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The Monticello Junior Billies returned to Hyatt Field on Thursday, September 17, hosting the Crossett Junior Eagles for their second conference contest of the season.
The Billies entered the contest after a 43-0 win on the road a week prior at DeWitt to begin conference play 1-0.
The Junior Billies would kick the ball off to begin the contest with Crossett beginning their firs drive on their own 35 yard line.
Crossett would advance the ball into Monticello territory but would be forced to punt with the Junior Billies beginning their drive at their own 10.
Jonathan Barefield would get the first carry for the Junior Billies for two yards followed by what would have been a nice run for positive yardage by Caden Daniels, but the play would be returned to the 12 yard line after a holding penalty at the 22.
Jonathan Grissom’s first pass of the contest would be intercepted and returned for a Junior Eagle touchdown.
Crossett would convert the two-point play to take an 8-0 lead.
Monticello would get a great field position after the Crossett kickoff after Dawson Loyd returned the kick for 56 yards to the Crossett 26.
After a 10 yard run by Barefield and an offsides penalty against Crossett, Monticello lined up at the 11 yard line, but on the next play would turn the ball over on a fumble to give the Junior Eagles possession at their own two.
After advancing the ball to the seven, the Junior Billie defense would get a safety to cut the Crossett lead to 8-2.
Monticello would begin their next drive at the Crossett 46 and would once again turn the ball over on an interception returned 55 yards for a touchdown.
Crossett added the two-point conversion to increase their lead to 16-2.
Monticello would take the next Crossett kickoff back for a 16 yard return to their own 46, but a holding penalty would give the Junior Billies a 1st and 10 from their own 36.
Barefield would get the hand off, breaking free to cover 64 yards for the Junior Billie touchdown.
Barefield would get the call for the two-point play to cut the Crossett lead to 16-10.
Crossett would begin the second quarter with the ball on their own 38 and would move the ball into Monticello territory before turning the ball over on downs at the Monticello 27.
Daniels would move the ball six yards with Barefield getting the ball over midfield.
Loyd would advance the ball down to the Crossett 35 but a holding penalty would move the ball back 10 yards to the Crossett 45.
Monticello would move the ball down to the Crossett 13 yard line with Grissom connecting with Daniels for a 13 yard touchdown pass and reception.
Jon David Vanderzwalm connected on the extra point to give the Junior Billies their first lead of the game, 17-16.
Returning from the halftime break, Monticello would receive the ball but would turn the ball over on downs. Monticell would get the ball back on Crossett’s first possession of the second half after an interception by Monticello’s Courtland Hampton to give Monticello possession at the Monticello 49.
Monticello would be forced to punt the ball away but would regain possession on a fumble recovered by Javion Lewis at the Crossett 21.
Daniels would move the ball to the eight and after a penalty by Crossett, Barefield would take the ball in from the Crossett two for the touchdown.
Vanderzwalm added the extra point to set up the final score, 24-16, to move Monticello to 2-0 in conference play.
The Junior Billies will travel to Hamburg on Thursday, September 24, to face the Hamburg Junior Lions for a 6:30 pm scheduled kick off.
