Everyone loves Homecoming. That is, except the home team’s coaches. To a man, they will tell you the most difficult game to prepare for is the Homecoming contest, because they have to try to get players to focus on the game amid so many distractions.
It is an almost impossible task. Throw in the fact that the coaches know the fans and alumni of a school, who come from far and near to the game for all the festivities before and after a game, want to see the team on Homecoming cap off a great time with a win; Homecoming always comes with a little angst.
One way a coaching staff tries to “hedge” their chances is by scheduling a team they should beat. It doesn’t always work out that way, though. A case in point is this Friday evening’s matchup, when Jonesboro-Hodge welcomes Ringgold to Caldwell-Peacock Stadium on the JHHS campus for the District 3-1A opener for both teams.
A look at the series history between the two schools shows that this contest, the 18th all-time, follows the usual unwritten guidelines of “who to play” for Homecoming. In the series that began in 1924 with a 46-0 Tiger victory, JHHS has never lost to Ringgold in 16 prior games, with the only blemish being a 0-0 tie in 1925. Furthermore, not a single contest has ever been close, as the Tigers have pitched 8 shutouts and outscored the Redskins 612-68, for an average game score of 36-4.
Furthermore, Ringgold hasn’t had a winning season in at least two decades, according to records shown on MaxPreps, which started keeping records in 2004. Their best record since then is two 5-5 seasons in 2004 and 2006, and, ironically, the coaches in those years were a pair of JHHS grads, Eric Carter and Byron Anderson.
Perfect opponent, right? Not so fast!
This Ringgold team is not like any other. The Redskins are 4-0 this year, for what is believed to be the first time in school history and certainly in recent memory. What is more, this team is not just winning; they are winning big. After a close season opener where they beat Block 22-16, the Redskins beat Pine Prairie and Arcadia by identical 48-0 scores and last week conquered Northwood-Lena 50-28 for an average victory margin of 42-11.
“You have to give Coach Edwards and his staff a lot of credit,” complimented Blankenship. “They have done a great job with the kids they have and are without a doubt getting the most out of them.”
A deeper look at this year’s Redskin success shows that the early positive returns have been in the making for a couple of years. Tiger fans will remember that two years ago, before the season, Ringgold was listed as a member of District 1-1A, just like JHHS, but the Redskins, who had won only 6 of 65 games the prior seven seasons, decided not to play a full varsity schedule, instead fielding a junior varsity team primarily in an attempt to reboot the program. Ringgold also made a coaching change this year, promoting Remerson Edwards to head coach after serving as an assistant on the staff for the previous four years.
The Redskins have been entertaining on offense, having found success by putting the ball in the air. Keonce Moore, a 5’9″ and 145-pound senior, has been the driving force for Ringgold from his quarterback position, having completed 34 of 52 passes for 744 yards and 13 touchdowns. He is also the team’s leading rusher, gaining 223 yards on 27 carries for an 8.3-yard-per-carry average. The tandem of Zion Scott and Antravion Kinsey are the leading receivers, having caught 5 and 13 passes, respectively, for a combined 13 TD’s.
“There is no question that this Ringgold team is not like ones in the past,” said JHHS head coach Terrance Blankenship. “They present a strong challenge, and we will have to play well to beat them.”
JHHS will certainly have to play better than they did last week in a sluggish 38-18 victory over Arcadia, the same team Ringgold beat 48-0 just one week earlier.
The good news for JHHS is that the overall record of the teams Ringgold has beaten is just 2-18, with three of their four victories coming against schools that haven’t won a game this season. Also, Ringgold lacks size and has a very small roster, with only 28 players listed: 6 seniors, 5 juniors, 5 sophomores, 6 freshmen, two 8th graders, and even three 7th graders.
Another factor that should play in the Tigers’ favor is that JHHS should have its starting quarterback and running back for this contest after both missed last week, forcing J-H to play without a pair that has combined for 1,258 yards in total offense and 17 touchdowns this year.
“We are hoping both will play,” said Blankenship. “It will certainly help us if they do.”
Looking to move to 5-1 for the first time since 2009, the Tigers, who are ranked #11 in the most recent Class A power rankings and #16 in the Division IV poll, counter with one of the most versatile offensive attacks in JHHS head coach Terrance Blankenship’s tenure, who is now in his 14th season.
The Tigers feature a tremendously talented quarterback in sophomore King Campbell, who has completed 32 of 51 passes for 617 yards and 8 touchdowns in four games. The rushing attack is led by Lon’Trevious “Tre” Burns, who has 421 yards on 53 carries and 6 TDs. Perhaps the receiving corps makes the Tigers most dangerous, though, as JHHS has a bevy of talented pass catchers, each with game-breaking ability. JaMarlon Johnson leads the parade with 9 catches for 200 yards and 4 touchdowns, three of those coming last week. Jaquan Qualls is next with 159 yards on 8 catches and a TD in only four games, as he had to take over quarterback duties last week, where he showed his versatility by running for 81 yards and passing for 147 more, while accounting for 5 touchdowns and three 2-point conversions. Tyson Burks (1 TD) and Channing Gray Jr. (3 Td’s) both have 6 catches for 124 and 98 yards, respectively.
Defensively, Burns leads with 39 stops, including 3 sacks, 7 tackles for a loss, and a forced fumble, while Reginald Hemphill and Kodan Atkins have 27 and 20 tackles, with both registering 3 tackles for a loss and a fumble recovery. Dylan Hayes has also come up big with 20 tackles, 2 sacks, and 4 tackles for a loss. Michael Malone has 2 fumble recoveries, and Jamarcus Dozier has a safety to his credit.
JHHS Homecoming Schedule
Friday, October 9
9:45 am – Homecoming Assembly and Coronation in JHHS Auditorium
1:00 pm – Homecoming Parade
6:30 pm – Football Sweetheart Presentation and Junior/Senior Maid Entries at Football Stadium
7:00 pm – Homecoming football game at Football Stadium
Halftime of Football Game – Formal presentation of Homecoming Queen and Court