By PAUL GOTHAM
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Christon Jean enjoyed sausage and pancakes for his Saturday morning breakfast. Two pancakes, light on the syrup to make sure he was ready for a noon kickoff.
The meal was the usual for the University Preparatory Charter (UPrep) senior. His performance on the gridiron later that day was anything but ordinary.
Jean converted a pair of first-half interceptions into touchdowns and UPrep closed its regular season with a convincing 50-0 win over Bishop Kearney/Rochester Prep.
“He said he felt like he was going to have a good game today,” second-year UPrep head coach Kala Gause said. “He came out and he did just that.”
With UPrep leading 16-0 early in the second quarter, Jayshwan Hamilton leaped into the path of an Azavier Ross pass over the middle. Jean grabbed the deflection and scampered 40 yards for a touchdown.
“I just came in for the pick and took it to the house,” said Jean who pointed out the work of Hamilton to make the initial play. “My teammate Jayshawn broke up the pass.”
His second interception all but sealed UPrep’s victory when he again grabbed a Hamilton break up on the first possession of the second half for BK/RPrep.
“It’s good to see them communicating back there,” Gause noted.
Clyde Davis, Jr. and Andre Facen, Jr. connected on consecutive drives to stake the Griffins to an early lead. Davis hit Facen over the middle for the game’s first score.
The duo then capped a nine-play drive with a near carbon copy play when they took advantage of an inner seam for a second score.
“They have a great chemistry, those two,” Gause said of the sophomore signal caller and junior receiver. “They can almost tell where each other is going to be.”
Michael Cathey and Mark Rogers carried the load on the ground during UPrep’s next drive. Anthony McCoy eventually punched it in from two years out. After the Jean converted on the 2pt. attempt, the Griffins led 30-0.
Gause pointed to the impact the passing game had on the Griffins’ ability to gain yards on the ground.
“That helped us back them up off the line of scrimmage,” Gause explained. “Our first couple run plays, we were getting three yards, five yards. We started passing the ball because they were stacking the box.”
Davis finished the day completing 12 of 23 passes for 210 yards.
“It’s so funny because me and Clyde had a conversation,” Gause noted. “I wanted him to scan the field. He’s like ‘coach, they keep leaving the middle open.’
“Clyde can read it very well. His football IQ is very high. He makes some good throws.”
UPrep improved to 6-1 on the season with their second straight win. Last year at this time, the Griffins went into the sectionals with a loss and bowed out in the first round of the postseason.
“It was definitely a good finish for us and send our seniors off the right way,” Gause said. “Going into sectionals it’s just good to get your spirits up and everything. Feeling like the momentum is on our side. We had a very good game.”
Jean finished with three tackles on the day. He scored 16 points including a pair of 2pt. conversions. He led the Griffins with 140 all-purpose yards including 32 yards on the ground, 27 on a kickoff return and 81 interception-return yards.
“Came out on top,” he said matter of factly. “Just got to go in sectionals and win this.”
Facen made three catches for 62 yards. Cathey scored a touchdown and gained 61 yards on seven rushes. Freshman Jamari Johnson completed three of four passes for 47 yards including a touchdown strike to Mahki Connor. Johnson also rushed for 12 yards on two carries.
Facen led the UPrep defense with 11 tackles including three for a loss. Hamilton had nine tackles and one for a loss.
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