Robert E. Lee smashes Englewood in non-district matchup

JACKSONVILLE – Two weeks ago nothing clicked offensively for Lee in a 39-0 season opening loss to Raines; whatever problems the Generals had then seemed have been worked out now.

For the second straight week, the Generals put up over 40 points and won their second straight game behind a 41-6 win over Englewood at the Backyard, although you couldn’t tell early on though as both teams traded turnovers and committed several costly penalties in a scoreless first quarter.

Beginning their second drive of the second quarter at their own 5-yard line, the Generals marched 95 yards in 13 plays to finally get on the scoreboard.

Behind junior Cameron Wakefield and senior Tony Belle the offense began to click racking up more than 500 yards of offense on its way.

Halfway through the drive faced with third and 12, sophomore quarterback Derrick Jones connected with Breon Daniels for a 14-yard completion keeping the drive going and putting the Generals at the 35-yard line.

Dewayne Randall Jr. broke off an 11 yard run and Belle rumbled 12 yards a play later moving the chains down to the 26 yard line.

Three plays later, Belle took a handoff from Jones up the middle and cut back left before getting to the corner and crossing the goal line for a 7-yard touchdown run giving the Generals an early 7-0 lead with less than four minutes till half.

Keirston Johnson recovered a Rams fumble at midfield on the ensuing play and the Generals made them pay. Jones hit Daniels for a 26 yard completion putting the Generals inside the ten and Wakefield followed with a 9 yard touchdown run increasing the lead to 14-0 just 35 seconds later.

“We didn’t work hard, we’re conditioned a lot more that’s how we were able to go up tempo and no huddle,” Wakefield. “We have the same players, we just have made some adjustments and new twists.”

Down 14-0 at the half, Englewood attempted to rally in the third quarter but the offense couldn’t get anything going. Quran Hafiz and Vincent Davis both knocked down passes to force a quick three and out.

Wakefield fielded the ensuing punt at the 50 and nearly broke it for another score before being tackled down at the 20 yard line.

However, Rams safety Errol Williams made a spectacular one handed diving interception in the end zone to deny the Generals another score.

A possession later, the Generals struck again as Wakefield broke loose for a 9 yard touchdown run giving Lee a 21-0 lead with 6:13 left in the third quarter.

Just over a minute later, Jones hit Wakefield for a short dump pass and Wakefield took it up field and raced 56 yards for another score and 28-0 lead with 5:16 left in the third.

Englewood (2-1) finally had an answer on offense as KJ Jefferson connected with tight end Jameel Padgett for a 70 yard touchdown pass cutting the lead to 28-6 with 3:06 left in the third.

Abandoning the run, the Rams offense woke up as Jefferson guided the Rams down to the 19-yard line on its next drive to start the fourth quarter; however the drive stalled as on fourth and 12 Jefferson’s screen pass to Morris Little came up one yard short of the first down.

Backup quarterback Tyler Sandifer hit Daniels across the middle and Daniels raced 58 yards untouched for a score and 35-6 lead with under five minutes left in the game.

Davis picked off Jefferson and set up the Generals (2-1) for another score.

Third string quarterback Josh Middleton came off the bench and threw a 20 yard touchdown pass to Johnson to enforce a running clock with 3:37 left in the game.

“Nothing has changed, we still have the same athletes, we’re just a little more confident,” Robert E. Lee coach O.J. Small said. “It boils down to execution and how bad we want it, it was more of us not executing and making several mistakes.”

Small told his team they can’t afford four turnovers and 11 penalties against better completion especially with Columbia (3-0) coming in next Friday for a District 7A-2 opening game.

Scoring Summary

Second Quarter
L-Tony Belle 14 yard run, 3:47, 7-0
L-Cameron Wakefield 9 yard run, 3:12, 14-0

Third Quarter
L-Cameron Wakefield 9 yard run, 6:13, 21-0
L-Cameron Wakefield 56 yard pass from Derrick Jones, 5:16, 28-0
E-Jameel Padgett 70 yard pass from Kenneth Johnson, 3:05, 28-6

Fourth Quarter
L-Breon Daniels 58 yard pass from Tyler Sandifer, 4:54 35-6
L-Devante Johnson 20 yard pass from Josh Middleton, 3:37, 41-6