SILER CITY — Oak Grove erupted for 29 points in the opening quarter Friday night at Phil E. Senter Stadium in Siler City en route to a convincing 55-0 triumph over Jordan-Matthews.
With the loss, Jordan-Matthews fell to 0-2 on the season. The Jets travel to Norwood Friday evening for a show down with the South Stanly Rebel Bulls (1-1).
Oak Grove, meanwhile, improved to 2-0 on the season and the Grizzlies have not allowed a point in 2019 after blanking Trinity 54-0 in the opener.
For Jordan-Matthews coach Sam Spencer, the final score was once against lopsided, but the first-year coach was happy with the way his club battled.
“We competed, but we are just so young right now,” said Spencer. “I was pleased with the way our guys battled for four quarters. They showed some fight and we can work with that. We can improve with that kind of attitude.”
Despite the effort, an experienced Grizzlies club proved to be way too much for the Jets especially with some crucial early mistakes. After Jordan-Matthews suffered a three-and-out on its opening series, Anthony Bowen reeled in a punt at the Oak Grove 22, made a move and headed up field. Moments later the speedy Bowen reached pay dirt from 78 yards out to give the Grizzlies a 6-0 lead with 10:22 left in the opening stanza. Jared Gribble pounded in for the two-point conversion to send the visitors up 8-0 early in the contest.
Disaster struck on the Jets’ ensuing possession in the form of a fumble which Oak Grove recovered at the J-M 29. Four plays later, Grizzly quarterback Ian McGlamery scooted in from six yards out before Caleb Schoenberger booted through the PAT to extend the lead to 15-0 with 8:49 left in the first.
Once again, the Grizzly defense proved too tough for the Jets to penetrate, and Oak Grove took over on its own 30 yard line. McGlamery found Hunter Tilley open on a 40-yard pass play before Aiden Shewcow raced in from 30 yards out to up the lead to 22-0 following the Schoenberger conversion kick.
Another J-M mistake in the form of a Bowen pick gave Oak Grove possession at its own 45 and sparked McGlamery connecting with Seth Blair for a gain of 20 down to the J-M 30-yard line. Two plays later, McGlamery found Crew Jones open from 22 yards out to push the lead to 29-0.
“Oak Grove has an experienced club returning and we knew that we’d have to play almost a perfect game and to get some breaks to have a chance,” Spencer said. “Allowing a punt return for a score and then two turnovers in the opening period got us down early and we could never get out of it.”
A muffed kick off gave the Jets possession on its own 7-yard line but the locals used the running of Jaquez Thompson and Ethan Jordan to gain three first downs while moving out across the 40-yard line.
But Oak Grove stiffended defensively, and regain possession after a J-M punt at its own 46 early in the second quarter. McGlamery would pound in from a yard out before scoring from a yard out late in the stanza to make the score 43-0 at the intermission.
Jones would score from two yards out midway through the third quarter for the Grizzlies before Oak Grove saw Nathaniel Spaugh bowled in from six yards out late in the fourth to make the final 55-0.
McGlamery connected on 5-for-10 passes for 72 yards and a score while running for three touchdowns in the Oak Grove win while Shewcow closed with 111 yards on 10 carries and a score.