Waterloo scores 32 unanswered points
to defeat Panthers
BY AARON OTTIS
SPORTS EDITOR
WATERLOO – The Panthers watched a 19-7 halftime lead slip through their fingers Friday night.

The Bulldogs came out of the locker room with a chip on their shoulder, scoring 32 unanswered points in the second half to win 39-19 in a Mississippi Valley Conference game.

“It was a pretty good first half,” Jersey coach Gary Carter said. “We missed a few assignments, but we still got things done. The big thing was that the intensity was there.”

And for Jersey’s second half intensity? Not much available, and Carter is still looking for the answer.

“I don’t have an answer,” Carter said. “I wish I did. I wish there was something specific that I could put my thumb on, something that we could work on, but there isn’t. We have to be able to play four quarters of football. I think some of the second half can be attributed to our lack of experience, maybe. Waterloo came out all fired up. We had a 25-percent drop off in intensity, and they had a 25-percent increase.”

The Panthers’ split personality Friday night allowed a “should win” game for Jersey to become a close game, then maybe a loss and finally a second-half blowout in a matter of minutes.

Jersey started the contest strong on both sides of the ball. The Panthers’ opening drive accounted to 85 yards over nine minutes, twenty-seven seconds. Quentin Travers capped the drive with a 1-yard run up the middle on second-and-goal. The drive started with a 25-yard pass from Luke Barthelmess to Sam Pohlman, and the Panthers had five first downs on the way to six points.

A freak play gave Jersey the ball near midfield to start the second quarter. The Panthers were caught deep in their own territory, but the punt hit a Waterloo player on the foot and Jersey recovered the loose ball. Barthelmess promptly hit Sam Ficker for a 41-yard pass, and connected with Pohlman for another first down on the next play. Caleb Pomeroy cut around the right side for yet another first down, and Quentin Travers picked up his second TD of the night on a 2-yard run.

Waterloo scored on their next drive, using only three plays to cut the lead to 12-7.

Jersey mounted another impressive drive to close the first half, marching 80 yards to give themselves a 19-7 lead. This drive saw emphasis on fullback Mick Wilderman, who carried six times during the drive, gaining two first downs and the touchdown. The drive also saw Jersey convert on 3-and-13, when Barthelmess connected with Nick Wolefel for the first down.

The second half was all Waterloo.

“The only changes that I could see was that they moved their defensive end from a nine technique on the outside shoulder to a seven technique on the inside shoulder,” Carter said of the adjustments Waterloo made after the break. “That should not have made that much difference.”

Jersey’s offense, which had been so potent in the first half, could not move the ball in the second half.

“The plays that we ran in the first half that were so successful did not work in the second half,” Carter said. “If they are in the same defense, the variable is our intensity.”

Waterloo took the lead after scoring two touchdowns and a safety in the third quarter, and continued to pressure Jersey’s defense during the fourth quarter. The Panthers were unable to gain multiple first downs during any drive in the second half.

Wilderman led the offense with 11 carries for 38 yards. Chase Travers had 8 carries for 36 yards, and Quentin Travers had 8 carries for 33 yards and two TDs. Barthelmess was 8-for-16 for 126 yards, no touchdowns and one interception.

Sam Cronin had eight tackles and two assists, and Nick Woelfel had seven tackles and one assist. Bryan Weiner had six tackles and one assist.

Jake Brown makes one of his five tackles Friday night. Below, Quentin Travers protects the ball as he crosses the goal line. Aaron Ottis/thejcstar.com