BY MIKE MONTFORT
JUNIOR COLLEGE FOOTBALL GAMEDAY
Week 4
OPPONENTS: Northeastern Oklahoma A&M (2-1/0-1) at Navarro (0-2/0-1)
VENUE: Tiger Field at CNB&T Stadium, Corsicana, Tx
GAMEDAY WEATHER: Sunny skies with temperatures near 89 degrees with south-southeast winds at 8 mph expected. Temperatures will begin to fall back to an overnight low near 72 degrees.
KICKOFF: 7 pm CDT
LIVESTREAM COVERAGE: The game will be webcast on Navarro Sports Live YouTube Channel. The only free link to watch: (1) Football - Navarro vs Northeastern Oklahoma A&M - YouTube
HOME! With the end of the Strength-of-Schedule Road Test, the Bulldogs come home to face a third consecutive out-of-state opponent in search of their first win. The Bulldogs return for the 17th season to CNB&T Stadium where they have winning records for each of the last 16 seasons and a career 58-17 record on the Tiger Stadium turf.
HALL OF FAME WEEKEND: Navarro's home season opener caps Bulldog Hall of Fame Weekend. Former Bulldogs who played in the NFL – defensive lineman Michael Montgomery (2002-04) offensive tackle J'Marcus Webb (2007) and the 1989 NJCAA Championship team joined Class of 2022 honorees Austin Pruitt (2011 baseball) and Mandy Gomez Fortner (2004, 2005 soccer) during 11 a.m. induction ceremonies at The Cook Education Center. All will be recognized during halftime of Saturday's game.
THE SERIES: Saturday's contest marks the 40th in an all-time series led by the Golden Norsemen, 21-17-1. NEO's won five of the last six meetings with Navarro, including four straight (2016-2019). Navarro interrupted NEO's streak in spring, 2021, when the Bulldogs emerged with a 23-20 win here. Last fall, NEO ran for 467 yards in a 39-15 homecoming win at Red Robertson Stadium in Miami. NC's especially had its problems in the Sooner State, where it has won only five times since the series began in 1977. Two post-season meetings dot the record books, including a memorable first meeting at The Garland, Texas JUCO Bowl when coach Harold Hern's Bulldogs defeated NEO A&M, 35-28, at Homer B. Johnson Stadium. Another post-season matchup didn't occur again until 1998 when NEO hosted and won the SWJCFC Championship over Chuck Lawrence's Bulldogs, 28-25. The lone tie in the series (7-7) occurred in 1984.
THE COACHES: Zach Crissup is 7-13 as he begins his third season as NEO's 23rd head football coach in history. He was promoted after serving seven years as an assistant, two as defensive coordinator. He's coached previously at Missouri Southern and Fairmont State Ryan Taylor is 14-7 overall.
LAST MEETING: The winless Golden Norsemen shocked Navarro with a tandem 100-yard backfield of Jamori Jones and Tre'Juan Shaw, plus an 85-yard, two-touchdown rushing effort from quarterback Perry Olsen. Olsen scored twice during a 19-point first quarter. Jones, currently at New Mexico State, burst 70 yards for the game's longest TD. Defensive back Devin Hembry's 61-yard interception return was one of two NC contributing turnovers.
LAST WEEK: NAVARRO -- The Bulldogs lost 40-35 at NMMI despite edges in ball control and statistics. Navarro outgained the Broncos in offensive plays (86-58), first downs (31-21), rushing (209-130), passing (397-240 and total offense (606-370). Unfortunately, they also led in penalties (12-5) and with three second-period turnovers that helped NMMI erase a 21-7 deficit. Quarterback Dane Jentsch completed 27-of-37 passes for 397 yards with touchdown passes of 33 and 49 yards to favorite target Brandon Hawkins (6-128). Freshman Tim Carter stabilized the ground game with 27-127 and touchdowns of 14, 6, and 19 yards, as NC's rushers averaged 4.4 yards from 48 attempts. Linebackers C,J. Johnson (11 tackles) and Caimyn Layne (8) sparked a defense that made six tackles for losses, five break-ups and an interception. NEO – They defeated NJCAA non-affiliates Southern-Shreveport (44-0) and Gordon's Academy (78-0) by shutout, and they suffered their first loss by shutout last Saturday to the Kilgore Rangers (41-0). NEO scratched out nine first downs and 56 yards offense on 42 plays against the Rangers. NEO's eight rushers finished -30. The Norsemen, who trailed 34-0 at halftime, managed 86 yards passing from four quarterbacks who combined for a 6-of-15 effort.
TEAM STATS: NAVARRO averages 411 yards offense (144.5 rushing and 266.5 passing). Bulldog defenders yield 446.5 yards (155 rushing and 290.5 passing). NEO averages 234.7 yards offense (162.3 rushing and 72.4 passing).
INDIVIDUAL STAT LEADERS: NAVARRO – QB Dane Jentsch (33-48-463-2-2); RB Tim Carter (34-153-3); WRs Brandon Hawkins (9-188-2) and Jay Wilkerson (7-100-0); LB CJ Johmson (15 tackles, 2.5 TFLs); LB Caimyn Layne (13 tackles); CB Marcus Cakdwell (9 tackles). NEO – Bryce Beldin (6-8-90-1-0) is the leader among five passers. Leading ground gainer Trevon Woolfolk (23-85-2) heads a cast of 15 ballcarriers. Receiver Hayden Hack (4-61-1) leads a group of eight pass catchers. Najee Ellies, with 172 return yards, is the top all-purpose yardage threat (93.3 per game) and has scored a team-high 18 points. Top tacklers are LB Bruce Engel (18), FS Julian Durham (13) and DE Marcus Morris (11, with 4 sacks and 4 tackles for losses)
AROUND THE LEAGUE: For the fourth consecutive week, the SWJCFC is featured on the NJCAA Game Of The Week aired on ESPN+, yet another league contest will command more national attention Saturday. While the Game Of The Week feature Trinity Valley (1-1/0-0) and Tyler (1-1/0-0) from Earl Campbell Field at CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium, the more significant matchup will be at Longview's Lobo Stadium where top-ranked reigning national champion New Mexico Military Institute (3-0/1-0) battles sixth-ranked Kilgore (2-0/1-0) on neutral turf while renovations continue at R.E. St. Johns Memorial Stadium in Kilgore. One non-conference game at 6 pm sends Rezolution Prep Academy to Cisco for a 6 pm kickoff at Chesley Field. Unbeaten, 15th-ranked Blinn (3-0/1-0) has an open date.
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NAVARRO'S TWO-DEEP V NEO A&M
Offense
LT – (78) Lysander Moeolo, (74) Isaiah Maumalanga
LG – (70) Kamon Bradford, (54) Tanner Hilburn
C – (52) Justin Rogers, (63) Tim Metevia
RG – (72) Donovan Ford, (53) Anthny Drumgoole
RT -- (71) Welson Lual, (73) Michael Eneh
QB – (8) Dane Jentsch, (12) Brenden Cyr
RB – (22) Tim Carter, (23) T.J. Snowden
TE – (14) Jacoby Hunt, (46) Trace Taylor
X-WR – (1) Brandon Hawkins, (82) Jayln Marks
H-WR – (3) Eli Martinez, (80) Jack Hecker
Z-WR – (88) Jay Wilkerson, (19) Jamarion McDougle
A-WR – (9) Wesley Douglas, (85) Quavon Matthews
PK – (37) Axel Robertson, (39) Anthony Schembri
DEFENSE
DE – (92) Rico Griffin, (93) Nick Potts
NG – (90) Jaquaze Sorrells, (96) Clifton Mosley
DE – (95) Viontay Robinson, (91) Adam Winn
ILB – (7) C.J. Johnson, (35) Jordan Smith
OLB – (10) Caimyn Layne, (33) Eddie Toussom
OLB – (13) Marcus Tillman, (44) Vince Sheffield
CB – (6) Gabriel Bryan, (24) Donavann Collins
L-SAF – (15) Marques Caldwell, (31) Jeremy Sessions
R-SAF – (21) B.J. Jones, (20) Dominique Horton
FS – (27) Michael Boudoin, (29) Daniel Oneal
CB – (2) Tyrecus Davis, (10) J.K. Moore
P – (37) Axel Robertson, (39) Anthony Schenbri
