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Four long plays – and  two costly fourth quarter turnovers – were the difference in the game as Massillon Jackson downed the Shoremen 30-16 in a marathon game.  A nearly two hour lightning delay following halftime meant the game didn’t end until 11:40 PM.  The lone bright spot for Avon Lake was the ground attack, which kept the Shoremen in the game until they began to self destruct midway through the fourth quarter.

Jackson received the opening kickoff & struck quickly.  After a couple of running plays netted the Polar Bears a first down, they went to the air for  60 yard Merrill to Vellucci bomb as the receiver got behind the secondary on a deep post.  The extra point made it 7-0 less than a minute into the game.  The Shoremen came right back as Brett Bass returned the kickoff to the A.L. 40.  Dontez Smith carried for 32 yards on a toss sweep to the left, and after an incomplete pass, he took a toss to the right and powered his way to the one.  A holding call moved the ball back to the 19, but Colin Lucas burst up the middle to the one, and Chris Jedlicka scored on a sneak on the next play.  The PAT was wide right, leaving the score 7-6.  Then late in the first quarter, Merrill kept the ball on an option left and raced 50 yards to the Shoremen 20.  Six plays later the Bears cashed in on a one yard run, but Lucas blocked the PAT to keep the score 13- 6.  Jackson added a 27 yard field goal with 2:56 left in the half, but the Shoremen answered again, driving to the 24 yard line of the Bears.  Brad Brill hit a 41 yard field goal as time expired to cut the deficit to 16-9 at the half.

After the bands performed, the refs announced that some lightning had been seen to the north.  By state rule there is a mandatory 30 minute wait after lightning is seen before the game can continue.  After several more sightings and delays, the second half started at 10:40 PM.  The Shoremen received the kick and put together a nice six minute drive, helped along by a couple of 15 yard penalties.  Smith score from a yard out, Brill hit the PAT, and the score was tied at 16.  It stayed that way until the fourth quarter, when the Shoremen started repeatedly shooting themselves in the foot.  After a nice punt to the Bears’ 28, Jackson ran a sweep to the right for 18 yards, and a late hit penalty moved the ball to the Shoremen 40.  A sack by Michael Butrey pushed the Bears back to the 44,  but a Jackson’s Jimmy Dehnke somehow got open 15 yards beyond the secondary for an easy touchdown and a 23-16 lead.  Back on offense, a Jedlicka pass off play action was intercepted near midfield.  On 3rd & 8 Dehnke took a jet sweep handoff around the right side, broke a couple of tackles, and  cruised in for a 44 yard TD to end the scoring.  The Shoremen’s night  on offense ended when they ran a reverse that ended in a fumble.  The Bears recovered and ran out the clock to end the game.

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Avon Lake

6

3

7

0

16

Massillon Jackson

7

9

0

14

30

 

 

 

MJ

 

A.L.

First downs

 

12

 

15

Rush Yds

 

265

 

224

Pass Yds

 

104

 

31

Passes att-comp-int

 

4-2-1

 

10-3-2

Fumbles-lost

 

0-0

 

1-1

Penalties

 

4-55

 

6-55

MJ – Vellucci 60 pass from Merrill (Costin kick)
AL – Jedlicka 1 run  (kick failed)
MJ – Dehnke 1 run (kick blocked)
MJ – Costin FG 27
AL – Brill FG 41
AL – Smith 1 run (Brill kick)
MJ – Dehnke 44 pass from Merrill (Costin kick)
MJ – Dehnke 44  run (Costin kick)