Coming off a frustrating loss against O’Donnell the previous week, the Jayton Jaybirds looked to find their winning ways once again as they hosted the Petersburg Buffaloes.
Petersburg would not make things easy for Jayton as they brought in a strong rushing attack coupled with a team who play disciplined football. Both teams showed up to make a statement.
Followed by running backs Pecos Smith and Caleb Valerio, and key defensive stops, the Jayton Jaybirds were able to soar over the Buffalos winning the contest 78–47.
Early on in the game, both teams looked to work out kinks on offense. The Jayton defense was able to cause a turnover on downs on the first drive but found themselves struggling to break the game open early themselves. Smith used his strong running and followed his blockers to a Jaybird touchdown early on.
On the next Jaybird possession following a Peterburg score, the Buffalo defense intercepted a Smith pass and returned what appeared to be a touchdown that would put the Jaybirds behind in the game. Instead of a touchdown, the referees called a roughing the passer penalty that gave Jayton the ball and extra yardage. Smith, along with the Jaybird offense would take immediate advantage with a rushing touchdown.
Smith also added to the highlight reel when he juked the entire Buffalo defense to score after the second-quarter clock expired. He was able to turn a play that was essentially nothing into a huge score that gave the Jaybirds a definitive lead.
Caleb Valerio was the story on offense in the second half. He has proved to be a dominate asset next to Smith on offense. Not only was he a strong runner, he was also able to complete a nifty pass to Nathaniel Williams for a touchdown. Tripp Scott continued converting many PAT attempts and keeping the Buffalo special teams off the field with booming kickoffs that were unreturnable.
Defensively, the Jaybirds faced a strong team who played well. While the scoresheet displays the fact that Petersburg was able to move the ball offensively, spectators were able to see Mason Long, Devon Jones, and Kaden Valerio control the line of scrimmage all night. Smith and Caleb Valerio both recorded interceptions. As the season wears on, the Jaybird defense will continue to look for ways to improve.
Jayton, now 4-1 on the season, will take on the Roby Lions in an away matchup at 7:30 p.m. Friday. As district season looms ahead, it is now time to put everything together to make a run towards the district championship.
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