Fredericksburg Leans On Sensational French, Defense In Win Against Jarrell
Photo by VYPE Media's Bradley Collier.
Fredericksburg (2-0) opened the 2020 Texas high school football season with a defining 55-20 win against Monahans in San Angelo in Week 1 and continued its groove with a 54-14 victory against Jarrell (0-2) in Friday's home opener. VYPE Player of the Game Gavin French's four-touchdown performance played a key role in the latest high-scoring affair.
"It's great to be in Fredericksburg, Texas," said Fredericksburg head football coach Lance Moffett. "I can tell you that. Back home, our band is here. You know this is as normal as it's been since March 6th or whatever day it is, and I can't be more proud and happy for our kids and our community that we're getting to do normal stuff again."
From the get-go, you could tell that it was going to be a good night for Fredericksburg. That direction began with Kade Jenschke's opening kickoff return to the Jarrell 32-yard line. The slight hiccup on the drive that was Judson Beard's fourth down dropped pass in the end zone couldn't even change the Battlin' Billies' course.
That's because the Fredericksburg defense shutdown Jarrell's offense early and often, and set up good field position for the Battlin' Billies' scoring unit. It began with the following Fredericksburg drive, which started at the Jarrell 31-yard line. Cole Immel followed with a touchdown pass to Beard. That gave the Billies the first lead of the game at the 8:53 mark of the opening quarter.
Later in the period, Immel and French found enough space to record rushing touchdowns and extend Fredericksburg's lead to 21-0 with 3:43 left. The second was set up by a turnover on downs forced by the Battlin' Billie D.
"We've been doing a lot of things right," said French. "The offensive line has been incredible and it's made it easy on the backfield near the ball."
VYPE Player of the Game Gavin French’s multi-touchdown performance continued Fredericksburg’s high-scoring attack i… https://t.co/MEICGVGkCh— VYPE Austin (@VYPE Austin) 1599277784.0
Jarrell finally got on the board early in the second period because of Joseph Crathers' touchdown catch and Derrick Warren's successful two-point conversion, but Fredericksburg had an answer for the Cougars. French added three more touchdowns, with Javier Rodriguez's first of two interceptions setting up one and James Sebera's fumble recovery preceding another.
That trend continued in the opening minutes of the third quarter. Jarrell's miscue on its first punt attempt of the second half resulted in the snap flying over the punter's head. Logan Metzger recovered the fumble on the play, and Immel found Tripp Dennis on the ensuing quarterback-to-receiver touchdown connection to make it a 47-8 game with 8:57 left in the period.
"I'm real proud of the way we finished and took advantage," said Moffett.
Jose Diosdado added a touchdown run in the quarter and the Fredericksburg defense followed with a goal line deflection that prevented another Jarrell score with 1:21 left in the frame. The Cougars would eventually earn their second score on Warren's 50-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
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