Kicking off the 2020 season, the Spartan JV Green team shut out Alvin 44-0 in a neutral site game at Memorial H.S.

The defense set the tone early. Alvin’s first possession was a three-and-out, highlighted by a tackle for loss by Dylan Schick and a 3rd down stop by Antwone McDonald.

Patrick Johnson returned the Alvin punt 15 yards, and Nash Rankin brought out the offense. Working with a short field, Dallas Payne ran for 10 yards, followed quickly by a pitch left to Duncan Fry, who ran for the touchdown behind good line pushes from Hunter Jones and Austin LaRue. Rankin held for the extra point, and Giancarlo “Mr. Automatic” Chelala knocked it through for a 7-0 lead.

The defense was strong again on Alvin’s next drive. Cooper King stripped the ball from Alvin’s running back and put the offense back on the field. The key play was a 4th & 10 scramble conversion by Rankin, with good blocking by Hudson Perroni and Zach Moore. After another Rankin run, Payne crashed through the middle for a touchdown. Chelala’s XP was good for a 14-0 lead.

Jake Brand booted the ensuing kickoff all the way to the 20-yard line, and Anthony Yoder stuffed the returner for no gain. On Alvin’s next play, King was there again to recover a fumble. Working quickly, Rankin hit Triston Williams across the middle for 15 yards, then Dallas “Tornado” Payne authored the spin move of the year, leaving the defense in the dust on a TD run. Spartans led after 1Q 21-0.

SHS kept the pressure on in 2Q. After Yousif Hamdi made a nice stop to force a punt, Johnson returned it 30 yards down the left side, doing a flip move when he got tackled. After the SHS drive stalled, the coaches sent Brand out for a long 41-yard field goal attempt. With the crowd hoping he would make it, Brand came through with a great kick and was mobbed by his teammates, pushing the lead to 24-0.

Deon Walker and Collin McKnight’s secondary play on Alvin’s next drive forced a punt. SHS took over at midfield, and once again it was “Rankin to Williams over the middle”. The 50-yard touchdown pass and Chelala’s XP kick gave SHS a 31-0 lead.

In other news, Aden Mancuso is still successfully blocking the Alvin wide receiver to the ground for about the 20thdefensive play in a row.

With a 38-0 halftime lead, the defense was determined to keep the zero on the board. After a 3Q SHS fumble, the defense stiffened behind solid tackling from Jack Hachtman and McKnight, and good defensive line pushing from Aaron Rhee. The third quarter ended with Alvin turning the ball over on downs.

SHS final scoring drive started with Deon Walker’s 25-yard run up the middle, and King ran to the right side on a tough 12-yard gain, carrying Alvin tacklers with him. Walker carried again to the 1-yard line, and Rankin pushed through on a TD keeper behind blocking from Ross Stewart. 

Well done Spartans! We’ll see you next week at Oak Ridge…..