson said. “Defensively they are very strong. Their defensive front has been impressive in their first two games. They aren’t going to make many mistakes.”

On the other side of the football, Morgan County will have one of the best offensive lines the Canes will see in 2020, Jackson said.

“We will have to have a good scheme to slow them down,” the coach said. “They run the football a lot using power plays. They also like to get the football on the edge.”

Morgan County and Jasper County-Monticello have met 33 times since 1948. Morgan holds a series advantage with a record of 28-4-1. Monticello defeated Morgan County 28-21 in 2014 but prior to that the Bulldogs had been victorious 11 straight times.

The last time the two met the Bulldogs stopped the Canes 28-14 in 2015.

The Bulldogs used three quarterbacks in their season opener against Putnam County but had little success moving the football. Morgan’s coaches then went with D.J. Smith in the second game of the season against Monroe Area and primarily utilized a running offense.

In the Monroe Area contest, the Bulldogs had close to 400 yards of total offense while holding their opponent to 120. Turnovers played a role in the outcome.

“As coaches we will work to put our players in the best position possible to be successful,” Jackson said. “This will be another tough game but our players will be ready.”