Astronaut visited Jones High School in Orlando on Friday night.
The Jones High School Fighting Tigers rolled through the visiting Astronaut War Eagles on Friday Night, winning 55-22.
The War Eagles started the game off on a good note, with several strong defensive series and a safety when Jones was backed up at its own goal line and botched a punt snap.
Several players were impressive to start the game for the War Eagles, with defensive lineman Deanthony Mallory notching two sacks on the game’s first drive.
On offense, they ran the ball with toughness and threatened with their passing game.
But once the first quarter ended, it was all Jones.
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The Fighting Tigers had an offensive explosion in the second quarter. Wide Receiver Vincent Thomas caught two touchdown passes from quarterback Quadry Jones, and running back Aaron Thomas ran it in from 14 yards out.
Astronaut responded with a 35-yard touchdown connection from quarterback Chace Gadpee to receiver Dylan Grimes on the final play of the first half to make it 22-10.
Gadpee delivered the pass right above the head of a Jones defender, and Grimes made a leaping grab to see cure the touchdown to give the War Eagles both momentum and hope going into halftime.
But Jones then opened the third quarter with touchdowns. The first of them was another touchdown reception by Thomas. The next two were fumble recoveries for touchdowns, one a botched snap near the Astronaut end zone and the other a strip sack that resulted in a 65-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown by Aaron Campbell.
Astronaut responded with touchdowns by its special teams and defensive units; a kickoff return for a score to close the third quarter and a 10-yard interception return by Josh Rodriquez for a touchdown.
But the deficit was too large, and the Tigers refused to allow a comeback.
High school sports | floridatoday.com/sports/high-school-sports/
JONES 55, ASTRONAUT 22
Astronaut 2 8 6 6 – 22
Jones 0 22 26 7 – 55
1st Quarter
A: Safety (ball snapped into end zone), 2:52
2nd Quarter
J: Vincent Thomas 23 pass from Quadry Jones (kick failed), 9:45
J: Vincent Thomas 25 pass from Quadry Jones (Aaron Thompson run), 5:50
J: Aaron Thompson 14 run (Kashawn Bradford run), 2:01
A: Dylan Grimes 35 pass from Chace Gadape (Cameron Ockerman pass from Chace Gadapee), :01
3rd Quarter
J: Vincent Thomas 25 pass from Quadry Jones (kick failed), 10:05
J: Tyrese Brown 3 fumble return (kick failed), 9:37
J: Aaron Campbell 65 fumble return (Kashawn Beckford kick), 4:49
A: N/A 89 kickoff return (pass failed), 4:31
J: Aaron Thompson 31 run (Beckford kick), 3:18
4th Quarter
A: Josh Rodriguez 10 interception return (pass failed), 10:01
J: James Brown 45 pass from Quadry Jones (Kashawn Beckford kick), 3:07
At Jones High School, Orlando
Top Performers: Astronaut: Defensive Tackle Deanthony Mallory was a constant force for the War Eagles defensive line, getting constant penetration throughout the game and notching 2 sacks on the first drive of the game. Jones: Wide Receiver Victor Thomas was electric for the Tigers, scoring 3 Touchdowns, all in a different style. He held onto one long deep ball to score, caught a screen and ran it in, and also caught a pass down the sideline where he outran the rest of the defense.
Key Play: With Astronaut still holding onto a sliver of hope, the Tigers put the game away for good when defender Aaron Campbell picked up an Astronaut fumble and ran it in to score from 65 yards out.
Record: Astronaut (1-5, 0-2 in District 5-4A); Jones (6-0, 2-0 5-4A)
Next week: Rockledge at Astronaut, 7 p.m.; Jones at Boone, 7 p.m.
John Shipley, For FLORIDA TODAY