Gibbs' 5 TDs lift Cavs to season-opening win
ODENVILLE — John Carroll Catholic School was anything but cavalier.
The Cavaliers outmuscled and outran host St. Clair County High School en route to a 35-21 season-opening win at Mickey Venable Field.
The workhorse was Jeremiah Gibbs, a junior who sat out last season after transferring from a school in Washington D.C. Gibbs rushed 22 times for 237 yards and all five John Carroll touchdowns.
“I came to this new school and I didn’t have anybody,” Gibbs said. “But I had the football team behind me, who showed me new friends and new people. We’ve just become closer and closer.”
Gibbs scored on runs of 66, 5, 25, 1 and 67 yards. His first three touchdowns came in the first quarter.
“This guy right here is unbelievable,” said Cavaliers head coach Logan Colafrancesco. “I saw greatness last year. He was ineligible, so that tells you everything about him. He stuck it out with us and practiced and did everything he could. He’s an unbelievable football player but he’s an even better kid.”
After the Cavaliers went up 21-0 in the first quarter, St. Clair County got on the board when quarterback Joshua Struggs threw an 8-yard touchdown to Bridgett Blanks to make it 21-7. The Saints (0-1) cut the deficit to seven points four minutes later when Struggs connected with Jackson Lindsey for an 8-yard score. John Carroll (1-0) answered on its first drive of the second half, going 62 yards in 12 plays, capped by Gibbs’ 1-yard plunge, stretching its lead back to 14 .
St. Clair County scored on its ensuing drive on a 2-yard run by Martez Stallworth to cut the Saints’ deficit to 28-21. The Saints had a 12-play drive stall late in the fourth quarter, and Gibbs took the first play of John Carroll’s ensuing drive 67 yards to ice the game.
“I thought we just physically came in tonight, and we ran the football right at them,” Colafrancesco said. “That’s what we needed to do to win.”
John Carroll finished with 420 total yards, 366 of which came on the ground. Aaron Mason rushed 14 times for 103 yards. Marice Smith had a blocked punt and fumble recovery for the Cavaliers.
“Getting the year started off right on the road against a team that beat us last year, I thought our kids were resilient, they busted their tails, and good things happen,” Colafrancesco said.
For St. Clair County, Struggs completed 11-of-23 passes for 145 yards and two touchdowns.
John Carroll hosts Leeds next week, the first of three straight home games.
“We’ve got to work harder this week to fix the mistakes,” Gibbs said. “Come out harder than ever and just keep getting better every game.”
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