JACKSONVILLE – With an interim head football coach, the St. Johns Country Day School Spartans nearly pulled off a second half comeback behind freshman quarterback Max Monroe, but the Spartans fell short 21-16 to host Bishop Snyder High in the spring football classic for both teams held Thursday at Bishop Snyder.

Monroe was the focal point of the Spartans’ offense, rushing 18 times for 64 yards and a score. No other SJCD ball carrier had more than two carries. Monroe also completed 9 of 13 passes for 124 yards, including a 13 yard scoring toss to Brady Walden.

“He has become the leader we hope he will be,” interim head coach Rocky Bantag said of Monroe. “As he goes, so will we go.”

Bantag, in as head coach for Bill Sellinger for the spring campaign, saw the Spartans run an efficient second half offense, but still in need of some offensive linemen to protect Monroe and set up his quarterback skills for more scores.

Bantag hopes that the size of the Spartans’ roster, which currently stands at 16 players (18 if seventh graders are included), increases for the new head coach.

“Hopefully we will have more kids in the Fall,” said Bantag, who is not pursuing the head coach position. “With their intelligence and fight, I see nothing but great things for them.”

For Bishop Snyder, running back Pedro Velez ran for a touchdown and forced a fumble that was returned for another.

“This guy is exciting,” Bishop Snyder coach Travis Markoski said of Velez. “Even on defense, he is exciting. He is a great athlete, and a full football player.”

Velez was the Cardinals’ most potent offensive weapon, rushing for a game-high 91 yards on eight carries. His 11 yard dash around right end early in the fourth quarter gave Bishop Snyder an insurmountable 20-9 lead. The sophomore delivered the game’s defensive highlight as well, jarring the ball loose from SJCD tailback Patrick Linhome on a first quarter carry with a fundamental form tackle—shoulder to the midsection, helmet on the ball. Cardinals teammate Alex Hernandez picked up the fumble and raced 69 yards to the goal line, putting Bishop Snyder ahead 13-0. Velez also had two tackles for loss from his safety position.

The game’s pivotal sequence came late in the second quarter. After Spartan defensive end Louis Jackson stole the ball out of Cardinals quarterback Josh Williams’ hand as Williams raised his arm to throw and ran 27 yards to set the Spartans up with a first down at the Bishop Snyder eight yard line, the Cardinals stymied SJCD on three straight plays from the one yard line to prevent a score. SJCD quarterback Max Monroe ran for seven yards on first down. Bantag called Monroe’s number twice more, but he was stuffed by a blitzing Velez on his first attempt and by defensive tackle Joe Shimko on the next play. On fourth down, Monroe ran left but then handed off to Eli Morton running right. Bishop Snyder linebacker Ijon Richardson was not fooled, and pinned Morton for a two yard loss to preserve the Cardinals’ 14-2 lead.

“We had a gap fire on. We were sealing every gap,” said Markoski. “That is all about competing. We did a great job on three straight plays.”

Each team started freshman quarterbacks who played well. The Cardinals’ Williams completed four of six passes for 64 yards, and displayed speed and elusiveness in gaining 28 yards on three runs.

“This was his first opportunity to run all the plays,” said Markoski. “He has got some developing to do, but he has got a great arm.”

The touchdown pass to Walden, on a rollout to Monroe’s left, cut the Spartans’ deficit to 21-16, but SJCD never got the ball back for a chance to complete the comeback.