SHOOTOUT II

There was no lack of points at Williamsburg last week. However, it wasn’t the Jackets who scored the most in a 66-39 loss to the Somerset Briar Jumpers. The teams scored in all four quarters in what turned out to be the highest scoring game of the night around the state.
“Somerset was really fast and we had trouble matching up with their speed,” said Williamsburg coach Jerry Herron. “They are a good ballclub.”
“Our lack of speed and experience on defense really hurt us,” said Herron.
Led by seniors Ross Deaton and John Cole, the number one combination in the state struck early and often. Deaton hit Cole with touchdown passes of 33 and 41 yards in the game’s first four minutes for scores and forced Williamsburg into playing catch-up football.
The Jackets did cut the lead to 14-6 when quarterback Thomas Frazier hit Will Moses on a 67 yard pass play with seven minutes in the opening period. But, that was the closest Williamsburg would come as Kapri Cowan scored on a 60 yard kickoff return and Deaton plunged over the goalline with 2:11 left in the period. The Jumpers went ahead 28-6 with the PAT.
“Offensively we had 400 yards and scored 39 points,” said Herron. “But, it still wasn’t enough.”
“Our offense played well enough to win and we met a lot of our team goals,” said Herron. “Obviously, when you score that many points you think you have a chance to win. Defensively, we just couldn’t match up with their speed. That was the difference in the game.”
“We didn’t block as well up front as I would like on the running game,” said Herron, whose team had over 100 yards on the ground. “We like to get at least 150 yards and we were close to that.”
The Jackets will make the road trip to Harlan this week in another big district showdown. Unlike Somerset, this could be a defensive struggle and not near as many points on the scoreboard.
“It is a huge game for us,” said Herron. “The kids are not down this week and they understand what we have ahead of us. We have ourselves in a spot were every game is a big game and every game you drop costs you a place in the playoffs.”
“The kids know it’s a big game and they had a good practice Monday,” he added. “They are ready to go and they know Harlan is a good physical football team. They will try and spread you out and run the football.”
The Green Dragons rely on senior Jon Lundy and junior quarterback Chase Jones to get things started. Lundy has scored 10 touchdowns and leads the team on the ground with 618 yards on 87 carries. The Dragons have plenty of depth in the likes of Belcher and Jones.
Quarterback Chase Jones has hit over 50 percent of his passes while throwing for six touchdowns. His main targets are Pope, Sheffield and Goodin.
“I think in the past it has been a defensive struggle with Harlan, like last year we lost 21-20 on a last second extra point,” Herron said. “I foresee this year being the same, it won’t be a a 60-40 something, it will be in the 20s, but I don’t see a 7-6 game either.”
“They have a good defense,” Herron said. “Our defense is all right, we just have trouble matching up with speed. They are not as fast as Somerset.”
“We will continue to throw the ball everywhere,” said Herron. “Some of the kids are really starting to catch the ball again. Steven Jeffries is back healthy again, he had five catches against Somerset. Chase and Will are doing really well.”
Harlan can pretty much lock up a home field spot in the playoffs with a win over the Jackets. While a win over the Dragons puts Williamsburg in contention to host a playoff game.

Somerset 28 14 17 6- 66
Williamsburg 13 8 6 12- 39
First quarter
S – Cole 33 pass from Deaton (Wright kick)
S – Cole 41 pass from Deaton (Wright kick)
W – Moses, 67 pass from Frazier (kick failed)
S – Cowan, 60 kickoff return (Wright kick)
S – Deaton, 1 run (Wright kick)
W – Hamblin, 31 pass from Frazier (Hamblin kick)
Second Quarter
S – Cole, 20 pass from Deaton (Wright kick)
S – Hughes, 26 pass from Deaton (Wright kick)
W – Frazier, 1 run (Frazier run)
Third Quarter
S – Cole, 27 pass rom Deaton (Wright kick)
S – Wright, 40 yard field goal
W – Root, 6 run (run failed)
S – Cole, 72 kickoff return (Wright kick)
Fourth quarter
S – Hunter 68 pass from Deaton (Wright kick)
W – Frazier, 1 run (pass failed)
W – Jeffries, 30 pass from Moses