July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Jay Co. runs away (09/27/2008)
JCHS football
Jay Co. runs away (09/27/2008)
By By RAY COONEY-
As usual, the Patriots counted on some big plays Friday night. The new wrinkle was that the defense was responsible for several of them.
The visiting Connersville Spartans still got their share of yards and points, but the Jay County High School football team came up with four interceptions in its 47-26 homecoming victory.
"Both sides did what they had to do when they had to do it finally," said JCHS coach Shane Hill, whose team is now 2-4. "The defense came up with big stops when the offense was struggling a bit. And the offense took advantage of the defense playing very well tonight and put the ball in the end zone when we needed to.
"We made some mistakes, but I think that was the best full team effort that we've had on both sides of the ball all year long."
The Patriots (2-4, 1-2 Olympic Athletic Conference) were clinging to just a two-point lead at the half, but turned the game in the third quarter.
On a third-and-15 play Connersville quarterback Zack Hufferd threw into traffic over the middle, and Lance Franklin stepped in for the interception. He then weaved back up the field 42 yards for his second touchdown of the game.
Later in the third quarter Adam Garringer made a diving interception, forced as Hufferd threw while being pulled to the ground by Jon Hawn. One play later Franklin was in the end zone again, scoring on a 25-yard run.
"Turnovers are huge," said Hill, who also got a pair of picks inside the red zone by Billy Wellman. "Any time you can win a turnover battle you're going to give yourself a great shot, especially when the turnovers for them come inside their own red zone.
"Billy had some great picks. He's a good athlete for us out there. He can really go up and compete with people on jump-ball type situations, which both of his interceptions were. ...
"And then Lance Franklin finally taking one to the house. The defense getting a score for the first time has got to light a fire under them. Hopefully this will be a springboard for things to come."
While Jay County also turned the ball over three times on two fumbles and an interception, the give-aways were more costly for the visiting Spartans (1-5, 0-1 OAC). Two led to the Franklin scores, and Wellman intercepted Hufferd at the 5-yard line in the second quarter and at the 13 in the fourth.
"Turnovers (stand out)," said Connersville coach Scott Snodgrass. "They say you can break down a game to five plays. I'd say I could pick five pretty easy.
"I felt like we could play with them. Offensively we moved the ball against them. At times we slowed them down.
"But we got in the panic mode a little bit there and had some miscues on the offensive side of the ball. That put us in a hole big time."
While Franklin scored his two touchdowns in the third, the Patriot defense put up a zero for the first time in 11 quarters. Dexter Shreve blew by the defense for a 60-yard TD pass to put the game away early in the fourth.
On the offensive side of the ball, Franklin led a resurgent running game with 10 carries - his TD run in the second quarter went for 29 yards - for 147 yards. Wellman added 10 rushes for 87 yards.
The state's leading passer at 312 yards per game prior to Friday night, Wellman finished 8-of-16 for 161 yards. Brandon Reynard caught three passes, including a 9-yard TD pass in the first quarter and Ben Vance hauled in Wellman's other scoring pass.
Connersville picked up 406 yards of total offense, 306 of it through the air, but it was not enough to keep up with the Patriots.
"We told the defense, 'We might give up some yards. We might have to play a bend but don't break kind of defense,'" said Hill. "The amount of yards that a team compiles between the 20s doesn't really matter to us as long as they don't put it on the scoreboard."
Most of the offense for the Spartans came from seniors Zack Hufferd and Sean Gardner.
Hufferd connected with Gardner 18 times, a new state record for receptions in a single game, for 150 yards. However, 134 of Gardner's receiving yards and 83 of his 102 rushing yards came in the first half.
Through the air, Hufferd finish 36-of-61 to nine different receivers for 306 yards.[[In-content Ad]]
The visiting Connersville Spartans still got their share of yards and points, but the Jay County High School football team came up with four interceptions in its 47-26 homecoming victory.
"Both sides did what they had to do when they had to do it finally," said JCHS coach Shane Hill, whose team is now 2-4. "The defense came up with big stops when the offense was struggling a bit. And the offense took advantage of the defense playing very well tonight and put the ball in the end zone when we needed to.
"We made some mistakes, but I think that was the best full team effort that we've had on both sides of the ball all year long."
The Patriots (2-4, 1-2 Olympic Athletic Conference) were clinging to just a two-point lead at the half, but turned the game in the third quarter.
On a third-and-15 play Connersville quarterback Zack Hufferd threw into traffic over the middle, and Lance Franklin stepped in for the interception. He then weaved back up the field 42 yards for his second touchdown of the game.
Later in the third quarter Adam Garringer made a diving interception, forced as Hufferd threw while being pulled to the ground by Jon Hawn. One play later Franklin was in the end zone again, scoring on a 25-yard run.
"Turnovers are huge," said Hill, who also got a pair of picks inside the red zone by Billy Wellman. "Any time you can win a turnover battle you're going to give yourself a great shot, especially when the turnovers for them come inside their own red zone.
"Billy had some great picks. He's a good athlete for us out there. He can really go up and compete with people on jump-ball type situations, which both of his interceptions were. ...
"And then Lance Franklin finally taking one to the house. The defense getting a score for the first time has got to light a fire under them. Hopefully this will be a springboard for things to come."
While Jay County also turned the ball over three times on two fumbles and an interception, the give-aways were more costly for the visiting Spartans (1-5, 0-1 OAC). Two led to the Franklin scores, and Wellman intercepted Hufferd at the 5-yard line in the second quarter and at the 13 in the fourth.
"Turnovers (stand out)," said Connersville coach Scott Snodgrass. "They say you can break down a game to five plays. I'd say I could pick five pretty easy.
"I felt like we could play with them. Offensively we moved the ball against them. At times we slowed them down.
"But we got in the panic mode a little bit there and had some miscues on the offensive side of the ball. That put us in a hole big time."
While Franklin scored his two touchdowns in the third, the Patriot defense put up a zero for the first time in 11 quarters. Dexter Shreve blew by the defense for a 60-yard TD pass to put the game away early in the fourth.
On the offensive side of the ball, Franklin led a resurgent running game with 10 carries - his TD run in the second quarter went for 29 yards - for 147 yards. Wellman added 10 rushes for 87 yards.
The state's leading passer at 312 yards per game prior to Friday night, Wellman finished 8-of-16 for 161 yards. Brandon Reynard caught three passes, including a 9-yard TD pass in the first quarter and Ben Vance hauled in Wellman's other scoring pass.
Connersville picked up 406 yards of total offense, 306 of it through the air, but it was not enough to keep up with the Patriots.
"We told the defense, 'We might give up some yards. We might have to play a bend but don't break kind of defense,'" said Hill. "The amount of yards that a team compiles between the 20s doesn't really matter to us as long as they don't put it on the scoreboard."
Most of the offense for the Spartans came from seniors Zack Hufferd and Sean Gardner.
Hufferd connected with Gardner 18 times, a new state record for receptions in a single game, for 150 yards. However, 134 of Gardner's receiving yards and 83 of his 102 rushing yards came in the first half.
Through the air, Hufferd finish 36-of-61 to nine different receivers for 306 yards.[[In-content Ad]]
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