The Jayton Jaybirds entered their bi-district matchup against Benjamin last week knowing that the Mustangs were a hungry squad looking for a fight.
Benjamin, which has struggled to field a team in past years, entered the contest as district champions. The Jaybirds had come off a brutal loss against Motley County the week prior. For both groups, the main goal was to forget the past and succeed in the playoffs.
At the end of a long and hard-fought game, the Jayton Jaybirds stood victoriously after beating Benjamin 52 to 41 for the bi-district championship. Offensively, both teams were effective as each totaled over 400 yards from scrimmage. Sophomore Isaac King rushed for 3 touchdowns and threw for another. Carson Sessums was the workhorse ball carrier of the night with 179 yards rushing and one touchdown.
Junior wide receiver Caleb Beck caught 3 touchdown passes (2 from quarterback Joel Williams) to lead the Jayton air attack. However, one of his most impressive plays of the game was on a catch that didn't result in a score.
Beck caught a Williams pass while being hit by a Mustang at the same time. Instead of falling to the ground, Beck managed to keep his stance, churned his feet forward, and dragged three defenders to achieve the first down. Beck’s resolve to keep the play alive drew loud cheers from spectators.
Defensively, the Jaybirds caused 2 turnovers to stay in front when the game mattered the most. King’s interceptions came in the first quarter from the back of the end zone. His play kept the Jaybirds ahead early. Sessums made the game’s deciding play when he picked off a Mustang pass late in the 4th quarter to ice the game.
Benjamin’s valiant effort was applauded by both sides of the stands. The state will look forward to its accomplishments over the next few years.
Jayton faces the Loraine Bulldogs on Friday, Nov. 19, at Trent Stadium. The game will begin at 7 p.m. The goal for Jayton is to continue their quest to keep their season alive one game at a time.
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