By MIKE MONYFORT
NAVARRO FOOTBALL GAMEDAY
Week 7
OPPONENTS: Rezolution Prep Academy (RPA) at Navarro (3-2/3-1)
VENUE: Tiger Field at CNB&T Stadium, Corsicana (Tiger Stadium)
GAMEDAY WEATHER: Partly cloudy skies with pleasant temperatures in the low 80s are expected at kickoff. Northeast winds at 10 mph, with occasional gusts to 20 are anticipated. No precipitation. Humidity at 36 percent.
KICKOFF: 3 pm CDT Saturday. October 8
LIVESTREAM COVERAGE: The non-conference game will be webcast live on the Navarro Sports YouTube Channel with Scott Batts and Michael Busby on the call.
HOME STRETCH: The Bulldogs bid for a fourth consecutive win and attempt to remain unbeaten at Tiger Stadium. NC hasn't won four in a row since 2017 when it closed with five victories in its final six games. NC last won three consecutive in October, 2018 (Texas A&T, NMMI and TVCC). Counting today's game, three of Navarro's four remaining regular-season games will be at home. On the horizon is next weekend's homecoming matchup against Trinity Valley, and the final game against the Tyler Apaches in November.
RANKINGS: Navarro jumped from No. 12 to No. 8 in Monday's latest version of the NJCAA Division I Football Poll after its 39-27 win at Blinn. The ranking is the highest achieved by Navarro since March 29, 2021 when the Bulldogs were picked No. 7 after a 53-50 win over Tyler in the spring season opener. NC began that post-COVID season as the No. 8 preseason team behind Hutchinson and Iowa Western. For a second consecutive 2022 polling period, five SWJCFC squads are receiving Top 15 votes: (1) NMMI, (8) Navarro, (12) Kilgore, (14) TVCC, and (RV) Blinn.
THE SERIES: The Wildcats and the Bulldogs are meeting for the first time.
THE COACHES: Ryan Taylor is in his third year of coaching (16-7), his first as Navarro's 16th head coach. The Denison, Tx, native played offensive line for the Yellow Jackets, Tyler Junior College and UCLA. He has 10 years of coaching experience in the Southwest Junior College Football Conference highlighted by leading Cisco to first undefeated conference championship in spring, 2021.
LAST WEEK: NAVARRO – The Bulldogs wrecked Blinn's homecoming with an unanswered 20-point, first-period explosion. Quarterback Dane Jentsch guided NC to a season-high 505 yards offense, completing an efficient 16-of-20 for 314 yards with touchdown passes of 80 to Tarribean Ramirez on the first play, 36 to Jay Wilkerson and two to Jacoby Hunt. Navarro's offensive co-feature was its 48-play, 240-yard rushing effort paced by top ground gainers TJ Snowden (14-145-0) and Newton freshman DeAnthoy Gatson (20-64-1). Snowden, with his second 100-plus game in three weeks, took over the team rushing lead, while Gatson tallied his third rushing TD in two weeks, NC's strengthening defense featuring the play of linebackers C.J. Johnson, Caimyn Laune and Marcus Tillman, picked off two passes, sacked quarterback Brock Bolfing three times and dropped ballcarriers for losses on four other occasions. Tillman was the statstuffer with seven tackles, two TFLs (one for a safety) and blocked an extra-point attempt. Layne made six stops, three sacks, a TFL and forced a fumble. Ty Wilson (10 tackles) led the secondary, while Gabriel Bryan and BJ Jones thwarted drives with picks.
TEAM STATS: NAVARRO averages 28 points and 411.6 yards with percentage splits of 53.3 passing (219.2 yards) and 46.7 rushing (192.4 yards). Defensively, the 'Dogs yield 27.4 points and 342.6 yards. NC's rushing defense allows 149.8, and 192.8 through the air.
INDIVIDUAL STAT LEADERS: NAVARRO – QB Dane Jentsch (65-95-989-7-4); RBs TK Snowden (72-403-2) and DeAnthony Gatson (36-113-3); WRs Brandon Hawkins (18-342-2), Jay Wilkerson (12-154-1), Eli Martinez (12-153-1), LBs CJ Johnson (32 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles); Caimyn Layne (29 tackles, 6 sacks, 6.5 TFLs, 2 forced fumbles); and Marcus Tillman (22 tackles, 5 TFLs, 2 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 1 recovery, 2 PBU); DB Ty Wilson (20 tackles) and Tyrecus Davis (17 tackles, 3 PBU, INT); PK Axel Robertson (24 points).
AROUND THE LEAGUE:
* In a rematch of programs that met for the 2021 SWHCDC Championship, unbeaten, top-ranked New Mexico Military Imstitute (5-0) travels to CHRISTUS-Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium in Tyler to face the Apaches at 3 pm Saturday. Coach Kurt Taufa'asau's Broncos carry an 11-game unbeaten streak spanning two seasons. The Broncos last lost to Cisco 38-19 on October 23, 2021
* Two teams trying to rebound from shutout losses last weekend meet at noon Saturday at Red Robertson Stadium in Miami, Ok., where coach John O'Mera's Cisco Wranglers challenge NEO's Golden Norsemen. Shut out twice in its three conference games, NEO has been outscored 83-7. Back-up quarterback Quentevin Cherry's second-period rushing touchdown against Navarro is NEO's only score in its last 12 quarters of play.
* Trinity Valley entertains Blinn for a 3 pm Family Day game at Bruce Field in Athens, Coach Ryan Mahon's Buccaneers attempt to stem a two-game losing streak.
NEXT WEEK: Fur and feathers fly for the 102nd game between Navarro and neighboring-county rival TVCC. The Bulldogs welcome the Cardinals for a 3 pm Saturday homecoming clash at Tiger Stadium.
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NAVARRO'S TWO-DEEP VS REZOLUTION PREP ACADEMY
Offense
LT – (78) Lysander Moeolo, (74) Isaiah Maumalanga
LG – (70) Kamon Bradford, (54) Turner Hilburn
C – (52) Justin Rogers, (63) Tim Metevia
RG – (72) Donavan Ford, (53) Anthony Drumgoole
RT -- (71) Welson Lual, (73) Michael Eneh
QB – (8) Dane Jentsch, (12) Brenden Cyr
RB – (23) T.J. Snowden, (26) DeAnthony Gatson
TE – (16) Allen Horace, (14) Jacoby Hunt
X-WR – (1) Brandon Hawkins, (85) Quavon Matthews
H-WR – (3) Eli Martinez, (80) Jack Hecker
Z-WR – (17) Tarribean Ramirez, (4) Jay Wilkerson
A-WR – (9) Wesley Douglas, (81) Christian Romero
PK – (37) Axel Robertson, (81) Christian Romero
DEFENSE
DE – (92) Rico Grifin, (55) Travis Chatman
NG – (93) Nick Potts, (99) Jacory Brown
DE – (95) Viontay Robinson, (94) Kemazjay Deckard
ILB – (7) C.J. Johnson, (45) Jayden Hughes
OLB – (10) Caimyn Layne, (47) Kenneth Ellison
OLB – (13) Marcus Tillman, (33) Eddie Toussom
CB – (6) Gabriel Bryan, (24) Donavann Collins
L-SAF – (35) Jordan Smith, (27) Michael Boudoin
R-SAF – (5) Ty Wilson, (31) Jeremy Sessions
FS – (21) B.J. Jones, (29) Daniel Oneal
CB – (2) Tyrecus Davis, (30) J.K. Moore
P – (39) Anthony Schembri
