Smoking For Jesus football looks to extend winning streak

CAPTION: The Smoking For Jesus Eagles are looking for another statement win. They’ll get their chance against San Antonio Jubilee. Photo by Stennis Shotts

The Smoking For Jesus football team earned another impressive win, a 65-58 victory against Austin St. Stephen’s Oct. 14.

But head coach Charles Frazier, Sr. said the Eagles (3-5, 1-0) are only getting started. They have another chance to add to the win column in another district contest of the Texas Association of Independent Athletic Organizations when they host San Antonio Jubilee at 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21, at Wallace Riddell Park, located on Texas 29 East and Rhomberg in Burnet.

Jubilee (4-3, 1-2) enters this contest after a 59-6 loss to Austin Not Your Ordinary School last week. The Lions are led by Jaiyden Cabrera who has 33 rushes for 370 yards and 6 touchdowns and two receptions for 31 yards and a score.

“They like to run inside a lot,” Frazier said. “They love that inside run game.”

Smoking For Jesus will rely on junior Connor Kitchens and sophomore Myron Glaspie to make plays, he said. Kitchens has 68 total tackles, 38 of which are solo, and a fumble recovery. During the win against St. Stephens, Kitchens recorded 15 tackles. Glaspie has 16 tackles. Look for seniors Isaac Legier and Jonathan Frazier also to make defensive plays.

Meanwhile, the Eagles will counter offensively with Legier, who has completed 103 of 168 passes for 1,619 yards, 24 touchdowns and 3 interceptions to lead TAIAO and rank 37th nationally on the season. He also has 71 rushes for 1,023 yards and 16 touchdowns.

“He really is putting up some crucial numbers,” the coach said. “I’m really excited to see Isaac and the game plan we have for this game. I really want to see his strength and his leadership. I challenged Isaac. This is where you make your mark on this team and your legacy and how you want everyone to see your high school career. Now is the time.”

Frazier called the victory against St. Stephen’s “a turn-around win and a statement win.”

“We went into that with our backs against the wall,” he said. “We knew we needed that to get us into the district race. Our players came out of the gate ready.”

The contest went back and forth. The Spartans attempted an onside kick they recovered but were penalized for illegal touch because the ball didn’t travel the minimum 15 yards required to allow St. Stephen’s to recover it. Frazier called it “a crucial play” that gave the Eagles the ball.

He gave the Spartans credit for their tenacity, noting they scored four touchdowns on four fourth downs.

“Otherwise, we held them the whole time,” he said. “(The onside kick) was a crucial part of the game. That made a difference. We had the lead and we ran out the clock. We got into our two-minute drill running the ball. We made them use their timeouts.”

He noted Legier simply refused to let the Spartans leave with a win. He had 13 rushes for 231 yards and 4 touchdowns and completed 21 of 30 passes for 296 yards and 4 scores. Junior Efrain Aviles, III caught 4 passes for 96 yards and a touchdown, while Frazier had 8 catches for 67 yards and 2 scores.

“Isaac forced fumbles and tips,” the coach said. “There was no way we were going to lose this game. The kid was unconscious. He put up numbers that are impressive. This kid was all over the place.”

Frazier said his team is entering this week’s contest with the same mindset.

“We went into that game knowing respect isn’t given — it’s earned,” he said. “You have to prove everything every Friday. Jubilee is coming into a war zone. We’re pumped and ready.”

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