Sumter County downs Monroe in preseason scrimmage

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AMERICUS — Sumter County capitalized on “young mistakes” Friday night to defeat Monroe 21-6 in a preseason scrimmage at Alton Shell Stadium in Americus. The varsity squads played for three quarters, with Sumter leading 15-6, before the junior varsity took over in the fourth quarter. The scrimmage mimicked a real game, except there were no punts, and quarterbacks were downed by touch rather than tackles.

“We saw a vast improvement over the spring game performance,” Monroe head coach Lacey Herring said. “But we still had way too many young mistakes. If we are going to play competitive football, we have to eliminate these kinds of mistakes.”

Herring found positives, particularly in the defensive backfield. Justin Lane intercepted three passes, Talaun Jones picked off two and Eric Spann recovered a fumble in the end zone, preventing a Panther touchdown.

Sumter County opened the game with a strong drive, mixing runs and passes against Monroe’s defense. However, when the Panthers were about to score, Spann recovered a loose ball in the end zone.

Monroe, led by quarterback Jordan Washington, responded quickly. Washington connected with Nehemiah Tinch on a pass that put the Tornadoes at the 18-yard line and then found Jones wide open on the sideline for an 18-yard touchdown pass, giving Monroe a 6-0 lead.

That was Monroe’s only touchdown of the night. Lane returned one of his interceptions for what appeared to be a touchdown, but a penalty negated the score.

Despite the loss, Herring remains optimistic while acknowledging the work ahead.

“Having Justin Lane back was huge for us,” Herring said. “Talaun Jones had a big night playing both ways. Chase Dixon didn’t get much in the running game, but he was wide open all night on pass plays, showing we have opportunities with him. He’s a receiver at heart, but we’re using him at running back now. And Nehemiah Tinch showed what an athlete he is. He is a dude!”

Herring also highlighted linebacker Justin Carolina, who made significant plays and showed readiness to step into his defensive role.

Quarterback Jordan Washington displayed moments of brilliance and indecision, prompting Herring to encourage his talented senior. Washington threw well, with only one interception, but the scrimmage rules limited his ability to use his speed.

“Jordan is a true leader, but he is young,” Herring said. “He hasn’t been in that role for very long. Jordan is a perfectionist, and when he makes a mistake, he gets down on himself. I’ve told him he’s got to have a short memory and move on. When the other guys see him get down, they get down too, so Jordan has to stay upbeat.”

Herring also identified a critical issue: Monroe needs more depth.

“We have all of our skill guys playing both ways,” Herring said. “That’s part of why so many guys were cramping up. We need to identify more players who can contribute so we can create some offensive continuity. Guys playing 120 snaps takes a toll on their bodies, so we have to find more contributors.”

With two weeks remaining before their regular season opener against defending state champion Thomas County Central on Aug. 16 in Thomasville, Herring and the Tornadoes have time to address these issues and prepare for a challenging season ahead.

By Joe Whitfield
Sports EditorBy Joe Whitfield
Sports Editor

By Joe Whitfield
Sports Editor