Bartram Trail- The stadium was rocking Friday night as the home fans welcomed their 2017 version of the Bears onto the field to face the Mandarin Mustangs. Both coaches were excited about the matchup and looked forward to the challenge as they prepared for a preseason brawl.
The night started well for one team, as things just couldn’t get in sync for Mandarin. Bartram Trail took an early lead and never let up. Quarterback Riley Smith started the game with Quarterback Joey Gatewood coming in relief as a co-starter. Both quarterbacks were poised, accurate with the pass, and had great pocket awareness as they scrambled to gain extra yardage. The run game was never an issue as Bears running back Devin Ellison was able to hit the holes and get to the edges effectively. The wide receivers were also often open for big plays in the red zone.
Despite the blitz, Joey Gatewood was determined to show his true colors and hit a man in stride for a Touchdown in the end zone. Currently committed to Auburn University, Gatewood used his size and speed well as he effortlessly marched up the field on several drives.
The defense was a big highlight of the first half as the Bears defense held the Mustangs offense to zero points. There was an absolute sense of urgency as all 11 men on the field swarmed to the ball causing havoc.
The Mustangs defense rose to the occasion in the first quarter as they held the Bears offense at the Bears five yard line turning it into a turnover on downs. But the Mustangs just couldn’t maintain success on either side of the ball. The Mustangs offense had no problem with moving the ball on several drives,however costly penalties and turnovers cursed them for most of the game.
Despite not getting to the end zone, there were some good plays made on the Mustangs offense. The running back was speedy and made many good yardage gains even after the point of contact. Demario Douglas is a dangerous man! A speedy wide receiver and kick returner that has good vision, Douglas is a great asset and he proved tonight why he is one of this team’s best players, especially in the run game. QB Kyle Smith did a great job managing the game and avoiding costly interceptions.
Unfortunately the Mustangs defense was not able to handle the Bears offense. Not only did the Bears offense have good field position most of the night, but the Bears offense was able to march up the field with no problems.
Next week on August 26th, the Bears travel up to Cartersville, GA for a dance with the Cartersville Hurricanes to kick off their regular season schedule. Kick-off time set for 7:30 PM. The Mandarin Mustangs will be home on August 25th at 7:00 PM to meet the Atlantic Coast Stingrays.
Visit us at DuvalSports.com or follow us on Facebook and Twitter for live updates and info.
