Jacksonville's speed overwhelms Jersey in season opener
BY AARON OTTIS
SPORTS EDITOR
JERSEYVILLE – Despite holding the then-No. 4 ranked team in 5A to a three-and-out on their first drive, then mounting a 12-play drive that landed them on Jacksonville’s 16-yard line, the Jersey Community High School Panthers varsity football team was shutout 35-0 Friday in the season opener at Donald W. Snyders Sports Complex.

Jersey had 284 yards of total offense, including 238 yards on the ground from 51 rushes. The Panthers controlled the clock, and the tempo of the game for large chunks of time, but didn’t have much to show for it in the way of points.

“I felt good about our base plays,” Carter said. “We didn’t run a lot of different plays. It is hard for me to hold back, but we went with what the kids are comfortable with and what we thought we could execute.”

In the end, Jacksonville quarterback Blake Schnitker and the Crimsons’ loaded and well-balanced offense capitalized on the Panthers’ mistakes in the first half to establish a big lead. Jacksonville amassed 397 yards, including three touchdown drives that accounted for some 200 yards.

Schnitker was at the center of it all, completing 8-of-12 passes for 180 yards and a 61-yard touchdown reception to Kendall Phelps. Schnitker had nine carries of his own for 125 yards and three touchdowns.

Jersey’s defense opened the game with a big stop, forcing Jacksonville into a three-and-out on the first drive. The Panthers then squandered the first of three good scoring attempts on the next series. Jersey used twelve plays to move from their own 25-yard line to Jacksonville’s 16 before relinquishing the ball on downs. The drive ended when Jersey quarterback Luke Barthlemess was unable to connect with senior wide out Nick Woelfel on fourth-and-four.

Jacksonville pounced at the opportunity. Schnitker fired two quick passes to put the Crimsons into Jersey territory, then handed the ball to Caleb Howell on the seventh play of the drive for a 46-yard touchdown romp through the Panther defense. Schnitker later competed a 61-yard pass with Kendall Phelps to give Jacksonville at 14-0 lead early in the second quarter.

Jersey’s best scoring opportunities came in the second quarter. After the Schnitker-to-Phelps TD, Jersey’s Tony Driver returned the kick to Jersey’s 39. The Panthers were called for an illegal shift, but Driver took the ball on first-and-15, running to his right for a first down.

Driver and Quentin Travers then pushed Jersey down to the Jacksonville 32, before Travers broke a big run to his left for the 18-yard gain. Jersey had first-and-goal from the 7, but Barthlemess was intercepted in the endzone while trying to connect with Sam Pohlman.

Jersey also had a 14-play drive to close the half that resulted in three scoring attempts from within ten-yard line. The Panthers later missed a field goal to open the fourth quarter.

Carter explained that the failed scoring attempts were the results of clock mis-management and his use of timeouts, and poor execution when it counted most.

“The one that I take credit for is the one down on the seven yard line with no timeouts left,” Carter said. “I knew we were in a bind because we didn’t have any timeouts left, and the clock was ticking away. If I had it to do over again, I probably would have called a pass play (rather than Sam Ficker rushing the ball). On the other drives, it just came down to execution. Again, that is my job as the coach to make sure we are executing and have the right people in there to do it.”

Sam Cronin led the defense with 10 tackles and one assist, while Jason Hamilton had 4. Joe Hillmann and Connor Poglajen each had a sack, and David Allen recovered on fumble. On offense, Ficker had 15 carries for 85 yards and 1 reception for zero yards. Quentin Travers had 20 carries for 60 yards. Nick Woelfel had two catches for 22 yards, and Mitch Scoggins had 2 catches for 19.

Jersey is now 0-1 overall, and hosts Granite City on Friday at 7 p.m.

Above, Sam Cronin makes one of his 10 tackles against Jacksonville. Below, Quentin Travers breaks through the line for a gain.
Aaron Ottis/thejcstar.com