Atlanta—For nearly three full quarters, Friday night, the Parkview (0-1) defense held Stephenson’s (1-0)
college recruit filled roster in check, but it was the future Florida Gator and
his 71 yard, Marcus Allen type run, that turned the tide.

Unlike last season’s double-overtime Jaguar victory, the fourth quarter of Stephenson
14-3 victory this year was relatively meaningless. All 17 of the games points
were put up in the third stanza via a field goal and two electrifying big
plays.

Throughout the first half both defenses were dominant as neither team could reach the red
zone. Slowly the Stephenson offense began to emerge. Coach Ron Gartrell’s bunch
missed a field goal and a 4^th down pass to the end zone in the last
two possessions of the second quarter. On the opening drive of the third quarter,
Senior Jack Esmonde and the Panther passing game started to click. The result
was a 27 yard field goal by Junior Zack Kammer and a 3-0 lead. Being inside the
stadium on this steamy August night, one could feel the possibility, with the
way both defenses were playing, of the score holding up.

That is until Stephenson‘s Mike Davis, the aforementioned future Gator, sent the
stadium into a frenzy. The 5’11, 205 pound senior, is ranked by most recruiting
sites as the fifth best high school back in the land. With 2:26 left in the
third quarter, he may have produced the finest run of his career. The play was
designed to the right side. As was so often the case on this night, the orange
clad defenders were there to break up the blocking. Seeing the penetration,
Davis cut back to his left and to the middle of the field, left four young
Panthers in his wake and galloped down the left sideline for the touchdown and
lead.

Moments later, after the Parkview offense went three and out, University of Kentucky
commit DeMarcus Sweat added the dagger. In a run eerily similar to Davis’, the
senior wide receiver started to the right and then back to the left, cutting
through defenders to take the punt 75 yards for a touchdown that literally
rocked the stadium under my feet.

Parkview never recovered. It is fair to say that the 2011 version of this storied Gwinnett program may be
better than the last few years. The defense will be stellar and may lead their
region in points against. The big question appears to be do they have enough
depth in a roster that has been pilfered from years of redistricting?

With twelve young men who have already verbally
committed to major D-1 programs, the Jaguars have their eyes set on the state
championship that has eluded Coach Gartrell in ten playoff appearances. Even
with all of his success and close playoff losses, his true focus continues to
be his influence as a father figure. “What is truly important is that we
graduate young men and send them to a higher education. We want to help them
better their lives. I don’t feel that we have to win it. It would be icing on
the cake. I helped to start this program and I’m proud of the success we have
accomplished.”