Southside holds on, sends Jay Co. to 0-5 (09/20/03)

MUNCIE — A game which ended in a nine-point differential was really one decided by mere inches.

Jay County scored what could have been a tying touchdown with 5:39 to play in the game, but failed on a 2-point conversion try. When the Muncie Southside Rebels marched down the field and were successful on their 2-point conversion it put the Patriots nine points — and two scores — behind in the 21-12 defeat.

They desperately tried to give themselves a chance, but Ruben Torres recorded the fourth Southside interception with 1:03 remaining to ice the game.

“That was one of those plays where the card said ‘go for one,’” said Muncie Southside coach Mike Paul of his team’s final 2-point play. “We as coaches decided to go for two. We wanted to put the game out of reach.

“That was probably the biggest play of the game, because after that it was over.”

Jay County (0-5, 0-2 Olympic Athletic Conference) scored the potentially tying touchdown after a botched punt by the Rebels. Kyle Cranmer tried to run after a bad snap, but fell short of a first down and gave the ball to the Patriots at the 37-yard line.

Alex Loucks took care of the rest, first running for 14 yards and then going for a 23-yard touchdown. The senior fullback shredded Southside for 155 yards on the night, but fell inches short on the next carry.

Trailing 13-12 and having already missed an extra point kick, Jay County coach Shane Hill decided to go for the lead. Loucks ran behind the right side of his line, but was stopped just inches short of the end zone.

With a one-point lead the Rebels (2-3, 1-0 OAC) scrapped the passing game and went to the ground. The change after a streak of five straight incompletions earlier in the half paid off.

Southside chewed through the Patriot defense and ticked time of the clock, with Cranmer, Tommy Isom and Ruben Torres each recording runs of more than 10 yards on the drive. Isom punched the ball in on a 3-yard off-tackle run to the left side, and then Paul was faced with his decision.

Paul also chose to go for two, and Torres swept around the right side to essentially end the game.

Isom also had a 36-yard, second-quarter touchdown, finishing with nine carries for 27 yards. Cranmer ran in the other score from seven yards out in the third quarter, and had 82 yards on nine carries.

It was a big win for Southside after three consecutive losses, including defeats against Class 4A No. 3 Muncie Central and No. 4 Delta.

“It’s very important,” said Paul. “We’ve played good opponents. It was just a game we had to have.”

Jay County was in need of a win too, and will be even more so next week when it visits the Connersville Spartans (0-4). With the loss to Southside the Patriots matched the worst start in school history.

The 2000 version of the Patriots was also 0-5 before topping another winless Connersville team 16-0.

For a change Jay County got some offense working in the first half, but it resulted in no points. Despite having six first downs and 129 offensive yards before the break, it went in trailing 7-0 because of missed opportunities.

A 22-yard pass from Adam Foster to Michael Myers followed three plays later by a 39-yard Alex Loucks run gave the Patriots a first and goal midway through the first period. They tossed two incomplete passes and ran twice for negative-one yards to turn the ball over on downs.

Another drive saw Jay County get to the 11-yard line of the Rebels, but Cory Locke tossed an interception with 14 seconds to go in the half to end that threat. Locke threw three interceptions in the contest, and Foster had one.

“When you do what we did in the first half and come away without points ... we gave the ball up in the red zone,” said a frustrated Jay County coach Shane Hill. “We self distructed.”

After holding on to the ball last week, the Patriots have now turned the ball of 17 times in five games. Southside had 16 turnovers in its first four games, but gave it up just once on a fumble against Jay County.

The Rebels also had a blocked punt, the second in as many week against the Patriot special teams unit.

“We had to throw the ball deep because we weren’t moving the ball,” said Hill. “Two of those interceptions were a result of us needing big yards.”

Jay County did manage a 5.3 yards per carry average on the ground, including Loucks’ career-high total. Locke ran five times for 41 yards, and Steven Castillo carried eight times for 32 yards.

The Patriots’ first touchdown came on a 4-yard run by Locke with 3:53 to go in the third quarter.[[In-content Ad]]