Panthers pull away for win
Jersey Village entered with an excellent game plan it executed well, helping secure an edge heading to the second quarter.
Ridge Point running back Keith Jackson was underwhelmed.
The North Texas signee scuttled the Falcons’ plan with superior talent, exploding for 170 rushing yards and four touchdowns to power the Panthers to a 34-21 playoff victory Saturday at Legacy Stadium.
“They came out and hit us in the mouth,” Ridge Point coach Rick LaFavers said.
“I’m proud of our guys. We didn’t flinch, and were able to regroup and work our way back with some positive plays.”
With the area-round triumph, Ridge Point (7-2) advances to tangle with Atascocita in the 6A Division I Region III semifinals at 1 p.m. Saturday at the University of Houston’s TDECU Stadium.
“This is the first time since 2015 (when Ridge Point still was 5A) that we’ve been past the second round, so this is big for these kids,” LaFavers said. “This is a special group of seniors, there’s 45 of them, and they’ve all done a tremendous job, especially with a new staff, a lot of change and COVID.
“This is a big moment, to get past that hump and punch our ticket to the third round.”
JerseyVillage finished its season at 6-6.
Jackson, a 6-foot, 206pound tailback, scored on runs of 40, 2, 1 and 7 yards. He averaged 6.1 yards on 28 carries.
“He’s awesome, and the O-line’s doing a great job,” LaFavers said.“We’ve got a lot of weapons to defend. You’ve got the backup running back (Ezell Jolly), who hits a great catch on the opening play, and you’ve got receivers you have to account for deep, which really helps Keith in the run game.”
The officials really needed help Saturday. They seemed to see few easy calls, leading to frequent discussions.
At one point, Jersey Village coach David Snokhous was “helping” them.
The veteran coach — in his 24th year with the program — already was incensed by a fumble recovery that was taken away and the fifth-down play that followed, when Ridge Point quarterback Bert Emanuel Jr. tried to truck a defender at the goal line but instead fumbled into the end zone, and linebacker Adin Wilson appeared to recover the ball for a Jersey Village touchback.
As officials huddled to sort the play, Snokhous spryly sprinted to the end zone to offer his passionate opinion.
He got his way then, but not in the second quarter.
And this call twice went against the Falcons.
Quarterback Adam Tran, a 5-8, 160-pound freshman, delivered a 47yard touchdown pass to 6-6 wide receiver Mike Evans, but officials ruled they had an illegal man downfield, negating the score. The referee then opted to waive off the flag — only to reverse the reversal after hearing from LaFavers.
“Iwould be upset if Iwas Coach Snokhous as well, but they made the right calls,” LaFavers said.
“They just didn’t communicate real well with each other.”
So the Panthers led 14-7 at halftime.
And, after failing to knot the contest in the second quarter, Jersey Village only fell further behind in the third, when Jackson scored on Ridge Point’s first two possessions to push the lead to 27-7.
Emanuel’s 16-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver John Paul Richardson sealed the win in the fourth.
Ridge Point finished with 349 yards and 18 first downs. Emanuel was 10of-15 passing for 149 yards and a score.
Jersey Village had 381 yards and 19 first downs.
Now the Panthers can turn their attention to their first meeting with Atascocita, a 21-6 winner over Pearland.
“It’s definitely big-boy ball,” LaFavers said. “They’re great. I haven’t had a chance to really watch them, but I know their history, and I know they always have great players who are big and athletic.
“We’ll have our work cut out for us.”