Jackson back leads Public All-Stars

After drudging through a first half that was lacking much action, the 10th Annual Tru Sports Foundation Private/Public All-Star game transformed into a slew of exciting plays in the second half.

And in the end, it was the Public squad that came up with one more big play when Miramar defensive back Jhaqwori Austin picked off a pass in the end zone with 1:13 left to preserve his team’s 27-20 victory over the private team on Saturday night at Ives Estates Park in North Miami Beach.

The public team, which now leads the series 6-4, can thank a pair of running backs for making the difference. Austin’s teammate, Miramar running back Nate Williams, who did most of his damage in the first half, finished with 80 yards on 12 carries and a touchdown.

But the real hero turned out to be Miami Jackson running back Trenod Desrosier.

After barely seeing the field in the first half, Desrosier broke loose in the second half, touching the ball 12 times to finish with 90 yards and a score and earning the game’s MVP honors.

“I wasn’t sure what was going on but it was just a matter of being patient, waiting my turn and taking off and running with it when I got it,” said Desrosier, who played every offensive skill position this past season at Jackson. “It felt great to be able to contribute.”

“Trenod was a testament to the types of kids who play in this game,” said Dillard coach Torianno Morgan, who headed up the public team. “He didn’t get the touches in the first half and could’ve easily quit, but when he got his number called from the first time he touched it to the last time he touched it he made his time count.”

And no more than in his team’s final drive.

After the private team trimmed the public lead to 21-20 on a spectacular diving catch of a 30-yard touchdown pass by Mater Academy’s John IsraelCooper on fourth-and-13 with 7:16 left, Desrosier took over the show.

That’s when the public team drove 55 yards in 10 plays and Desrosier carried the ball on all but one play, his nine carries accounting for 43 of the yards and finished it off with a 2-yard scoring run with 2:45 left.

“It’s all about being a dog and staying focused,” Desrosier said. “They were leaning on me on that drive and that was really cool.

“I love it when it’s all on me.”

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