If there was one obvious difference between the Roswell Hornets and Campbell Spartans on Friday, it’s that the Hornets had Ethan Nation and the Spartans didn’t.
The Hornets beat the Spartans 41-21 at Ray Manus Stadium behind Nation’s three touchdowns, two receiving and one in the return game.
“I just feel like as long as the ball is in my hands I can make a play when we need it,” said Nation, a junior two-way starter who holds more than 40 offers and is rated as a 4-star defensive back by recruiting services.
The Hornets (4-0), ranked No. 6 in Class 7A, got two first-quarter touchdowns from Nation to take control early and hold on for the win.
On the Hornets’ opening drive, they faced fourth-and-1 from the Campbell 39 when senior quarterback Robbie Roper found Nation on a screen pass. Nation then used his speed to outrun defenders down the sideline for the game’s first score, which came with 7:33 left in the first.
With less than a minute remaining in the first quarter, Campbell punted to Nation, who called for his teammates to clear out as the ball headed toward the sidelines. The Spartans gave up on the play, but just before the ball trickled out of bounds, Nation scooped it and scored to give the Hornets a commanding 14-0 lead.
“No one was around,” Nation said. “It was just me and the kicker and if I can’t make a kicker miss, then that’s on me. So I just took a chance and it ended up good.”
After Nation’s second touchdown, the Spartans came to life with a 65-yard kickoff return from Malachi Jackson, which put them on the Roswell 15. Three plays later, Luke Marble threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Reimer Smith, making it 14-7 with 11:53 left in the second quarter.
After Roswell punted on its next possession, the Spartans used a 13-play drive to go 55 yards and tie the game at 14 with 3:20 left in the half.
That was the last real noise Campbell would make, and the Hornets responded on their next drive when Roper connected with Shaun Spence on a 35-yard touchdown to give them the lead for good at 20-14 with 1:47 left.
The Hornets opened the second half’s scoring with Nation’s final touchdown, a 31-yard reception with 6:03 left in the third to make it 27-14.
Roswell poured it on with two more touchdowns in the third quarter, a 34-yard reception by Zeke Moore with 3:28 left, then another Spence touchdown reception, this for 32 yards, with 0:47 left.
Hornets second-year coach Chris Prewett acknowledged the Hornets played well in the second half, but said they must get off to a faster start moving forward.
“I just think we executed a lot better in the second half,” Prewett said. “Team-wise, we were a little sluggish to start but we’ll get that fixed for next week. We can’t play around for a half, or a quarter.”
Roper, who entered as Friday as the 7A leader in passing yards with 1,100, finished 14 of 19 passing with 322 yards and five touchdowns. Nation had 148 yards and two touchdowns on five catches and Spence had three catches for 77 yards and two scores.
The Hornets have scored at least 40 points in every game thus far, averaging 42.8 points.
Despite the loss, the Spartans (3-1), unranked in 7A, are trending upward under third-year coach Howie DeCristofaro. They’ve already surpassed their win total from the previous two seasons combined (2-18) and have equaled their win total of the previous three (3-27).
Campbell 0 14 0 7 — 21
Roswell 14 6 21 0 — 41
R — Ethan Nation 39 pass from Robbie Roper (Brett Gonda kick)
R — Nation 52 punt return (Gonda kick)
C — Reimer Smith 12 pass from Luke Marble (Aldin Orman kick)
C — Ryan Ray pass from Marble (Orman kick)
R — Shaun Spence 35 pass from Roper (kick failed)
R — Nation 31 pass from Roper (Gonda kick)
R — Zeke Moore 34 pass from Roper (Gonda kick)
R — Spence 32 pass from Roper (Gonda kick)
C — Malachi Jackson 2 run (Orman kick)
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