Jackets Football

 Williamsburg Coach Jerry Herron told his team at halftime of Allen Central game that they were going to have to quit making so many mistakes and to tackle better. His kind words to his Yellow Jackets must have done the trick because Williamsburg came from a 20-14 deficit to beat the Rebels, 28-20.

“I just told them to quit making so many mistakes and giving them a short field,” Herron said.

It was a fumble by the Yellow Jackets on the first play from scrimmage that gave the Rebels a first down at the Williamsburg 28-yard line. Big Zack Murphy bullied his way down to the one-yard line on the first carry then took it in on the second attempt to put the home team ahead, 6-0. Murphy added the extra point for a quick 8-0 lead.

Once the Jackets got unrivalled quarterback Dalton Sizemore led his team down the field for the tying score. The Jackets put together a 10-play drive that ended with a 46-yard pass to freshman Skyler Griffith. On the PAT, Sizemore hit Logan Hamblin in the end zone for the two-point conversion, tying the game at 8-8.

However, Allen Central was back in business after a long kick-off return to the Williamsburg 10-yard line. The Jackets hit Seth Jarrell for a loss, but Murphy again pushed his way down to the six-yard line. A Micah Harlow pass to John Toole in the back of the end zone saw the Rebels regain the lead with 5:38 in the quarter.

Just when it looked as if the Jackets were going to push the ball down the field for the tying TD, Williamsburg fumbled at their own 25-yard line.

After a short run by Jarrell, Murphy pounded his way to the three-yard line on a 17-yard carry. Two plays later, Toole had his second TD of the quarter and the Rebels had extended their lead to 20-8.

The Jackets began to come to life defensively in the second quarter and snuffed out a drive by the Rebels after Sizemore punted the ball to the Allen Central 13-yard line. After the first down pass to the 27-yard line the Jackets stopped Murphy and company at the 28-yard line on three straight plays.

Williamsburg took over after a short punt. A first-down pass from Sizemore to Griffith, who had 205 yards on the night. The Jackets mounted a nine-play drive that saw Griffith make a tremendous 15-yard catch at the four-yard line midway through the quarter. Sizemore then hit Hamblin on a TD pass of four yards with 7:30 left in the half. The conversion failed, but the Jackets were within a touchdown.

The Jackets stopped the Rebels on two short drives, but couldn’t get past the Allen Central defense and went to the break down six points.

“I told them at the half to start hitting the guy low and quit making those shoulder tackles,” Herron said.

With the half ending on a Williamsburg penalty, the Rebels got the ball inside Yellow Jackets territory after the opening kickoff. The Rebels drove the ball to the 13-yard line and Murphy had three carries during the drive for a total of one-yard.

The Rebels (2-3) turned the ball over on downs after a Williamsburg defender broke up a pass in the end zone.

The teams used the reminder of the quarter jockeying for field position as in most cases it was three and out for both teams.

The advantage went to Williamsburg, who took over at the ball at the Allen Central 45-yard line after a muffed punt with 10:01 left in the game.

A second-down pass to Hamblin gave the Jackets a third-and-two at the Rebels 37-yard line. Sizemore broke loose for an eight-yard keeper to the 25-yard line for the first down.

Two straight losses by Sizemore made things look dim until the young quarterback connected on a 29-yard pass to Griffith. Griffith was pulled down at the four-yard line. Sizemore took it in on the ensuing play, tying the game at 20-20.

On the conversion Sizemore followed his line into the end zone, giving the Jackets their first lead of the game with 7:44 left in the contest.

Allen Central took the kickoff return at the 33-yard line and tried to march the ball down the field, but the Jackets had Murphy’s number at that point and after six plays forced the Rebels to punt.

Griffith fielded the punt at his own 32-yard line and took off for the end zone. Sixty-eight yards later he was in for the six points and Williamsburg owned a 28-20 lead.

Griffith, who was no doubt the Player of the Game, sealed the deal when he intercepted a Harlow pass at the Jackets 25-yard line with 3:53 left in the game.

The Jackets tried to tack on another score and drove the ball down to the Allen Central three-yard line where they turned the ball over on downs with 1:25 left in the contest.

The Williamsburg defense played tough and stopped the Rebels to end the contest.

Herron was pleased with the way his team played. “I was very pleased with the effort,” Herron said. “We only had 20 kids to dress because of injuries. We are thankful that we have a week off to heal.”

Sizemore finished the game, hitting on 16 of 38 passes for 261 yards. Hamblin had four catches for 21 yards while Micah Purdie had one catch for 31 yards.

Williamsburg will return to action next Friday night when they travel to district favorite, Campbellsville. The last time the teams played in Campbellsville, the Eagles came away with a 14-12 win in a mud-fest.

Williamsburg 28, Allen Central 20

Williamsburg              8   6   0  14- 28

Allen Central            20   0   0    0- 20

AC- Zack Murphy 1 run (Murphy run)

W- Skyler Griffith 46 pass from Dalton Sizemore (Logan Hamblin pass from Sizemore)

AC- John Toole 6 pass from Micah Harlow (run failed)

AC- Toole 5 pass from Harlow (run failed)

W- Hamblin 4 pass from Sizemore (pass failed)

W- Sizemore 4 run (Sizemore run)

W- Griffith 68 punt return (run failed)