Staff report
VERSAILLES —Noah Grisez scored two touchdowns to help lead Versailles to a 27-0 win over Greenville in the varsity portion of a jamboree scrimmage on Friday.
Grisez scored the game’s first touchdown on a 10-yard run, and Garrett Thompson and George Grow added short touchdown runs before halftime to help the Tigers amass a 21-0 lead. Grisez scored on a six-yard run in the third quarter to put Versailles up 27-0 after a missed extra point.
“The kids did a great job coming out, and I thought we had good energy,” Versailles coach Adam Miller said. “Defense played great all throughout. Offensively we started off well, had a little lull where we made some mistakes but ended up picking it up at the end. So I thought it was a good all-around showing for us.”
Greenville’s offense went three-and-out to start, and Versailles then blocked the punt and recovered the ball near midfield. The Tigers covered 49 yards in three plays, with Grisez capping off the drive less than two minutes into the scrimmage with his first touchdown run.
Greenville again went three-and-out on its second possession, and Versailles followed with an eight-play, 62-yard drive that ended with a 1-yard touchdown run by Thompson.
Greenville picked up one first down on its next drive but was forced to punt. Versailles went 75 yards on its next drive, which was capped off by Grow scoring on a 3-yard run six seconds into the second quarter.
To start the second half, Versailles’ offense started firing on all cylinders again. The Tigers went 70 yards in nine plays with Grisez scoring his last touchdown.
“Our senior skill players are definitely a strength for us,” Miller said. “I think even on the line, too. I was impressed with the way our line was blocking up front.”
Greenville’s first drive of the second half started off well with a 16-yard run but ended with an interception by Versailles’ Evan Hiestand.
Late in the third quarter Versailles marched down to the Greenville 2-yard line but didn’t score prior to the end of the third quarter. Both schools got 20 offensive plays for junior varsity and freshmen players to finish up the night. Versailles scored once and also intercepted a pass with the younger players on the field.
Greenville coach Aaron Shaffer said it’s not time for the Green Wave to panic, but Friday night did expose several weaknesses.
“We have to grow up quick,” Shaffer said. “We’re a young football team, and what I saw tonight is we made a lot of mistakes tonight that young football teams will sometimes make when you’re going maybe into a game-like atmosphere with lights and fans and things like that.”
Versailles opens the season on Friday at home against Celina.
Anna 41, Covington 7
The Rockets scored on all but two of their possessions in the first two quarters and beat Covington 41-6 in a scrimmage on Friday night in Anna.
The Buccaneers scored first on a touchdown pass, but Anna responded with a four-play drive that ended with a long touchdown run to go up 7-6.
The Rockets dominated the scrimmage from there. They scored another long touchdown run to go up 14-6 then added four more touchdowns before halftime. Neither team scored in the third quarter, after which the junior varsity squads played. Covington won the JV portion 12-6.
Anna opens the season on Friday at home against Arlington.
