Rockets’ Moskola scores four TDs
JEFFERSON – For Jarrod Moskola, it was quite a memorable senior night. Well, at least a half of a senior night.
The four-year starter for Jefferson-Morgan did all of his damage in the first half, rushing for 96 yards on seven carries and scoring four touchdowns, one on a 38-yard interception return, as the Rockets pounded Geibel Catholic, 62-0, Friday night at Parker Field.
“Jarrod’s been a four-year starter here, so obviously he’s a pretty good player,” said Jefferson-Morgan coach Jan Haiden. “He’s a big part of our team.”
The Rockets jumped on Geibel early, and often. On their first offensive drive, Rockets’ quarterback Mike Mox connected with senior wide receiver Travis Watson on a 68-yard touchdown pass.
The scoring pass was the only appearance the passing game would make for the rest of the game for the Rockets, as they used 10 ball-carriers throughout the course of the game. Although the pass was no longer featured, the flood gates had already been opened.
Two plays into the subsequent Geibel drive, the Gators coughed up the football and Jefferson-Morgan’s Scott Bogdan recovered it at the Gator 32-yard line.
Three plays later, Moskola got on the board for the first time, running in from 12 yards. After the Justin Falcon 2-point conversion, the Rockets led 14-0 with 5:55 still remaining in the first quarter.
After trading three-and-outs, Moskola once again found the end zone from 12 yards out, capping another three-play drive, making it 21-0.
Just 32 seconds later, after forcing yet another three-and-out, the Rockets were in the end zone again, this time off of a Falcon 50-yard punt return.
Leading 28-0 and nearing the end of the first quarter, the Rockets showed no signs of letting up. With just seconds remaining in the quarter, the Rockets forced another fumble and Jefferson-Morgan’s Bill Sweeney recovered at the Gators’ 28.
This time Moskola only needed one play, as he broke through a hole in the left side of the line and raced to the end zone for a 28-yard score just nine seconds into the second quarter. With the score at 35-0, it was only a matter of time before the mercy rule took effect.
And as if it were not bad enough for Geibel, the next two offensive drives for the Gators were halted by interceptions returned for touchdowns. Moskola recorded his fourth score of the game on a 38-yard return followed by fellow senior JW Popielarcheck, who followed suit with a 35-yard touchdown return of his own.
With the game at 48-0, the mercy rule was put into effect before the first half even ended, but that still did not stop the Rockets from scoring once more as running back Scott Bogdan ran in a 10-yard touchdown, giving the Rockets a 55-0 halftime lead.
In the first half, the Jefferson-Morgan defense allowed only one first down, which was the result of a 15-yard face mask penalty, while also forcing four fumbles, recovering two, and intercepting two passes.
“We’ve been playing good defense all year,” said Haiden. “I mean, nobody has really scored many points on us. And again, it’s a total team effort. There’s no one big superstar here, but the 11 together, they play hard.”
With the mercy rule already kicked in and a majority of the starters watching from the sidelines, the second half passed by quickly.