Top-Seeded Jaguars too much for Mustangs
PITTSBURGH – Friday night’s Laurel Highlands’ matchup against Thomas Jefferson seemed like a magical start in which No. 16 seed David would beat No. 1 seed Goliath. It ended up like the Indian’s chances at Wounded Knee – not too promising.
The Mustangs opened the game with their first and only scoring drive of the night, then watched the Jaguars score the next 70 points in a 70-6 first-round Class AAA WPIAL playoff game at Thomas Jefferson High School.
“They’re the most complete team we’ve played,” said Mustang coach Scott Knee. “They are at a different level. Our goal is to get to that level.”
The Mustangs didn’t seemed phased by all the hoopla surrounding the Jaguars No. 1 defense which has only given up 38 points this year.
The Mustangs took the opening kickoff and marched 80 yards on seven plays.
Matt Humbert came out in shotgun formation and marched the team down field, completing four of four passes and capping it with a 41-yard touchdown pass to Tony Patitucci.
Patitucci outran the Jaguar defense to catch the ball in the corner of the end zone to give the Mustangs a jaw-dropping, 6-0 lead with 9:18 remaining in the first quarter.
The Jaguars then went on a 28-point run to end the first quarter.
On Thomas Jefferson’s first possession, the Jaguars put together an impressive eight-play drive that culminated with a 45-yard run by Jon Drager, who scored five rushing touchdowns and added another off a punt return.
Drager ran for 241 yards on the evening on 20 carries.
The next two scores were also runs by Drager – one from three yards and the other from two.
Both scores were the result of Mustang turnovers. The first was after an interception by Anton Plantz, and the other a fumble recovery by Pete Winovich.
With 11 seconds left in the first quarter, the Mustangs punted to the Jaguars.
As with the two previous scores, it didn’t take long for the Jaguars to get the ball into the end zone. On the first play of the drive Winovich hit a streaking Tom McCafferty, who outran the Mustang defense for a 35-yard touchdown.
After John Browne hit his third of 10 point-after kicks on the night, Thomas Jefferson was up 28-6 at the end of the first quarter.
“Things started clicking after they scored,” said Jaguar coach Bill Cherpak. “We put in three new coverages and it took time to adjust.”
The clicking seemed to be smoothed out very quickly as the Mustangs first drive of 80 yards accounted for almost all of their total yardage for the game.
“We came out and executed well,” said Knee. “They scored and from that it snowballed.”
The second-quarter scoring was just as fast and furious. Drager added another touchdown just 2:30 into the quarter on a six-yard run. The Mustangs received the ensuing kickoff and were thrown for a nine-yard loss on the first play.
On the next play, Humbert dropped back to pass and was intercepted by Winovich, who brought the ball back for a 25-yard touchdown.
Later in the quarter after a 30-yard punt by Paul Briczinski to the Thomas Jefferson 34, the Jaguars scored again.
On the first play of the drive, Winovich scrambled left and began to run downfield.
Laurel Highlands safety Cory Nesser seemed to have the angle on him for the tackle, but tight end Ed Daley curled back and blind-sided Nesser to free Winovich for a 66-yard touchdown run to make the score 44-6.
The hit knocked Nesser out of the game.
The next score came with just 1:55 left until half when Drager ran for his fifth rushing touchdown on a 61-yard run. Browne’s PAT kick made the score 56-6 at the half.
The third quarter started off where the first-half left off. The Jaguars received the second half kickoff and ran one play before fullback Matt Magdic ran 40 yards up the middle for a touchdown.
It was fitting that the final touchdown of the night was also Drager’s final on also. Drager grabbed a Briczinski punt at the TJ 19 and returned it 81 yards for the score to make the final 70-6.
“We hope to keep it going,” noted Cherpak. “We still have so many things we haven’t shown.”
After the Jaguars performance Friday night one can only wonder how many more ways there are to score.
Thomas Jefferson continues its quest for the AAA title next week against Keystone Oaks.