Dragons knock off Trojans
PARKERS CHAPEL – A 27-yard completion on 3rd-and-11 from sophomore quarterback Gabe Richard to classmate wide receiver Logan Pepper set Class 2A No. 3 Junction City up inside the Parkers Chapel 5-yard line on the Dragons’ opening drive of the second half and the play stood as one of only two passes that Junction City would attempt on the night.
The minimal passing came due in large part to a
Dragon rushing attack that scored five first-half touchdowns, which was highlighted by the dominance of the Junction City offensive front as well as to a cold, steady rain that fell throughout an evening that resulted in the Dragons closing out the regular season with a 53-14 road victory over the Trojans on Thursday night from Victor Nipper Stadium inside the John Gross Athletic Complex.
Junction City (7-2, 5-0) officially captured the 8-2A conference title; the program’s seventh league title of the past decade.
The Dragons also locked up the conference’s top seed for the state playoffs, which creates a first round playoff matchup with McCrory on November 9 at 7 p.m. from Junction
City.
On Thursday night, the Dragons ran just 33 plays and totaled 351 of their 378 yards on the ground in 31 rushing attempts, while 16 of the team’s 18 first downs came via rush.
The Trojans totaled 308 yards of offense, mostly in the second half, with 199 yards coming on the ground and 109 through the air.
Parkers Chapel started the opening drive of the game from their own 15 and proceeded to move the ball on the Dragon defense, as junior quarterback Caleb Jacobs completed three passes, including an impressive 20-yard hook up with senior Grayson Hurst on 3rd-and-8 that kept the Trojan drive alive and a 21-yard pitch-and-catch to senior Ryan Simpson two plays later that moved PC across midfield.
On the fifth play of the series, Jacobs displayed his shiftiness, as he scrambled for 21 yards into the red zone, but the promising drive ended on the next play as Dragon senior Kevontae Haynes picked off Jacobs in the end zone setting the Dragon offense up for an explosive first half.
On their first offensive play of the night, Junction City handed it off to Dhante Gibson and the senior exploded over right guard for 70 yards down to the Dragon 10-yard line where junior Jakiron Cook scored on the next play to cap the two-play, 80-yard drive that took just 23 seconds. Cook carried in the first of his five two-point conversions on the night, as the Dragons led 8-0 with 9:24 to play in the first quarter.
The next Dragon possession saw Gibson gain 11 yards on a first-down carry before scampering 57 yards to the end zone for the game’s second touchdown.
Cook followed on Junction City’s third possession by tallying successive carries of nine yards and three yards, before scoring from 15 yards out.
That scoring drive began at the Parkers Chapel 27 and that lucrative field position was made possible by an interception from senior Bryce Ware, who recovered a fumble on the next Trojan drive that put the Junction City drive start at the Parkers Chapel 24.
Gibson rushed for gains of five and eight yards, and on 1st-and-10 from the Trojan 11, he scored his second touchdown of the game. Cook’s two-point rush made it 32-0 Dragons with 5:50 to play in the first quarter.
The final first-quarter touchdown came on a 20-yard carry from Cook, which followed the Trojans’ second straight fumble and third consecutive turnover and made it 40-0.
Both teams would find the end zone twice in the second half, as the Trojans scored on rushes by Jacobs and Simpson, while the Dragons’ 14 points following the intermission came on rushes by sophomore K.D. Smith and Richard.
Gibson finished with 162 yards on six carries and junior DeAndre Malone carried 10 times for 98 yards in a hard-running performance in the second half. Cook followed with five carries, three of which found the end zone, for 57 yards. K.D. Smith returned three kickoffs for 49 yards.
Sophomores Devontay Gilbert and Ryne Thurlkill each recorded three tackles to lead the Dragon defense.
Junction City now begins their run in the Class 2A state playoffs. The Dragons will host the fifth-seeded Jaguars of the 3-2A this coming Friday at 7 p.m.
The Trojans (2-7, 1-4) will either be the 8-2A’s No. 4 seed or No. 5 seed depending on the outcome of Friday’s game between Strong and Bearden.