Patriots Improve in Jamboree

Staff Photo by Mike Stanley, Jefferson County Post Sports

The High School Football Season has unofficially begun. On Friday night several schools from across the East Tennessee area held their annual jamboree’s. That was no different for our Jefferson County Patriots as they played in the 6th Quarter of the IMAC jamboree.

Festivities started for Jefferson County at halftime of the event when Jefferson County was awarded the “All-Sports” award given to the high school who has the highest average finish in each of the sporting season’s. JCHS athletic director, Randy Rogers, presented the award to JCHS principal, Mr. Scott Walker. Jefferson County was not done gathering hardware as the Halftime events rolled on. Senior Kicker, Gio Morales, won the Longest Punt competition with a punt of 57 yards, all by way of air. Morales would win the Field Goal competition as well with a kick of 45 yards. Running Back, Michael Ealy, was thought to have won the fastest back competition as well, however , Overbay, from Morristown East didn’t run the event so they had a “do over” in which Overbay won.

Jefferson County took the field in the 6th quarter against the home team, Morristown East. The Patriots came out on offense first and on the first play from scrimmage, Spencer Randles ripped off a 9-yard run. Shortly after, junior quarterback, Noah Carter, rolled to his right and found fellow junior, Gorel Soumare, for huge pick up. The offense then stalled a bit, settling for a 27-yard field goal by Morales. The Patriots led 3-0 after the only series for the first team, with 7:45 remaining in the quarter. Morristown East would score 2-touchdowns while their first string played the entire quarter. Before the game offensive coordinator, Scott Branton, said their main goal of the jamboree is to leave heatlhy, “Come out healthy with no injuries, and if we score in the process that’s good too.” They did just that.

In other action on the night the JCHS freshman team played the Morristown East freshman team to a 0-0 tie in their quarter of play. Thanks in large part to a goal line stand by the Patriots defense, as time expired.