Ryan Casey
(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)
WESTMINSTER — Alexisius Jones Jr. rushed for two touchdowns, and Fountain-Fort Carson’s defense stood tall when it needed to as the Trojans opened the season with a 21-14 win over Horizon.
Jones, a sophomore, handled the bulk of the carries for Fountain-Fort Carson, rushing 24 times for 136 yards. Included were scoring runs of 1 yard and 33 yards.
“He’s a special kid,” third-year Fountain-Fort Carson coach Jake Novotny said after the game. “He does not look like a sophomore. He’s the first freshman to play in a long time at Fountain. We played him last year in a couple of games. He’s special, man. We are excited about him.”
The 33-yard run came late in the third quarter, right after the Trojans’ TaShon Smith recovered a huge fumble near midfield and returned it to the Horizon 33-yard-line. Horizon had recently cut the lead to 14-7, and had momentum following a fourth-down stop.
“He’s a special player, too,” Novotny said of Smith.
Fountain-Fort Carson’s defense also held firm after Horizon blocked a punt early in the fourth quarter, and got good field position at the 27-yard-line. The Trojans ultimately forced a turnover on downs.
“Since I’ve been here, that’s been something I’ve put an emphasis on,” Novotny said of his defense. “We’ve been playing well there. It’s the third year in the system for these guys. They’re doing a great job. We talk all the time about being an opportunistic defense, and that’s everything we asked for today.”
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