In a key region matchup at Madison City Schools Stadium, Bob Jones never trailed but could never put away a Florence team that featured great athletes on both sides of the ball. Bob Jones racked up over 450 total yards of offense and led by as many as 19 points in the third quarter but had to make one last defensive stand in the closing minutes to hold on to a 48-42 victory.

Bob Jones head coach Kevin Rose knew his team would have their hands full with a Florence team coming off a big win over Buckhorn. “I told the team it would be decided in the last sixty seconds and it was,” Rose said. “Defensively we struggled stopping them but when we had to have a stop we got one at the end.”

“We did some good things on defense but they are so talented on offense and when they spread you out like that their speed can cause problems.”

Both teams ran the no huddle spread offenses and put up huge numbers on offense. Bob Jones had 458 yards of total offense and Florence had 247. Florence also had a 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the third quarter when it looked like Bob Jones would take control with a 40-21 lead.

Florence quarterback Kendrick Doss accounted for over 200 yards of offense but his performance we overshadowed by the running of Jay Rogers who led the Patriots with 205 yards rushing on 22 carries and he scored 4 touchdowns.

“My coaches and my offensive line and receivers blocking for me, I got to give them credit,” said Rogers. “I just had to do whatever it takes for my team to win. It was a hard fought victory.”

An unlikely hero for the Patriots was punter Mike Bernier who pinned Florence inside their own 20 with less than two minutes left in the game.

Bob Jones took a 7-0 lead early as quarterback Trey Bates converted a key fourth down on the drive and later hit Kevin Wright on an 11-yard touchdown pass. Bates finished 6-9 passing for 67 yards and one touchdown.

After a Will Ragland interception ended Florence’s first drive, the Falcons got the equalizer when Doss went in from one yard out.

Seth Parker took Bob Jones on a touchdown drive in the second quarter as he was 3 for 3 passing and found Kevin Wright on a 23-yard pass for the score. Later in the second quarter, Jay Rogers got the first of his four touchdowns when he busted a 49-yard run up the middle.

Florence got in the end zone just before the half on a 58-yard pass from Doss to William Barnett and a successful 2-point conversion.

Bob Jones got its biggest lead of the night at 34-15 early in the third quarter when Jay Rogers burst through a hole from 30-yards out for a touchdown. But Florence started a comeback with the ensuing kickoff runback for 95 yards and a touchdown.

Another Rogers touchdown, this one from 14 yards out, made it 40-21 but Florence would strike quickly for two scores.

Kevin Wright closed out the scoring for Bob Jones with an 11-yard run after a long kickoff return by Ben Washington. Wright would finish with over 200 yards rushing and receiving and three touchdowns.

Florence’s final drive with 1:38 on the clock reached the Bob Jones 46 yard line before the defense got one final stop to end the game.

The win puts Bob Jones 2-0 in Class 6A, Region 8 as they head to Hazel Green nest week for another region game.