Out of reach

The Patriots forced a three-and-out on their state-ranked rivals’ first possession.

They were locked in a scoreless game at the quarter break against a team they trailed by two touchdowns in the first 78 seconds a year ago.

And they drove the ball inside the 10-yard line early in the second quarter.

Jay County High School’s football team hung with Class 1A No. 2 Adams Central for about 16 minutes Friday night. But when the Jets took the momentum, the game shifted in a hurry as the visitors dominated the rest of the way to beat the Patriots 42-7.

“We just made too many mistakes,” said JCHS coach Grant Zgunda. “I thought our guys just fought. I feel bad for ’em, our players. I know they really wanted this one.

“But I do think there’s a lot of positives tonight. …

“The last two years we played them, I think we had negative rushing both years. It was like a stone wall. We couldn’t even break through it.

“At times we were able to run the ball pretty successful. Our play-action was OK at times. …

“We need a big play every once in a while. … We didn’t get that tonight.”

The Patriots (3-1, 1-1 Allen County Athletic Conference), who were 3-0 for the first time since 1985, had a chance to tie the game early in the second quarter when they had first-and-goal from the 10-yard line.

They moved forward to the 8, but sacks of quarterback Sean Bailey on third and fourth downs ended the threat.

As the units ran on and off the field at the change of possession, one of the Adams Central players had a message for his teammates: “Let’s show them who we are.”

They did.

The two-time defending conference champions who have played in back-to-back Class 1A state championship games were in the end zone three plays later on a 25-yard bootleg by quarterback Jack Hamilton.

“Jay County really made us work,” said Adams Central coach Michael Mosser. “They really did. 

“They came out with a very good plan. And they had us on our heels. We weren’t sure how we were gonna get ’em stopped.

“That stand maybe was a little bit of a shift of momentum that we needed, and maybe that caused some doubt in them …”

Their next two drives were one play and two plays. The first was a 48-yard run by Aaron Hirschy and the second resulted in a 3-yard TD run for Keegan Bluhm after the Jets got the ball deep in JCHS territory after Bailey couldn’t handle a low snap on a punt try.

By halftime, Adams Central was up 28-0. After the first play of the second half — a 64-yard TD pass from Hamilton to Aaron Currie — the running clock was in effect.

“And that’s AC,” said Zgunda.

Hamilton connected with Currie again on his only other passing attempted for a 57-yard touchdown. Two passes, 119 yards, two touchdowns. He also led the team with 68 yards on seven carries.

After forcing the opening-drive punt from the Jets, Jay County moved the ball to their opponents’ 31-yard line. Facing fourth-and-inches, Bailey rolled out and passed to Bryce Wenk along the right side for a gain that took the Patriots deep into the red zone.

But the play was called back for a holding call.

Adams Central responded with its first touchdown drive, stopped the Patriots in the red zone and never looked back.

“I thought what really killed us was that penalty at the beginning,” said Zgunda, taking a long pause before continuing. “Call that one back, I don’t even know if there’s time to hold. …

“And I’m not blaming the loss on that. But it was one thing after another. We missed alignments offensively that we haven’t done all year. So I think nerves might have gotten us a little bit because the atmosphere was a little bit bigger than we’ve had in three years.”

Jay County, which will play another undefeated conference rival as the Bluffton Tigers visit for homecoming next week, got its only points on a 26-yard pass from Bailey to Benson Ward on their final drive of the game after the Jets went to their second unit.

Bailey completed 7-of-10 passes for 84 yards and also caught a halfback pass from A.J. Myers for 27. Myers led the rushing game with 91 yards on 22 carries.