By Mike Goodson/Sports Correspondent
Photo caption: West End’s Marcus Strickland (left) attempts to bring down Glencoe’s Jacob Amberson during the Yellow Jackets’ 40-13 victory on high school football last Friday (Aug. 25) in Walnut Grove. (Photo by Mike Goodson)
The Glencoe High Yellow Jackets capitalized on five West End turnovers on the way to a 40-13 win last Friday (Aug. 25) in Walnut Grove.
In his first career start at quarterback, Glencoe senior Jacob Amberson, passed for 174 yards and three scores, including two to Sam Kimbrell, and rushed for 84 yards and two more touchdowns.
The Yellow Jackets amassed 396 total yards, including 222 rushing and 174 yards passing. West End finished with 129 yards rushing and 45 yards passing.
Glencoe head coach Rusty Davis gave much of the credit to defensive coordinator Charlie Robertson and his defense.
“Coach Rob did an outstanding job of making adjustments and putting people in position to make plays. We got in a good rhythm in the third quarter and were able to do what we wanted on offense.”
After 20 minutes of play, the game was knotted 13-13. Amberson opened the scoring on a 20-yard touchdown run before the Patriots tied it at 7-7.
Amberson found the end zone of a 3-yard scamper to make it 13-7, then the hosts tied at 13-13 on a 2-yard TD run.
Amberson and Sam Kimbrell connected on a 63-yard touchdown pass to provide Glencoe with a 20-13 lead at halftime.
The Yellow Jackets exploded for 20 unanswered points in the second half to put the game away.
Amberson threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Cade Alred early in the third quarter to make it 26-13. Amberson scored his third rushing TD at the 1:33 mark of the third period and then capped the scoring with a 40-yard scoring pass to Sam Kimbrell in the fourth quarter.
A 56-yard Amberson-to-Noah Huff scoring pass made the final 40-13.
Kimbrell caught four passes for 146 yards and two touchdowns, while Cade Alred paced the Glencoe rushing game with 103 yards on 11 carries. Hunter Gray added 25 yards on five attempts.
Katie Smith was 4-for-6 on extra points.
Defensively for the Yellow Jackets, Julian Bethel finished with nine tackles, including three for a loss, and three sacks. Carson McCreless had seven tackles and one sack, while Huff and Nathan Kuykendall each had eight tackles. Huff and Easton Foreman each had an interception.
For West End, Payne Stancil was 9-for-22 in passing for 64 yards. Nick Campbell had three receptions for 24 yards.
Levi Armstrong rushed for 76 yards on 13 carries, while Jacob Jones ran twice for 35 yards.
Matthew Hood had 15 tackles, followed by Michael Patton with 10. Patton and Armstrong each had a sack.
“Glencoe is just bigger, stronger and faster than us,” said West End head coach, Kyle Davis. “We moved the ball well at times, and I’m still proud of the way my team played.”
Glencoe travels to Westbrook Christian this Friday (Sept. 1), while West End visits Susan Moore.