The 2019 Football Hotbed National Showcase Junior Game


Marcus Benjamin @_BenjaminReport

Powder Springs, GA – For the third time on Martin Luther King Day the White Team jumped out on top of the Black Team first, but this time there would be no comeback as the white squad dominated 31-6. The junior game was the last of three all-star games held at McEachern High in the surrounding Atlanta area. Michael Neal of (St. Thomas Aquinas, FL) scored two touchdowns passes in the victory.

Michael Neal

Neal hit QB/WR Jaramaya Olivers (Jupiter, FL) for a 33-yard pass to set up a first and goal in what would be the beginning of plenty of offensive production for the team in white.

Kevin Ross (Miramar, FL) punched it in on the third play in the 2nd quarter to give the white shirts a 7-0 lead. Jalon Shine (Veterans, GA) was a problem all game at defensive tackle and caused a hurry to force an interception on the next possession. Anthony Davis (Wekiva, FL) would cradle for the interception which set up The White Team deep in black territory. Kemani Brown (Miami Northwestern, FL) then threw a gorgeous pass to Xzavier Henderson (Columbus, FL) who caught and tip-toed in the corner of the endzone for a 19-yard touchdown.

Andison Coby (Deerfield Beach) would attempt to bring his team back into the game. Coby will return a kickoff 71 yards to the black 29-yard line. The drive would stall however and they would have to settle for a field goal by Cali Canaval (Fort Lauderdale, FL) from 37 yards. Kevin Ross would continue to make his mark on the game as he took the ball on a reverse 30 yards to the Black 47-yard line leaving seven seconds left on the clock before the half. On the next play, Neal would roll to his right and loft it up towards the endzone only to find his teammate C’quan Jnopierre (Fort Lauderdale, FL) catch for a touchdown. The score would extend the lead to 21-3 at the half.

Dezmond Tell (Dutchtown, GA), Jarrell Culbreth (Westlake, GA) along with Shine disrupted the Black Team offense which could not get into any rhythm. Culbreth came up with a big sack in the 3rd quarter that would force another field goal. Canaval would hit his second kick of the afternoon this one from 47 yards.

The White Team would extend the lead with a field goal of their own with a kick from 40 yards from Canaval who served as kicker for both squads.

Justin Jackson (Glenwood, AL) had himself a day. He intercepted two passes and had a fumble recovery in the game. The first interception set up the first score and his second pick set up Neal’s second touchdown pass, this one to Anthony Parker Jr. (Liberty, GA) for a 29-yarder. Besides the big plays, this was a defensive game with Elijah Roberts (Columbus, FL) causing havoc for the Black Team. He would make several plays on defense including several sacks.  Roberts landed an offer from Georgia Tech during the visit with Football Hotbed.

Elijah Roberts, 2020 DE

 

Marcus Benjamin works as the senior writer and editor for FootballHotbed.com. He attended Florida A&M and Florida Memorial University completing a bachelors degree in communications in 2010. He's covered high school football in the South Florida area since 2010 for the Miami Herald, Miami Sports Tribune and ShawSports.net. He is married and lives in Fort, Lauderdale, FL.

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