On Friday, September 22nd, the Spartans showed up on homecoming night to hand the Mount Vernon Mustangs their first loss of the season.
Quarterback Hampton Johnson threw for over 200 yards and three touchdowns on the night, while Jerimiah Wingfield and Jamari Welch combined for 237 yards on the ground and another four touchdowns. But the Spartan’s victory did not come without its preparations.
Speaking to Coach Hill, the quarterback coach, before the game, he explained what the team has done to become dominant on both sides of the ball.
“We’ve had a big learning curve because we’ve completely revamped what we are doing offensively. This year we’ve gone to a fast and wide scheme offensively, and we’ve added some coverages defensively. We have developed and learned more this year than probably any of the other years that I’ve been here,” said Hill.
But the offensive schemes are not enough without the players putting in the work and doing their jobs. In an interview with Senior Noah Prior before the game, he spoke on the hard work that the team has been putting in all season.
“It’s a really high-tempo offense, and it’s a big advantage for us. We started way back in spring and it’s a part of our conditioning too. We have to be in way better shape than the other team for it to work. High tempo, fast-paced and explosive plays to keep the other team on their toes,” said Prior.
And explosive plays were abundant, as the Spartans started off the game with an early fourth down conversion attempt, which turned into a massive 40 yard rushing touchdown for Jamari Welch.
From that point on the Mustangs couldn’t keep up as the Spartans jumped out to a 21-0 lead in the first quarter and held steady at halftime with a 35-13 lead.
The Spartans would cruise from halftime on, outscoring the Mustang’s 14-3 in the second half for a final of 49-16.
A great outing of football commenced on Friday night, and it meant even more for the seniors on the team.
“It’s straight business now. First off you can’t lose on homecoming; that’s what happened two years ago against Wesleyan. That broke our hearts and I remember the seniors being even more heartbroken. Now that I’m a senior, it’s my last ride. We have to win on homecoming. There is no other option,” said senior AJ Chambers. And he was right, as the combination of hard work and passion worked well for a homecoming victory.
