JACKSONVILLE -- Jacksonville proved to be too much for Jones Senior Friday night behind a double-barrel attack that saw the Cardinals roll up almost 400 yards total offense while holding Jones Senior out of the end zone en route to a 46-0 win.
Exelman Adams threw two touchdown passes and scored on a third to lead the Cardinals, who are 2-0 heading into next week’s showdown at Northside (1-1).
Adams hit Drew Mercer for a 12-yard touchdown to cap a 65-yard drive and then scored on a 10-yard run after Jermaine Linton’s 25-yard punt return as the Cardinals jumped out to a 12-0 lead in the opening quarter.
Jacksonville pushed the lead to 26-0 at halftime on a 6-yard pass from Adams to Jerome Graham with seven minutes left in the first half and a 55-yard punt return by Linton with 4:51 left in the second quarter.
After a scoreless third period, the Cardinals added 20 points in the final quarter against the 1-A Trojans (0-2), who tried to muster some offense but were continually stopped by the Cardinals, who figure to be a contended in the Coastal 3-A Conference this season.
Backup quarterback Colt Allen hit Malik Collins for a 26-yard touchdown with 11:17 left before Spencer Clark reached the end zone on a 20-yard run and Zahki Duncan finished off the scoring with a 37-yard run with 3:42 left.
Jones Senior tried to muster some offense, but a determined Jacksonville defense stymied the young Trojans.
Cardinals coach Beau Williams said his team played well but committed too many penalties – they had 12 penalties for 110 yards.
Jones Senior coach John Davis was disappointed with the lopsided loss praised his team’s heart in the first meeting between the two teams in decades.