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James Nicholas
John Carroll at St Clair County
Jeremiah Gibbs (8) accounted for five touchdowns and 237 yards on the ground in his Cavalier debut en route to John Carroll's 35-21 victory at St Clair County on Fri., Aug. 23.
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Photo by James Nicholas
St. Clair County WR #4 Bridgett Blanks with a touchdown reception during a game between John Carroll and St. Clair County on Friday, Aug. 23, 2019, at Mickey Venable Field in Odenville.
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Photo by James Nicholas
The St. Clair County band during a game between John Carroll and St. Clair County on Friday, Aug. 23, 2019, at Mickey Venable Field in Odenville.
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Photo by James Nicholas
John Carroll prepares to run onto the field before a game between John Carroll and St. Clair County on Friday, Aug. 23, 2019, at Mickey Venable Field in Odenville.
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Photo by James Nicholas
team captains #7 Ethan Cull, #76 Jack Horton , #16 Obi Ifediba and 1 Isaiah Ambroise during a game between John Carroll and St. Clair County on Friday, Aug. 23, 2019, at Mickey Venable Field in Odenville.
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Photo by James Nicholas
St. Clair County runs onto the field before a game between John Carroll and St. Clair County on Friday, Aug. 23, 2019, at Mickey Venable Field in Odenville.
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Photo by James Nicholas
fans cheer during a game between John Carroll and St. Clair County on Friday, Aug. 23, 2019, at Mickey Venable Field in Odenville.
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Photo by James Nicholas
John Carroll’s #32 Brock Sanders with an arm tackle during a game between John Carroll and St. Clair County on Friday, Aug. 23, 2019, at Mickey Venable Field in Odenville.
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Photo by James Nicholas
The St. Clair County band cheers during a game between John Carroll and St. Clair County on Friday, Aug. 23, 2019, at Mickey Venable Field in Odenville.
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Photo by James Nicholas
John Carroll’s Coach Logan Colafrancesco during a game between John Carroll and St. Clair County on Friday, Aug. 23, 2019, at Mickey Venable Field in Odenville.
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Photo by James Nicholas
St. Clair County’s #5 Joshua Struggs scrambles during a game between John Carroll and St. Clair County on Friday, Aug. 23, 2019, at Mickey Venable Field in Odenville.
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Photo by James Nicholas
John Carroll Dl #53 Trey Grissett during a game between John Carroll and St. Clair County on Friday, Aug. 23, 2019, at Mickey Venable Field in Odenville.
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Photo by James Nicholas
St. Clair County’s #10 Deondre Scott runs the ball during a game between John Carroll and St. Clair County on Friday, Aug. 23, 2019, at Mickey Venable Field in Odenville.
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Photo by James Nicholas
John Carroll’s band during a game between John Carroll and St. Clair County on Friday, Aug. 23, 2019, at Mickey Venable Field in Odenville.
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Photo by James Nicholas
St. Clair County’s #8 JJackson Lindsey with a touchdown reception during a game between John Carroll and St. Clair County on Friday, Aug. 23, 2019, at Mickey Venable Field in Odenville.
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Photo by James Nicholas
A St. Clair County player tries to keep cool during a game between John Carroll and St. Clair County on Friday, Aug. 23, 2019, at Mickey Venable Field in Odenville.
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Photo by James Nicholas
The John Carroll band during a game between John Carroll and St. Clair County on Friday, Aug. 23, 2019, at Mickey Venable Field in Odenville.
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Photo by James Nicholas
St. Clair County cheerleaders during a game between John Carroll and St. Clair County on Friday, Aug. 23, 2019, at Mickey Venable Field in Odenville.
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Photo by James Nicholas
John Carroll RB #6 Aaron Mason fights for inches during a game between John Carroll and St. Clair County on Friday, Aug. 23, 2019, at Mickey Venable Field in Odenville.
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Photo by James Nicholas
John Carroll WR #7 Ethan Cull with a touchdown during a game between John Carroll and St. Clair County on Friday, Aug. 23, 2019, at Mickey Venable Field in Odenville.
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Photo by James Nicholas
The John Carroll band during a game between John Carroll and St. Clair County on Friday, Aug. 23, 2019, at Mickey Venable Field in Odenville.
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Photo by James Nicholas
The St. Clair County student section cheers during a game between John Carroll and St. Clair County on Friday, Aug. 23, 2019, at Mickey Venable Field in Odenville.
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Photo by James Nicholas
John Carroll’s #8 Jeremiah Gibbs during a game between John Carroll and St. Clair County on Friday, Aug. 23, 2019, at Mickey Venable Field in Odenville.
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Photo by James Nicholas
John Carroll’s #8 Jeremiah Gibbs runs the ball for an early touchdown during a game between John Carroll and St. Clair County on Friday, Aug. 23, 2019, at Mickey Venable Field in Odenville.
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Photo by James Nicholas
John Carroll’s #8 Jeremiah Gibbs fights for inches during a game between John Carroll and St. Clair County on Friday, Aug. 23, 2019, at Mickey Venable Field in Odenville.
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Photo by James Nicholas
John Carroll’s DL #64 Jack Carlisle during a game between John Carroll and St. Clair County on Friday, Aug. 23, 2019, at Mickey Venable Field in Odenville.
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Photo by James Nicholas
John Carroll LB #17 Adrian Martinez holds onto St. Clair County’s #1 Joshua Ruff during a game between John Carroll and St. Clair County on Friday, Aug. 23, 2019, at Mickey Venable Field in Odenville.
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Photo by James Nicholas
John Carroll’s #20 Kameron Jackson during a game between John Carroll and St. Clair County on Friday, Aug. 23, 2019, at Mickey Venable Field in Odenville.
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Photo by James Nicholas
John Carroll’s #9 Mauree Raby during a game between John Carroll and St. Clair County on Friday, Aug. 23, 2019, at Mickey Venable Field in Odenville.
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Photo by James Nicholas
John Carroll Cheerleader’s before a game between John Carroll and St. Clair County on Friday, Aug. 23, 2019, at Mickey Venable Field in Odenville.
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Photo by James Nicholas
John Carroll’s student section cheers during a game between John Carroll and St. Clair County on Friday, Aug. 23, 2019, at Mickey Venable Field in Odenville.
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Photo by James Nicholas
John Carroll DB #2 Luke Harris staying hydrated during a game between John Carroll and St. Clair County on Friday, Aug. 23, 2019, at Mickey Venable Field in Odenville.
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Photo by James Nicholas
John Carroll’s #9 Mauree Raby breaks free during a game between John Carroll and St. Clair County on Friday, Aug. 23, 2019, at Mickey Venable Field in Odenville.
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Photo by James Nicholas
John Carroll’s cheerleaders during a game between John Carroll and St. Clair County on Friday, Aug. 23, 2019, at Mickey Venable Field in Odenville.
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Photo by James Nicholas
John Carroll players on the sideline during a game between John Carroll and St. Clair County on Friday, Aug. 23, 2019, at Mickey Venable Field in Odenville.
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Photo by James Nicholas
John Carroll QB #14 Jharad Johnson throws a pass to #6 Aaron Mason during a game between John Carroll and St. Clair County on Friday, Aug. 23, 2019, at Mickey Venable Field in Odenville.
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Photo by James Nicholas
John Carroll DB #30 A-Hijah Bell stops the St. Clair County run during a game between John Carroll and St. Clair County on Friday, Aug. 23, 2019, at Mickey Venable Field in Odenville.
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Photo by James Nicholas
John Carroll’s #6 Aaron Mason with a reception during a game between John Carroll and St. Clair County on Friday, Aug. 23, 2019, at Mickey Venable Field in Odenville.
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Photo by James Nicholas
John Carroll’s #13 Marice Smith looks across to the other team during a game between John Carroll and St. Clair County on Friday, Aug. 23, 2019, at Mickey Venable Field in Odenville.
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Photo by James Nicholas
John Carroll DB #9 Mauree Raby helps to stop the St. Clair County run during a game between John Carroll and St. Clair County on Friday, Aug. 23, 2019, at Mickey Venable Field in Odenville.
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Photo by James Nicholas
John Carroll’s #7 Ethan Cull sporting the crosses during a game between John Carroll and St. Clair County on Friday, Aug. 23, 2019, at Mickey Venable Field in Odenville.
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Photo by James Nicholas
John Carroll players run onto the field before a game between John Carroll and St. Clair County on Friday, Aug. 23, 2019, at Mickey Venable Field in Odenville.
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.”
Click here to purchase photos from the game.
