By Mike London
Salisbury Post
SPENCER – Senior Jamarion “Jo Jo” Tarver joined the ranks of 2,000-yard career rushers for North Rowan in last week’s 55-10 playoff victory against Avery County.
It’s not a super-long list.
Tarver is the 11th name on it. Tarver surpassed the two-grand milestone by crushing Avery County for 169 yards and two long TD jaunts on just nine carries.
Tarver basically has done what he’s done in two seasons because the No. 1 guy on North’s career rushing list — Jaemias Morrow — was a senior when Tarver was a sophomore. As a sophomore, Tarver stayed busy + catching passes and tackling people.
Tarver is second to West Rowan’s Devaunh White on the Rowan County rushing list this season with 827 yards. Tarver led the county as a junior with 1,218 yards.
“His rushing yards may be down some, but we’ve asked him to do a lot of things,” North head coach Josh Sophia said. “He’s been a full-time defensive back and he’s been instrumental for us on special teams. And he’s been an important part of the passing game. He’s had a lot of big plays on screens.”
That’s all true. Tarver has 13 catches for 333 yards. Combining rushing and receiving, Tarver has scored 14 touchdowns.
“I’ve liked being a bigger part of our passing game,” Tarver said. “When I catch a pass it usually means I’ve got the ball in space, and that gives me a chance to do what I do best. As far as defense and special teams, it’s tiring, but you do what the team needs you to do.”
Tarver has made key blocks on some spectacular kick returns by teammates.
Tarver is fast and elusive, although Sophia will tell you in a hurry that as swift as he is, Tarver’s most impressive attribute is his toughness. The roster says he’s 5-foot-8, 155 pounds, and even that is probably generous, but he runs hard. He can tote the rock inside and he can break tackles.
“One of the biggest wins we had this season was at South Stanly, and Jo Jo made physical runs to help us get critical first downs,” Sophia said. “But he can do a lot of different things, and he’s done them for a long time. In the game at Mountain Island Charter, he made a really big catch.”
Tarver beleives the South Stanly game was his best game of the season. He had 21 carries for 147 yards, and that victory enabled the Cavaliers to share the Yadkin Valley Conference championship with South Stanly and North Stanly.
North had planned on using a committee of running backs to replace Morrow when the 2024 began, but Tarver took ownership of the job right away, and he’s maintained it this season
There was a bit of a rocky start to the 2025 season. North didn’t get many rushing yards as the season started 0-3. but the 0-line and Tarver eventually got going, and now the Cavaliers, who have a devastating passing game with Mike Alford throwing to A’son Best, Dyaon Norman-Jackson and Khi Walker, are well-balanced.
“We did have a slow start, but we had some new guys and it just took us a little while to find out who we were and what we could do,” Tarver aid.
Tarver was a basketball-first guy growing up. His quickness made it hard to stop him from penetrating, and it also gave him the ability to apply defensive pressure. He got hurt his sophomore basketball season and football gradually caught up and has moved slightly ahead.
On every North team he’s on, Tarver brings chemistry and competitiveness. He’s also well-liked. He was the Homecoming King for the Cavaliers.
“Jo Jo can always put a smile on your face,” Sophia said. “He’s one of the best kids I’ve ever coached, and he’s also one of the toughest.”
