SPORTS

H.S. FOOTBALL: Haywood dominates JCM

WILL TUCKER
sports@jacksonsun.com

BROWNSVILLE – Friday night’s season-opener was a big game for the Haywood Tomcats.

Haywood captains Bo Gillespie (15) and Emitt Gooden carry a jersey in honor of teammate Tekarian Maclin to the coin toss at John B. Hooper Memorial Stadium in Brownsville, Tenn., on Friday, Aug. 28, 2015. Maclin died on July 29.

The game marked the first time that the Tomcats had taken the field since the death of player Tekarian Maclin over the summer.

It was also the first time the Tomcats had taken the field under first-year head coach Steve Hookfin.

When you throw in that Haywood was playing its oldest rival, the JCM Cougars, the Tomcats had a lot to play for.

Despite all of the circumstances surrounding the game, Haywood was able to focus in and start the year off in a big way with a dominating 53-0 win over the Cougars.

Hookfin thought his team did a great job of handling the emotion of the night.

“This is a terrific bunch,” he said. “They’re much stronger than I am with this whole situation. It was good for the community to just come out and play football and for everybody to just focus on the game and these young men out here. It was just a great overall effort tonight.”

After an emotional pregame ceremony honoring Maclin, the Tomcats didn’t waste anytime getting off to a hot start against the Cougars.

Kris Johnson got the Tomcats on the board early in the first quarter with an impressive 25-yard touchdown run.

JCM's Martvious Cole fumbles the ball after being brought down by Haywood's Emitt Gooden at John B. Hooper Memorial Stadium in Brownsville, Tenn., on Friday, Aug. 28, 2015. The fumble would result in a Haywood touchdown.

Later in the first quarter, Haywood running back Markevious Williamson plunged into the end zone from three yards out to put the Tomcats up 12-0.

At the end of the first quarter, Haywood’s defense found the end zone on a five-yard Jai Evans “scoop and score” off a JCM fumble that gave Haywood an 18-0 lead after the first.

Haywood's Kris Johnson rushes for a touchdown against JCM at John B. Hooper Memorial Stadium in Brownsville, Tenn., on Friday, Aug. 28, 2015.

Williamson scored again midway through the second quarter on a six-yard run, and then Haywood DB Shawn Douglas scored the Tomcats’ second defensive touchdown of the night on a 35-yard pick six to put Haywood up 32-0.

The Tomcats added one more score before halftime on a Xavier Walker 29-yard dash to the end zone, and Haywood went into the half with a 39-0 lead.

The second half was shortened due to the running clock rule being in effect, but Haywood added a pair of touchdowns on a Walker 45-yard run and a TD pass from Bo Gillespie to Isaih Franklin.