Joaquin Rams Stadium on Thursday, October 31, 2024 –
The Joaquin Rams varsity football team trailed early but rallied to take a 44-28 District 11 2A-1 win over the visiting Shelbyville Dragons on Thursday. The win ties the two teams at 3-1 in the conference with one regular season game remaining and puts Joaquin’s overall record at 6-3 and Shelbyville’s at 7-2.
The Dragons gained the first lead when Gavin McDonald, substituting for injured Dragons quarterback DJ Barnes, found Hunter Harvey for a 60-yard scoring strike just 46 seconds from the start of the first quarter. Edwin Vasquez kicked an extra point to give SHS a 7-0 point advantage at the 11:12 mark. Early in the second quarter Shelbyville extended their lead to 14-0 when Ronnie Williams scored on third-down-and goal from the 1-yardline with 10:40 left in the first half.
Joaquin got on the board when Elijah Hardison scored on a run from 6-yards away. Dallon Jordan added a 2-point conversion run to cut Shelbyville’s lead to 14-8 with 6:49 left in the first half.
McDonald hit Harvey for a 31-yard touchdown reception and Vasquez added another extra point conversion which gave SHS a 21-8 lead with 4:26 left in the second stanza.
Tate Bass scored a 27-yard touchdown with 1:27 left in the half and Hardison added a 2-point conversion run which cut Shelbyville’s lead to 21-16. Joaquin stopped the Dragons on the ensuing drive and a 20-yard punt gave JHS the ball at the Shelbyville 49-yardline with 40 seconds remaining until the midway break. Moments later Bass scored on a 13-yard touchdown run with just 13 seconds left in the half. Jordan added a conversion run which gave the Rams a 24-21 lead which held up until halftime.
Hardison converted a 16-yard run for a touchdown, and he also added a 2-point run at the 2:31 mark of the third period. This gave JHS a 32-21 lead. Hardison intercepted a Dragons pass with just 39 seconds left in the third frame and JHS held possession of the pigskin going into the final period of play.
Justyn Brown scored a 3-yard touchdown with 10:30 left in the final period to give Joaquin a 38-21 lead. Shelbyville kept fighting and McDonald hit Tanor Doggett for a 62-yard scoring strike for a touchdown which cut the Ram’s lead to 38-28 with 8:49 left in the contest.
Jordan scored on a 1-yard run with 1:53 remaining and this proved to be the game’s final score.
The Rams will face the Garrison Bulldogs, at Bulldogs Stadium on Friday, November 8, 2024 at 7:30 p.m. The Bulldogs are 6-2, 2-1.
The Dragons will host the Hemphill Hornets on Friday, November 8 at 7:30 p.m. at Dragons Stadium. The Hornets are 1-7, 0-3.
