Navarro at TVCC: Fur And Feathers Fly Again!

Navarro's Karl Reynolds (10) is one of five Bulldog receivers with 20 or more catches during the 2021 season. (Keith Speer photo)

Posted: Oct 20, 2021

NAVARRO (3-4/1-4) at (No. 8) TRINITY VALLEY (5-1/5-1)
1 pm Saturday, Oct. 23 | Bruce Field, Athens

MEETING: Saturday's meeting marks the 101^st in a football series between neighboring county rival schools since 1947.
TVCC won 47-27 in Corsicana on May 8, 2021. The teams split decisions on consecutive weekends in 2019. TVCC won 45-44 at Corsicana in the regular-season finale, but Navarro won the semifinal playoff game 26-24 at Athens and advanced to an SWJCFC Championship win over NMMI, 36-35. NC was the Homecoming/Hall of Fame guest in Athens on Oct. 27, 2018, and the 'Dawgs emerged with a 47-34 win behind Parker McNeil's record-setting passing day.

SERIES: Navarro leads, 56-42-2.

MORE SERIES MATH: Navarro won 10 in a row in the series between 1969-74. TVCC won seven straight (2013-17). Each program owns six shutout victories in this series – the last by Navarro (1990 / 35-0) and the last by TVCC (1979 / 31-0). Single-game aggregate high score is 122 points (TVCC 72, Navarro 50 at Athens in 2015). Not far behind that is 106 (TVCC 55, Navarro 51 at Athens in 2011). Low-scoring aggregate? 5 points (Navarro 3, TVCC 2 at Athens in 1977). The series features two ties (17-17 in 1990 and 14-14 in 1959), with only one overtime game (Navarro 34, TVCC 31 at Athens in the 1998 SWJCFC Semifinals).

LAST WEEK: Despite a sluggish first half, NC produced 533 yards offense in a 37-2 homecoming win over Southern-Shreveport. Quarterback Qua Gray threw for 247 yards and a touchdown, while Israel Morgan (11-135) and Isaiah Robinson (19-103-3) powered the ground game. NC picked off four passes – two by cornerback Adonis Scott, one by Preston Hodge and a fourth by LaQualon Hale…..At Brenham, the Blinn Buccaneers upset fourth-ranked TVCC 21-14. The game was tied at 14 with 7:28 to play, BC's Keyondric Douglas returned a TVCC punt to the Cardinal 24. On the first play, South Florida sophomore transfer Josh Berry scored the game-winning touchdown. With its final possession, TVCC moved from its 20 to the Blinn 37, but defensive back Jordan Jenkins broke up a fourth-down pass to preserve the win.

THE 'SPRING GAME': Seventh-ranked TVCC defeated Navarro 47-27 behind quarterback Jordan Davis and running back Cortrick Dunn. They produced a tandem 100-yard backfield, combining for 263 rushing yards and four touchdowns. Davis, one of four quarterbacks used by TVCC, punished Navarro with option keepers and finished with 139 yards from 13 carries. Dunn complemented inside, totaling 124 yards from 14 carries with touchdowns of 21, 1 and 2 yards.

STREAMING: The SHN Sports Network YouTube Channel will air the game online and on Facebook Live. Joey Snowden and Marcus Dowell from the Malakoff-based SHN Network will handle the play-by-play call. (*A link will be posted @NavarroSports and on Navarro College Athletics Facebook when made available.*) Navarro's audio broadcast with Steve Petty and Ronnie Greer providing the call, will air on KAND-1340 AM, 104.9 FM and online at kandradio.com

WEATHER: Clear skies and a 80-degree temperature will welcome the teams at Saturday's 1 pm kickoff. Temperatures may rise into the middle 80s during the afternoon. Winds will be about 8 mph.

CARDINAL HALL OF FAME DAY: The Cardinal Hall of Fame today adds four new members in its 11^th class: cheer mascot Jeff Ayers (1984-88), placekicker Matt Bryant (1993-94), basketball player Jeryl Sasser (1969-71), and women's basketball coach Elena Lovato (2009-10, 2012-14). Induction occurs during a 9 a.m. Saturday breakfast at the SUB Ballroom.

ORIGINS: In June, 2008, it was then-TVCC Athletic Director Michael Landers who announced the inaugural 10-member class for the Cardinal Hall of Fame. The original honorees included Margene Adkins (1964-65, football), Bob Baccarini (1960-72 football), Kurt Budke (1993-2000, basketball); Stan Cloudy (1981-82 basketball), Shalonda Enis (1993-95 basketball), Portia Hill (1986-88 basketball), Inez Perez (1965-66, football), Connie 'C.J.' Russell (cheer sponsor), Ron Thomas (1968-70, basketball) and Leon Spencer.

COACHES: Both coaches are in their second tenures at each school. Scott Parr is in his third year as NC head coach. He returned to Corsicana after a stint as offensive coordinator at Eastern Illinois University. Sherrard Poteete is in his fourth year at TVCC. Poteete quarterbacked NEO to the 1999 SWJCFC Championship and a Red River Bowl berth. He later became the Golden Norsemen's head coach. The Tulsa native once served as TVCC's offensive coordinator before returning as the Cardinal head coach in 2017.

HOMECOMING AGAIN – The Bulldogs are involved in homecoming games for the third time in five weeks. They lost 39-15 at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M and won 37-2 Saturday over Southern-Shreveport.

KEY TEAM STATS: Navarro averages 38.7 points and 505.4 yards per game (177.7 rush and 327.7 pass). Defensively, NC yields 37.7 points and 476.4 yards (313.4 rush and 163 pass). Trinity Valley averages 39.3 points and 451.8 yards (169 rush and 283 pass). Defensively, the Cardinals yield 18.3 points and 168 yards per game (71.3 rush and 96.7 pass).

THE MATTER OF DEFENSE: TVCC leads the NJCAA in tackles (795), sacks (29) and tackles for losses (84). TVCC is seventh in fumble recoveries (10). The Cardinals are second in pass defense (106.3 yards), fifth in total defense (206.7). Key personnel: Jacob Berry (12 tackles per game, 6 TFL); Darren Roberson (9.3 tackles, 4 sacks, 7 TFL); Kamaurja Kenney (9.2 tackles, 6 sacks, 11 TFL); Jermaine McNeal (7.2 tackles, 5 TFL, 3 CF).

COIN FLIP: Cardinal Hall of Famer Matt Bryant, a two-time First Team All-America kicker, will conduct the flip. Bryant, who went to Baylor, played professionally with the New York Giants, Atlanta, Indianapolis, Miami and Tampa, plus NFL Europe and Arena League Iowa Barnstormers.

JUST FOR KICKS…: About 20 games in this long series have been decided by a field goal or less. Navarro will be counting on NJCAA First-Team All-America Alexis Lopez of Center, Tx, while TVCC will counter with Frisco freshman Jake Gaster. This season, Lopez has accounted for 51 points from 9-of-11 field goals and 24-of-24 conversions. Lopez hit all seven field-goal attempts last spring, including his collegiate-best 46 yarder against Kilgore. Gaster has 53 points from 8-of-11 field goal tries and 29-of-30 conversions. Gaster booted a personal-best 54-yard field goal as time expired to beat reigning conference champion Cisco, 34-31. During an earlier 27-10 win over NEO, Gaster kicked 51- and 45-yarders. Doubling as the Cardinals' punter, Gaster averages 39 yards with 8 planted inside opponents' 20-yard lines.

MORE TOP 10 STATS: Navarro and TVCC rank among the NJCAA Top 10s in points, points per game, touchdowns scored, passing yardage, total offense and kickoff return average.

TVCC PLAYERS TO WATCH: QBs Bronson McClelland (96-154-1079-7-3) and Jordan Davis (46-72-480-2-3); RBs Cameron Collier (67-382-5) and Cordrick Dunn (78-381-4); WRs Kordell David (24-470-5), Julian Johnson (22-211-1) and All-purpose leader Korey King (22-270-4 + 15 KORs for 345 yards). King averages 103 yards per game.

NAVARRO PLAYERS TO WATCH: QB Qua Gray (145-259-2260-14-9), RB Isaiah Robinson (152-743-9), Israel Morgan (30-235-2) and Elijah Hines (31-228-2), WRs Jeremiah Aaron (34-620-4), Zavion Taylor (29-379-2), Louis Moore (23-422-4), Karl Reynolds (23-427-7), Quentin Lee (21-316-1). Jeremiah Aaron (20 KOR-544-1 and 5 PR-107-0), Adonis Scott (7 KOR-209). Defense – Chatavies Johnson (34 tackles), Kenneth Ellison (31), Mike Sandjo (28), Layne O'Dell (26), Nate Maulsby (25), C.J. Bosket (24 tackles, 3 INT).

GRAY DAY: Gray, the NJCAA leader in completions, attempts and pass yardage, is making a bid to become the per-game average leader from Navarro for a fourth consecutive season. Gray, currently averaging 322.9 passing yards, is following two-time champion Parker McNeil (2018 and 2019) and Dodge Delozier (2020). Gray's career 3060 pass yards rank fourth among NC quarterbacks.

CATCHING ON: Coinciding with NC's per-game pass yardage success is that the Bulldogs have had five or more receiving targets with more than 20 catches for a third consecutive season. This year, ranging between 21 and 34 catches, the group includes Jeremiah Aaron, Zavion Taylor, Karl Reynolds, Quentin Lee and Louis Moore.

RECORD WATCH: Isaiah Robinson is 157 yards away from overtaking Tim Wright (2012-13 / 2182) as Navarro's career rushing leader. Robinson has 368-2025-20. His carry total topped leader DePauldrick Garrett (2009-10) last week. Robinson's 20 rushing TDs equals marks set by Charles Thompson (1989) and Garrett. Wright and Ke'Aun Kinner share the career rushing TD record at 26.

SWJCFC SATURDAY: (Non-Conference) -- Gordon's Prep at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M, 1 pm; Snow at Kilgore 3 pm. (Conference) – Navarro at TVCC, 1 pm; Cisco at NMMI, 2 pm; Blinn at Tyler, 3 pm

NEXT WEEK'S GAMES: NMMI at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M, 1 pm; Tyler at Cisco, 3 pm; TVCC at Kilgore, 3 pm. (Non-Conference) Rezolution Prep Academy at Blinn, 3 pm. Navarro has an open date.

Preview by Mike Montfort

Football

Navarro at TVCC: Fur And Feathers Fly Again!