Southern Section Roundup : Sparks, Jones Lead Montclair Prep, 61-0

Michael Jones and Derek Sparks, two of the top running backs in the area, combined for 488 yards rushing and nine touchdowns as Montclair Prep blasted Brethren, 61-0, Friday night in a nonleague game at Kennedy High.

Sparks rushed for 288 yards in 13 carries and scored five touchdowns, including one on a 90-yard dash with 1:24 left and another on an 80-yard run on the Mounties’ second offensive play.

Montclair Prep Coach George Giannini claimed Sparks’ late-game touchdown should not be construed as running up the score.

“I took out my No. 1 tailback, Michael Jones, and my No. 2 tailback hurt his knee in practice this week and couldn’t play,” Giannini said. “So I had Derek in there with a guard at fullback and called a blast up the middle. Derek broke it and scored, so what can I say?”

Jones, who entered the game as the Valley area’s leading rusher with 362 yards, rushed for 200 yards and three touchdowns in 14 carries, including a 28-yard score on the Mounties’ first offensive play. Jones also ran back the opening kickoff of the second half for an 89-yard touchdown, and his 44-yard run with 6:40 left in the first half gave Montclair Prep a 27-point lead.