By DON FLETCHER
News Staff Writer
Escambia County High’s Blue Devils built a 19-0 halftime lead, then added a third-period score and a fourth-quarter tally to overwhelm visiting Monroe County 33-8 last Friday, August 30.
Quarterback Jamarion Robinson passed for 110 yards, most of it on two touchdown hookups to Marrion Hooks, and ran for another touchdown to help lead the way in the team’s home opener.
The one-two running punch of Tai Henderson and Cali McCants almost halved a collective 165-yard effort as the Blue Devils evened their season mark at 1-1. Henderson piled up 84 yards on 12 carries, while McCants wound up with 81 yards on 5 carries, including a crowd-pleasing, 67-yard touchdown burst.
The home team’s halftime lead came on the two Robinson-to-Hooks TD tosses and a 20-yard return of an intercepted pass by Gabe Hooks, who also had a fumble recovery, forced a fumble, recorded a pair of solo tackles and combined with De’Andre Hooks for a sack.
The HUDL stat sheet did not include assists but showed that Jaylen Taylor also had two solo tackles and a sack for ECHS, and that Jalyn James picked off a pass and returned it 25 yards.
Robinson ran in from 3 yards to make it 26-0 early in the final period, then McCants electrified the hometown crowd with his long scoring run to make it 33-0. A Monroe County TD pass with less than 30 seconds to play provided the final margin.
The Monroe County game provided ECHS’s final tune-up for Friday’s Class 4A, Region 1 opener, when the state’s top-ranked Jackson Aggies (1-1) visit Atmore.
Jackson, which hung tough with Class 6A Saraland in the season opener before falling 35-27, knocked off Class 5A Demopolis 42-20 last week. ECHS lost its season-opening contest to Class 3A Alabama Christian Academy by a 30-26 score.
A large crowd is expected at Herbert Barnes Field on Friday for the 7 p.m. kickoff. Admission is $10 per person; parking is free.