Sports
Recap: Jackson Strengthens Hold On SEOAL With 42-7 Victory Over Logan
By: Michael Somrak
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After a slow start to the first half, the Jackson Ironmen picked up the pieces quickly and scored 42 unanswered points, as they would go on the beat their SEOAL rival Logan Chieftains 42-7 Friday night at Alumni Stadium.
In a game that could factor decide the SEOAL title, emotions were very high tonight, and it was evident as Logan came out of the gates swinging.
On Logan’s (3-4, 1-1 SEOAL) second possession of the game, running back Bryce McBride found a gaping hole between the left guard and tackle, taking the ball 54 yards down the left sideline into Ironmen territory.
Following a turnover on downs, Logan forced Ironmen running back Raymon Potter to fumble the ball and recovered at Jackson’s 16-yard-line.
Two plays later, wide receiver Isaiah Smith would take the sweep down the left sideline 18 yards for a touchdown, putting Logan up 7-0 with 2:55 left in the first half. This was the first time all season that Jackson had trailed any opponent.
Logan dominated the entire first quarter both mentally and physically.
But before too long, quarterback Hunter Sexton and the Jackson offense began to showcase the ability that has dominated opponents all season long.
On the Ironmen’s second possession in the second quarter, they only needed two plays to drive 90 yards down the field. Senior running back Gabe Griffiths took the draw right up the middle for 56 yards to even the score at 7-7.
Jackson dominated on the run game as they had all season, piling up 432 yards on the ground tonight. Leading the way was senior running back Derek Rafferty, who finished the night with 146 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries.
Another key contributing factor to Jackson’s win tonight was their dominant defense, forcing the Chieftains into five turnover-on-downs, as well as two turnovers in the game.
The Chieftains struggled on offense from the first quarter on, as they piled up only 45 yards of total offense in the second half.
Logan quarterback Lane Little ended the night going 13-26 for 134 yards and one interception. After McBride exploded for 80 yards rushing in the first half, he was subdued to only 8 yards on the ground the entire second half.
With a little over six minutes to go in the game, running back Blake McCoy of Jackson would see some varsity playing time and shine. The freshman sprinted down the field for 50 yards and a touchdown, sealing the win for Jackson.
Jackson will have a road conference game ahead of them as they face Portsmouth (1-6, 0-2 SEOAL) next Friday. With this loss, Logan will look to bounce back as they host Zanesville (2-5).
'Gridiron Glory' airs every Friday night at 11:30 p.m. on WOUB. You can follow the show on Twitter @gridironglory, like the Gridiron Glory page on Facebook, and follow along on Instagram @woubsports. You can also join the conversation throughout the season by using the hashtag #GridGlory!