Although the final result wasn’t what Joplin fans were hoping for in the matchup against Willard, the game against the Tigers will be remembered by a pair of Eagles with positive memories.
Friday’s contest marked the first time senior wide receiver Keaton Renfro and freshman running back Quinton Renfro, brothers, took the field together at the varsity level.
“It is something we are never going to forget,” Quinton said. “Even 50 years from now, we are going to look back and talk about this. It is one of those moments we will never forget.”
“It meant the world,” Keaton said. “We always dreamed about something like this since we were little.”
Of course, Keaton and Quinton weren’t the only Renfro family members who will have this as a memory to cherish. Their father, Travis Renfro, who was a running back and played for Joplin (1999-02), said it was a dream come true to see both of his sons on the field at the same time.
“That was a very special moment,” Travis said. “We’ve been talking about the possibility of this since Keaton was in sixth grade and Quin was in third grade. Their age split was the exact same as my brother and I, but we never got that opportunity to play together. To see them on the field that night, I was shaking, my heart was pumping and my adrenaline was flowing. All types of different emotions were happening, and I didn’t know whether to cry or just be excited for them.”
Watching his sons continue a family legacy he started, Travis couldn’t have been more proud to see Keaton and Quinton perform well in a jersey he used to wear on Friday nights.
“The best part about it is they are doing better than I did,” Travis said. “They are wearing that jersey better than I ever was able to. And that is my goal as a father, I want them to be better than I was. … Seeing them wear those Eagles jerseys, the same jersey I wore 18 years ago, it just makes my heart happy.”
While Keaton has been a fixture for the varsity program the last several seasons, Quinton was called up to the varsity level to provide running back depth for the Eagles, who were without senior starter Nathan Glades because of a knee injury.
Of course, making the jump from the freshman team to the varsity isn’t an easy one. Luckily, for Quinton, he used his best resource when it came to preparing for what to expect, his older brother.
“It’s great, and I don’t know what I would do without my brother,” Quinton said. “He is always real with me and tells me what I need to hear. He is a great resource.”
“I told him just to keep a short-term memory,” Keaton said. “When playing with the freshmen, there is less competition. When you get to the varsity level, they are always going to make a play no matter how good you are. It is just about how you respond to that (adversity), and I just wanted to make sure he was prepared for that.”
When Quinton was notified he would be participating with the varsity team for the week of practice leading up to the Willard game, the first thing he and Keaton did was schedule a study session.
“The first thing we did was go to film,” Quinton said. “We looked over a bunch of film. I had to learn a lot, but we were both really excited. Keaton was also on me about making sure I had the right attitude and work ethic.”
As for how Quinton’s first week of practice went, it was a noticeable transition that was very rewarding.
“It wasn’t easy,” Quinton said. “I couldn’t take a play off in practice. As a freshman, they could send me back down at any time, so I had to work super hard every play. The speed of the game was quicker (in practice), but I was comfortable and felt like I belonged. But it is way more fast-paced and intense.”
“I told him you have to take every rep 100 percent,” Keaton said. “Even if you think it is a little thing, you have to do it to your full ability because if you don’t, it will show up on Fridays.”
The ability Quinton displayed in his first week of practice was noticed by the Joplin coaching staff. He showed enough positives to earn a spot on the roster by time the Willard game arrived on Friday.
“A lot of time, talented running backs at the freshman level are so used to beating everyone to the outside and outrunning people that they have a hard time running between the tackles,” Joplin coach Curtis Jasper said. “I think that was the big thing we saw during practice that week. (Quinton) wasn’t afraid to run between the tackles, and he wasn’t opposed to doing it. His vision was good as far as seeing where the holes were, and he did a good job of going north to south when he found the hole.”
After not seeing any action early, Quinton made his first appearance in the second quarter and found success. He finished the night with 17 rushes for a team-high 130 yards, including a 37-yard rushing touchdown with 5:12 left in the second quarter.
“I didn’t know what to think in the moment,” Quinton said. “I was just so happy, but I was focused on the game and didn’t really get a chance to think about it until later that night when I was going to sleep. I couldn’t fall asleep because I just kept thinking I scored my first touchdown on varsity. I didn’t even think I would get into the game. It was exciting.”
“He even surprised me with how well he handled it,” Keaton said. “I didn’t think he would go out there and play as well as he did. I knew he prepared the right way, so that preparation showed out on the field. I sprinted all the way across the field (after his touchdown) just to see him to tell him how we dreamed about this. It was crazy.
“That is something we never were guaranteed would happen. I am glad it happened, and I hope there are more moments like that this season.”
Adding to the memories, Keaton also found the end zone when he converted a two-point conversion, hauling in a pass from Always Wright with 10:17 on the clock in the fourth quarter.
And while Quinton had a solid first game, he is aware, as a freshman, his varsity time could be limited this season. He was quick to point out that the experience he gained in his first varsity game was invaluable for his career.
“There is always work to do, and I can keep getting better,” Quinton said. “You are never at your greatest point. You can always get better, so I am going to continue to keep working. Wherever they put me, I am going to play because I want to do whatever it takes for the team.”
