Jones gets air time with Trailblazers
- Updated: September 18, 2017
Dixie State's MIKE JONES flattens an opponent on Saturday.
2017 EAST COUNTY FOUR-YEAR COLLEGE FOOTBALL STANDOUTS
By Ramon Scott
EastCountySports.com
ST. GEORGE, Utah – You know former Mount Miguel High star MIKE JONES had a big game on Saturday when he was asked to be the guest with his head coach on a local afternoon drive-time sports talk show in town on Monday.
Jones was named Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Football Defensive Player of the Week on Monday for his performance in the Trailblazers’ 38-16 win over Black Hills State.
Jones appears on a sports talk show in St. George, Utah, on Monday
Jones recorded eight tackles (six solo tackles) and one sack to lead the defensive charge in Saturday’s victory.
He also forced two fumbles, highlighted by a big hit to jar the ball loose as Black Hills State approached the red zone in the third quarter. He now has three forced fumbles already this season.
The fumble was recovered by the Trailblazers and returned 58 yards to the BHSU 18-yard line.
Jones put the finishing touches on his performance with a pass breakup in the fourth quarter.
Jones has a team co-leading 25 tackles this season. He had 49 tackles last season as a freshman.
Jones’ defensive teammate, ALEX LILLIARD, out of Grossmont High, had four tackles for the Trailblazers.
Dixie State hosts No. 20 Central Washington in its lone non-conference matchup of the season on Saturday at 6 p.m. at Legend Solar Stadium.
Mike Jones of @DixieAthletics is the #RMACfb Defensive Player of the Week, notching 6 solo tackles & 2 forced fumbles! #EverythingElevated 🏈 pic.twitter.com/R0Bycpt9Yp
— RMAC Sports (@RMAC_SPORTS) September 18, 2017
Collins returns to Beavers’ lineup
After an illness sidelined former Granite Hills great SETH COLLINS late last season at Oregon State, his 2017 campaign was sidetracked by a finger injury to open the season.
Collins suffered the injury prior to the team’s final scrimmage, but made a big return for the Beavers on Saturday, hauling in seven receptions for 39 yards, including a 10-yard touchdown in a 52-23 loss to Washington State.
The former quarterback was the Beavers’ second-leading receiver with 36 receptions for 418 yards and one touchdown.
Teammate LEEPO NAPOLEON, out of Helix, had two tackles for OSU.
Over on the winning sideline, a couple of Highlanders had the task of defending Collins and the Beavers.
MASON VINYARD, a redshirt freshman defensive lineman, had a tackle and a sack, while redshirt freshman linebacker JAHAD WOODS had 4 tackles.
More Scotties
Another Helix grad, SCOTTIE YOUNG, a starting safety for the University of Arizona, had three tackles, including one for loss, in a 63-16 Win over UTEP.
Humboldt State’s SEFA TAUANU’U had 2 tackles for loss in a 72-14 win over Simon Frasier
Lumberjack JOHN TODD, out of Valhalla, had a 580-yard touchdown reception in the win.
Former Highlanders, KENE ANIGBOGU, playing for Missouri Southern, had 5 receptions for 49 yards in a 36-29 loss to Emporia St.
BLAYKE DE LA ROSA, a defensive lineman at Fort Lewis College, had two tackles, including one for loss in a 34-27 loss to Adams St.
The irony for De La Rosa is he loses his first-ever football game contested for a Musket perpetual trophy.
Cougars gon’ Coug
Former Steele Canyon Cougars WILLIE FAIR and JABRION BURNSIDE were on the short end for Azusa Pacific of a 17-16 loss to Central Washington, but it seems the linebacking duo seemed to do their part.
Fair, a sophomore, had 9 tackles, while Burnside, a junior, had 5 stops for the Cougars.
Elsewhere…
Former Grossmont Hiller ANTHONY LAWRENCE completed 27-of-41 passes for 293 yards for his best individual performance of the season, but the mistake-prone University of San Diego Toreros lost to host Princeton, 27-17, at Powers Field.
Marist’s LAWRENCE DICKENS, from Steele Canyon, had five receptions for 35 yards in a 14-12 win over Georgetown.
Former Christian Patriot SEBASTIAN SWIFT had nine tackles, including one for loss, and a pass breakup in Olivet Nazarene’s 38-16 win over Concordia Ann Arbor.
Also for the Tigers in the loss, former Valhalla defensive back ANTHONY PORTILLO had three tackles, including one for loss.
VIRNELL MOON, a receiver for Colorado Mesa out of El Cajon Valley High, had a 64-yard kick return in a 38-36 win over Colorado Mines.
NOAH YLAGAN kept up his pursuit of the Briar Cliff rushing record with 142 yards on 27 carries in a 56-28 loss to Midland. The former West Hills player also caught 2 passes for 20 yards, including a touchdown.
KEITH ROGERS, out of Valhalla, had seven tackles for the Jamestown Jimmies in a 43-13 loss to Valley City State, while ISIAH EDWARDS, another former Norseman, had five tackles for Western New Mexico in a 58-21 loss to Western Oregon.
