The Jayton Jaybirds started the week under the impression that they would face the Valley Patriots in an away matchup spectators were calling the “Brother Bowl II.” Having watched film the previous Saturday, the Jaybirds were preparing to practice against everything the Patriots had to offer.
Everything changed in a moment. Valley notified head coach Josh Stanaland they would not be able to host the contest due to complications of a positive Covid-19 case, as many schools have had to deal with recently. Fans wondered if the Jaybirds would even have a chance to play at all, knowing the difficulty of scheduling games on the fly. Simultaneously, the O’Donnell Screamin’ Eagles found themselves in a similar situation as their opponent was unable to make the trip because of a positive Covid-19 case.
Thus, a matchup was made. The Jaybirds and the Eagles would play in O’Donnell for their homecoming. The Eagles, a Division 1 program picked to make a deep playoff run, represented a difficult matchup for the Jaybirds, who had little time to prepare. Few knew what to expect from a contest that came out of nowhere for both communities.
What resulted was an exciting game that ended with both teams getting better as the Screamin’ Eagles defeated the Jaybirds 54–52. Spectators were treated to a game where the result could have gone either way.
O’Donnell took an early 16–0 lead going into the second quarter after causing two Jayton fumbles and capitalizing quickly on offense. Jayton showed their resiliency by keeping the Eagles from pulling away by scoring twice in the second quarter, and yet O’Donnell held a commanding lead going into the half. In the third quarter, Jayton clawed back into the game causing a turnover and making defensive stops to pull within four points.
The final quarter resulted in a nail-biter for the fans from both communities as each offense traded touchdowns back and forth. Pecos Smith and Caleb Valerio rushed through the defense as each amassed over 100 yards on the ground, scoring five touchdowns between their collective effort. Smith also added a touchdown pass along with quarterback Ben Blankenship who threw for two touchdowns of his own. Seniors Tripp Scott and Smith, and sophomore Nathaniel Williams, each had touchdown receptions.
With over a minute to play, the Jaybirds tried for the onside kick, still needing a score to win. As the O’Donnell player covered the attempted Jaybird recovery, the chances of victory fell short.
While the Jaybirds walked off the field in disappointment, one fact remained. In a game against a strong opponent where Jayton had three lost fumbles, the Jaybirds had lost only by two points. This Jaybird squad has an opportunity to see the game as a learning moment.
Jayton will have a chance to go back to their winning ways against Petersburg at home on Thurs., Sept 24, at 7 p.m.
- Log in or Subscribe to post comments.
