The Renegades got the ball back and looked to seal the deal with 6:48 left, but they left the door open by fumbling on a fourth-and-8

By BRYANT K. KIZER

Mr. November was in the house

Ra’mone Jackson was Mr. November as he ran for a career-high 151 yards and three touchdowns as CMHA/Phil Cullum Renegades took the Termites title in their 25-0 victory over Maple Heights Lions, last Saturday at Collinwood Athletic Complex.

As Jackson, a second-grader from George W. Carver, had touchdown runs of 12, 65 and 61, the Renegades’ defense did the rest by not allowing the Lions offense cross the 50-yard line. The Renegades, who won all of their eight games (four regular season and four in playoffs), only gave up 39 yards. Amani Powell, a first-grader from A.J. Rickoff, capped the scoring with a 60-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.  

The Renegades, who used to be named Lonnie Burton, ended the suspense on who is going to win in first quarter. On their first possession, it took them only six plays for Jackson (from the Wishbone offense) to score on a 12-yard touchdown run at the 1:11 in the first. The termite league only has four seven minutes quarters.

“It was a surprise for me,” said Renegades first-year head coach and defensive coordinator Scanion Sharp. “It was normally Phillip that is our leading ground gainer, but this day belongs to Jackson.”
The 6-0 score stayed that way until the second play of the third quarter.

Going into the game both teams were tied for the best team defense with only six points allowed during their four game season.

The Lions, who were unbeaten with one tie, had difficulty moving the ball in the first half. They had the ball three times which resulted in 13 plays and only 32 yards, including a fumble.

The CMHA, which used to be called Lonnie Burton, had success when they had possession of the ball. They had 12 plays for 71 yards. They almost had the touchdown and they fumbled.

On the second play from scrimmage in the third quarter, Jackson outraced the Lions’ tacklers for a huge 65-yard touchdown run.

Jackson, who favorite player is the Washington Redskins’ Robert Griffin III or RG3, says that this is his best game so far.

Head coach Sharp added that he grew up a Maple Heights Lions fan because of former player and cousin now an Ohio Bobcat, Jovan Johnson.

Bantamweight Division

CMHA/Phil Cullum vs. Lake Erie Sharks:

Big interception and big plays by Marquis Whitting helped the Lake Erie Sharks take the Bantamweight title in the 12-8 victory over CMHA/Phil Cullum Renegades at Collinwood Athletic Complex, last Saturday.

First, Whitting, an eighth grader from Hope Academy East, made key plays on the offensive side the ball that helped the Sharks take the lead. Down 8-6 with less than four minutes to play, he would have a 10-yard pass play on a fourth-and-10.

“That was a big key to the drive,” said Sharks offensive coordinator and former Glenville Tarblooders star Tavares Bolden. “If we did not make that, we would have lost.”

After that play, Whitting would pick up 20 more yards on a screen pass. Add a late hit, and the Sharks have the ball at Renegades’ nine-yard line with 1:56 left. Two plays later, Quarterback Bobby Nix, an eighth-grader from Euclid Park, scored on a nine-yard run that gave them a 12-8 lead.

The Renegades, who lost the ball on a fumble on their previous possession tried their best to go for it all on a third-and-16 at their 34 with 1:15 to play, but Whitting would catch the floater and that was the game.  

The Sharks scored first in the first quarter with a seven-yard touchdown reception by Camryn Pollard, an eighth-grader from Michael White-Stem. The extra-point, which is in this league, a two-point conversion is a kick, and a one-point conversion is a run or pass, failed on the run.

The Renegades could not get anything going. Their possessions resulted in, end of downs, punt, punt and punt.

In the fourth, they finally crossed the goal line. A big interception by Tyrek Glasco, an eighth-grader from Tremont Middle, helped the Renegades take the lead. The Renegades Carnell Pierre capped off an eight-play,  46-yard drive with a five-yard touchdown run and their two-point extra point conversion gave them an 8-6 lead with 7:37 left in the game.

The Renegades got the ball back and looked to seal the deal with 6:48 left, but they left the door open by fumbling on a fourth-and-8 and the ball was scooped up by the Sharks and they had the ball on the Renegades 45.

The Sharks finished the season 8-0 and the Renegades finished at 6-1-1.