Italy — The Italy JV Gladiators were unstoppable against the Maypearl Panthers this past Thursday during a home game at Willis Field to kickoff their 2012 season.

After a scoreless first quarter, Italy’s offense got rolling and quarterback Ryan Connor passed to Marvin Cox for a 45-yard touchdown strike. Connor ran in for the conversion to give Italy an 8-0 lead midway thru the second quarter.

Italy’s defense stepped up to force a turnover when Colin Newman, John Byers, John Escamilla and Connor stormed the Panther backfield. Italy regained possession of the ball with a chance to score again before the half. With under a minute left, a Connor pass intended for Cox is intercepted at the goal line by the Panthers but Italy still maintains an 8-0 advantage at halftime.

To start the third-quarter, Maypearl passes for a first down at their 31—yard line with Kyle Fortenberry and Hunter Merimon making the stop for Italy. On the next play, Byers deflects the option pitch and tries to scoop it up on the run with the endzone in his sights. Byers was unable to secure the bouncing pigskin but teammate Jaray Anderson recovered the ball for Italy at the Panther 12-yard line. Billy Moore powers over a tackler to reach the end zone to give Italy a 14-0 advantage. Anderson’s conversion run was stopped by Maypearl defense.

Maypearl fumbles away the ensuing kickoff and Italy takes over at the Panther thirty-five. Moments later, Connor passes to Clayton Miller and brings up a 3rd and 4 for Italy. On 4th down and 4, a short pass to Levi McBride and a nice downfield block by Escamilla springs McBride 20-yards and into the end zone, Italy leads 20-0. Italy’s Connor runs in for two but it’s negated by a penalty. Connor passes for the 2-points to Merimon, but again, a penalty erases the effort. Connor throws incomplete to Cox and the score remains 20-0 with Italy leading.

Maypearl’s next drive stalls at Italy’s 39-yard line. Connor keeps for 3-yards and on 2nd and 7 passes to Cox for a 47-yard touchdown completion. The keeper by Connor is foiled by the Panthers. Italy’s JV now has a commanding 26-0 lead.

Cox kicks off for Italy. Byers opens Italy’s defensive stanza with a tackle. On the next play, Escamilla applies a jarring hit and then recovers the free ball for Italy at Maypearl’s 20-yard line. A long run by Anderson, a first down catch by Miller, a short gain by Moore and another catch by McBride sets up another touchdown run by Moore from 6-yards out to push Italy lead to 32-0. The conversion is no good by Italy and Cox kicks off again.

Fortenberry leads off with a tackle and then Cox intercepts a Maypearl pass attempt near midfield, receives crowd pleasing blocks from Moore and Byers, and the finishes off the play by crossing the endzone to complete the scoring on the night. Italy’s JV Gladiators get their season debut win by a final score of 38-0 over Maypearl.

Good luck to the JV Gladiators tonight in Malakoff against the Tiger JV squad. Tonights game will start at 6:00 p.m.

The Gladiator varsity squad will participate in the Dale Hansen Football Classic tomorrow night, Friday, September 7, starting at 7:30 p.m. at Stuart B. Lumpkins Stadium in Waxahachie.

Go Gladiators!