Patriots roll in jamboree

SARDIS CITY — The West End football team wrapped up its 2019 spring practice in impressive fashion by whipping Gaston 28-0 in a Saturday night jamboree at Sardis Stadium.

The Patriots and Gaston are rivals in Class 2A, Region 6. The Bulldogs beat West End 42-34 in the 2018 regular season.

Saturday’s jamboree consisted of two regulation varsity quarters.

New starting quarterback Eli Pearce put the Patriots on the scoreboard by tossing a 67-yard touchdown pass to Jacob Camacho. Pearce ran 40 yards to give West End a 14-0 cushion.

“I think Eli is going to do some good things for us,” West End head coach Kyle Davis of the rising junior. “Nine days of practice, that’s nothing anybody can gauge anything on, but he gives us run and pass threats.”

Isaiah Roberson rushed 1 yard for a touchdown with 2:57 left in the second quarter.

Camacho’s interception at the 2:02 mark of the second period set up the Patriots’ final touchdown, an 8-yard run by Roberson with 50 seconds left.

Mason Barnett converted 4-of-4 extra points for the Patriots.

West End hopes Saturday’s performance laid the foundation for a turnaround season in 2019. The Patriots posted a 1-9 record in 2018.

“We took last year personal,” Davis said.

“We’ve got a lot of guys that have worked hard in the weight room. I don’t know if that’s going to account for any more wins than what we had last year, but I do think it gives us more of a chance. We’re better in the weight room and stronger.

“We had nine days [this spring] of a lot more physical football than we probably showed any game last year.”

West End beat Woodland 25-22 on Oct. 26 for its only victory last year. The Patriots’ defense allowed 488 points, the most in school history.

“I told them it’s like Christmas,” Davis said. “When you’re a kid and you get that new toy and you play with it for 10 or 12 days and then the new wears off and you don’t want it anymore, we can’t be like that. We’ve got to take these nine days we have and we’ve got to come back June 3 and work our tails off during the summertime, and from there keep the newness throughout the season.

“Talent-wise, I think we’ve got good talent. We’re young again but experienced young, because we had to play so many young kids last year.”

West End’s spring roster features only five seniors and six juniors.

“Me as a coach, I’ve tried to become better,” Davis said. “We’ve kind of changed our focus from being a good football team to trying to be good people. We’ve worked on leadership, and we’ve worked on team and unity.

“We said if we build good men, we’re going to play good football, and that’s kind of where we are right now. I’ve been real proud of them for the way they’ve taken it on. They have taken the mentality of what we’re looking for.”