First down sealed homecoming win

Editor’s note: Whether key plays, incredible achievements or milestone events, sports are full of instances that stick out more than others. Sports editor Chris Schanz has seen a ton of them. In this “Memorable Moments” series, he’ll revisit some important moments in area athletics.

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Two years earlier, the Patriots had won by stopping the Starfires from gaining three yards.

This time, a victory hinged on whether or not the Patriots could gain four.

It was Sept. 28, 2018, at Jay County’s Harold E. Schutz Stadium.

The host Patriots had lost three in a row and were entertaining a homecoming crowd with a 2-4 record overall and a 1-3 mark in the Allen County Athletic Conference.

They were playing host to the Class A No. 8 South Adams Starfires, who were 5-1 (2-1 ACAC) and looking to bounce back from a loss a week earlier to county rival Adams Central.

Jay County grabbed an uncommon 2-0 advantage late in the first quarter. Drake Deitsch intercepted a Parker Grimes pass in the end zone, stepped past the goal line and then back into the end zone before getting chased down by Ryan Schlechty for the safety late in the first quarter.

South Adams jumped ahead in the second quarter after stopping Jay County inches from the goal line. On the Stars’ first play of the period, sophomore quarterback James Arnold kept it himself and scampered all the way down to the Patriot 5, but the South Adams lost 15 yards because of a sideline infraction.

On the next play, Christian Summersett, who finished with 127 yards on 17 carries, ran 20 yards for a score before going up the gut for the conversion and an 8-2 Starfire lead.

Just 1:02 before half, Jay County evened the score when Trey Castillo scored a 5-yard TD.

Midway through the third quarter, Schlechty picked off an Arnold pass, and on the ensuing possession the Patriots jumped out as Michael Schlechty powered 20 yards to paydirt. Earlier in the drive, Grimes connected with Isaac Moeller for a 29-yard gain to set up Schlecht’s scoring play.

Following the point after attempt, Jay County was back out front, 15-8. Summersett scored on a 4-yard run to pull South Adams within one, 15-14, and the would-be game-tying PAT sailed wide.

In the fourth quarter, however, the Starfires were in a primed for a go-ahead scoring drive. They took over at their own 26 yard line, down by one, with 2:46 remaining and all three timeouts.

Arnold threw a pass in the right flat to Summersett for a 13-yard gain, then fired an 8-yard strike to Nick Miller on the right sideline. On second-and-2, Arnold stepped up in the pocket to avoid pressure and threw to his right. The ball went off the hands of his receiver and into the arms of JCHS corner Landon Grimes, who bobbled the ball but came up with the interception.

It was the second pick of the quarter for Arnold — he finished 10-of-14 passing for 103 yards and three interceptions — and Jay County’s drive was set to start at its own 43 with 2:18 remaining.

Two South Adams timeouts later, Jay County faced third-and-4 from its own 49 and 2:08 to play. A first down, and the Patriots have all but officially won. A Starfire stop, and the visitors would have a chance make a last-second drive for a game-winning score.

Ryan Schlechty took a handoff from Parker Grimes and went through a hole on the right side of the offensive line.

Prior to that play, Schlechty had 1,106 rushing yards. If he got to 1,111, the Patriots very well could have another stunning homecoming triumph over the Starfires.

Schlechty crossed midfield and was met by Summersett, who stood the Patriot ballcarrier up in an attempt to make a stop. Spenser Clark stepped in to help Summersett, but Schlechty kept churning his legs. He reached the 49, then the 48, legs still powering through the pair of Starfires.

Michael Schlechty joined his twin brother, pushing forward for another yard. They got to the 47, then Ryan fell to the grass at the 46 yard line.

First down. Ball game.

“I have to give it to my guys up front,” Ryan Schlechty said. “My lead blockers made a whole and I just ran through it.”

Schlechty ended his day with just 47 rushing yards, but the five he covered in the fourth quarter meant everything.

The Patriots ran out the clock to hang on for a 15-14 victory.

“There’s no question this is a huge win,” JCHS coach Tim Millspaugh, whose team so desperately needed a victory after three consecutive losses during which it allowed more than 500 yards to both Bluffton and Adams Central before surrendering nearly 400 a week earlier to Woodlan. “Any time you can beat a ranked team, that is a big deal. Any time you can win a homecoming game, that is a big deal.”