The Kinder Yellow Jackets came out swarming against Pickering.
Kinder jumped out to a 28-0 first-quarter lead and never looked back in last Friday’s 62-6 victory over District 5-2A foe Pickering. After suffering a six-game losing streak, Kinder has now won back-to-back games for the first time this season. In addition, after averaging 19.8 points per game in the first seven games and scoring more than 25 only once, the Yellow Jackets have now scored 104 points in two games.
“We came out and started fast just as we were hoping to do,” Kinder coach Bret Fuselier said. “When you have a young group you never know how they will respond after a game like we had the previous week versus DeQuincy. We talked to them all week about being consistent with the energy and effort from week to week. And it seems as though they responded to that.”
Kinder (3-6, 2-2) wasted little time seizing control of the game.
The Yellow Jackets jumped out to a 28-0 lead in the first quarter with Graham Fawcett scoring on three touchdown runs and James Roberts returning a punt back 48 yards for the score.
“Our guys were just taking advantage of the good field position that we were getting thanks to the defense and special teams,” Fuselier said. “It was a total team effort.”
Kinder kept its foot on the gas in the second and third quarters.
The Yellow Jackets added a 13-yard touchdown run by Jordan Pelican, a 20-yard touchdown run by Luke LeBoef, a 22-yard touchdown run by Donte Botley and a three-yard score by Fawcett.
Pickering (0-9, 0-4) managed to score only once in the game, a 62-yard pass from Marlon Freeney to Rakwon Ray in the second quarter.
“We changed a few things on defense the last couple of weeks and our guys seemed to have responded to it,” Fuselier said. “We’re forced to be a little more aggressive than normal because of our lack of size and it’s been working well for us. We still have some improvement we’d like to see but I definitely like the attitude and energy our guys are playing with right now.”
Kinder’s final score of the game occurred in the fourth quarter with a six-yard touchdown run by Landen Rice.
The Yellow Jackets were led on the ground by a pair of 100-yard rushers in LeBouef (8 carries, 109 yards) and Roberts (5 carries, 113 yards). Fawcett also had 57 rushing yards and 34 passing.
Kinder will look to make it three straight victories to end the season when it wraps up the regular season at Vinton. If the Yellow Jackets can get a third straight win, and fourth overall, that could significantly help its chances of earning a postseason berth.
“Well we have two good wins in a row,” Fuselier said. “This team is really playing good ball right now, unselfish and with lots of energy and desire. We would like to continue that this week and head into the playoffs with some momentum and make a run.”
Other scores
Merryville 20
Oberlin 19
Grand Lake 34
Elton 12
Rosepine 48
Oakdale 27