Football opens the season with 33-6 win over Wake Prep

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The John Paul II Catholic High School football team scored on its first three possessions and never looked back as it opened the 2023 season with a 33-6 victory over visiting Wake Prep on Friday evening.

The Saints won the toss and deferred, then stopped the Guardians on their first possession. Keiveon Moore quickly set the tone for JPII with a 29-yard run to the Wake Prep 26 on first down. Quarterback Connor Kendrick eventually got the Saints on the board on a 1-yard sneak with 2:40 left in the first quarter, followed by the first of three point-after kicks by Will Wright.

Then the TT Moore show began. JPII again stopped Wake Prep and took over at midfield. TT Moore took the first play 50 yards to the end zone as the Saints led 14-0 with 56.3 seconds left in the first.

Ray Shaw provided one of his several outstanding plays on defense a few plays later by forcing a fumble, recovered by teammate Matt Mullis at the Guardians 26. TT Moore cashed in with an 11-yard touchdown run with 10:01 left in the half. The highlight of that possession was a 16-yard pass from Kendrick to TT Moore on fourth and 7 from the 27.

TT Moore finished the game with 4 rushes for 87 yards and three touchdowns, including one from 21 yards early in the fourth quarter. Keiveon Moore led JPII with 12 rushes for 98 yards, and Gentry McMinn rounded out the scoring with a 70-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.

That fourth quarter also featured some sloppy play by both teams. Wake Prep finally got on the scoreboard with its lone touchdown coming with 9.1 seconds to play.

Kendrick several times showed flashes of his potential at quarterback, including some nifty moves to elude defenders in the backfield. He also showed himself to be more than capable at punter, highlighted by a booming 43-yarder.

The defense was stout most of the night, with notable performances from several players, including Tucker Holmes, Ward Howdy, Wright, Shaw, Mullis, and Carson Koesters, just to name a few. 

JPII will hit the road for the first time next Friday, August 25, at Lawrence Academy, which was idle this week.

WAKE PREP 0 0 0 6 — 6
JOHN PAUL II 14 7 0 12 — 33

JP—Connor Kendrick 1-yard  run (Will Wright kick)
JP—TT Moore 50 run (Wright kick)
JP—TT Moore 11 run (Wright kick)
JP—TT Moore 21 run (kick blocked)
JP—Gentry McMinn 70 run (kick blocked)
WP—Everett Holm 19 pass from Cole Perry (run failed)