The new-look Brother Rice Warriors realized quickly that, while there’s plenty of excitement for the 2024 season, there’s just no substitute for experience.

Led by three-year starting quarterback Jordan Simes, the Roseville Panthers drained over eight minutes off the clock before Simes ripped a 22-yard touchdown pass to Howard commit Eric Slater across the middle in the opening drive of season-opening contest between Rice and Roseville on Friday, Aug. 30 at Lawrence Tech.

The 0-0 tie was the only time the Panthers never led on their way to a 35-0 victory.

“(Simes) was as cool and collected as possible,” said Roseville head coach Vernard Snowden. “Like, that first drive was like, geez – and he did that. Eight minutes! So you look at something like that, that was all Jordan.

“Jordan controls the game. Jordan controls making the audibles. He did everything that he’s supposed to have done. But that’s what you expect when a kid who’s a three-year starter and as good as he is.”

Roseville extended their lead midway through the second quarter when Simes scrambled and looked to the flat where he hit Reginald Feldner, who scampered in for a 26-yard score.

Jacob Blair recovered a fumble from Brother Rice quarterback Brady Thomas on the next possession – the first of four takeaways by Roseville – leading up to a play that even Simes didn’t know he could do.

With the pocket collapsing around him, the quarterback broke the line of scrimmage and ran, breaking tackles and swerving through defenders before finally reaching across the goal line for a 45-yard touchdown run to extend Roseville’s lead to 21-0 late in the first half.

“We’re a hell of a team,” Simes said. “I didn’t even know that I had that run in me. … I know I got a little speed to me.”

Snowden wasn’t shocked.

“No, because (Simes) can do it,” Snowden said. “And that’s the thing with Jordan – Jordan has a natural ability with his legs, and the last couple of years as a starter, he hasn’t used it. Now, as you see tonight, I’m pretty confident he had over 100-something yards. He used his legs. So we just got to keep doing that.”

Snowden was close – Simes finished with 97 rushing yards and 201 through the air.

Down three scores with a few minutes left in the first half, Brother Rice had the opportunity to get some momentum going into the break, but an interception by Dorrell Riley followed immediately by a Desmond Straughton 21-yard touchdown turned what could have been a potential two score game with Brother Rice set to receive out of halftime into a 28-0 slugfest.

After a 30-minute lightning delay out of halftime, Straughton scored on a 28-yard run to move the lead to 35 and trigger a running clock for the remainder of the game.

It was a good start to the season for the Illinois commit, who will be leaned on to contribute on offense this season more than he has in the past.

“He can do it all,” Snowden said. “That kid, he’s up for Mr. Football, and I’m telling you, he’s going to push for it because he’s just that type of kid. He’s very good, very humble. … He’s been one of the best 2025s in the state for three, four-years.”

Like Simes, Straughton is a multi-year starter, now playing in his fourth season as a leading man for the Panthers. He finished the game with 19 carries for 163 yards plus 11 tackles as a two-way star.

It’s a trend throughout the Roseville roster. Hank Elston, who picked off two passes on Friday, is in his second year starting. Their defensive line has three three-year starters, including Grand Valley State commits Elizah Jolly and Michael Chude, both of whom caused havoc for Brother Rice.

“We just came out fast,” Snowden said. “We got a lot of veteran kids with three, four-year starters. As you see, Jordan Simes had a good game. Desmond Straughton had a good game. These are guys who are three, four-year starters. So when you’re in a game like that with all the younger players, you expect guys like that to step up. And they did.”

It wasn’t a waste of a game for Brother Rice – the program, now led by first-year head coach Aaron Marshall, is on the upturn after an uncharacteristic winless season in 2023. They’ve brought in new players to star for the historic program, which features a trio of freshmen who are already gaining Power Four college interest in running back Deondre Hill, wide receiver Tyler Trusel and edge rusher Jayden Bell. All three players, among several other Warriors, showed flashes of greatness in their first varsity games against a top program.

Photos from Roseville football’s 35-0 victory over Brother Rice on Friday

“They (Brother Rice) got some really great young ball players,” Snowden said. “Brother Rice is going to be back. Coach Marshall did a good job. Coach (Richard) Popp, their offensive coordinator, did a great job. So they got a great coaching staff. And you know, this year, they took a little lump, but I expect them to be the old Brother Rice within the next couple of years.”

Simes agreed that the Warriors are a different team compared to the one the Panthers beat 41-0 one year ago.

“Most definitely,” he said. “Whole new coaching staff, basically new players. I know some transferred out, some came in. But yeah, they made a hell of an improvement.”