Another No. 22 Leads Sweetwater : Jones Follows Rodgers’ Footsteps in Win Over Kearny

There was something all too familiar about the running of Sweetwater High’s No. 22 Friday night.

Although Terry Rodgers, The Times’ Back of the Year last season, is now at the University of Nebraska, Sweetwater seems to have found a replacement for his red and gray jersey.

Pierre Jones, who inherited Rodgers’ number, carried the ball 13 times for 74 yards and caught two passes for 112 yards and two touchdowns to lead Sweetwater to a 28-15 victory over Kearny.

The tradition continues.

Sweetwater, playing its first game in the United States after beating Mexico City, 28-12, in its opener two weeks ago, struggled with surprising Kearny (1-1).

The Red Devils, who reached the San Diego Section 3-A semifinals last year, could manage just 96 total yards and a 7-7 tie after the first half.

Stifled by penalties, a total of 100 yards in the game, Sweetwater started slowly before running back Robert Phillips’ eight-yard touchdown run made it 7-0 in the first half. Terrel Eady, led all rushers with 91 yards on 8 carries, started that drive with a 22-yard run.

Kearny tied the game on the next series when quarterback Scott Wellish hit Darrel Hicks with an eight-yard pass.

But Jones gave Sweetwater the lead for good when he caught a quick-out pass from Xavier Sanchez and raced 64 yards to a 14-7 Red Devil lead in the third period.

Jones scored on the same play seven minutes later, this time taking a pass from Danny Aina and running 48 yards for a 21-7 lead.

Kearny cut the lead to 21-15 on a 20-yard touchdown pass from Wellish to running Alan Ring. Wellish, who led all passers with 19 completions in 31 attempts for 230 yards and two touchdowns, then hit Hoochie Osborne for the two-point conversion.

But Kearny was outmanned by the larger Sweetwater team. The Komets were visibly worn out by the fourth quarter as many of their players were playing offense and defense for the smaller 2-A division school.

Mike Molina put the game away for Sweetwater with a 10-yard touchdown run with 2:57 left in the game. The score was set up by a 48-yard run by Eady.