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Evan Walker (3) returns a kickoff during the Jacksboro Tigers JV team’s 50-0 Wednesday, Nov. 2 win over the Dublin Lions . The Tigers finish the year at 9-1. Photo/Brian Smith
When gunning for a district championship, you pull out all the stops.
Even if it means moving nine of your players up to varsity.
Jacksboro’s two JV teams were merged into one for Thursday night’s District 5-3A Division II finale with visiting Dublin. The combining of the teams made little difference as the Tigers scored on their first three possessions and cruised to a 50-0 victory.
The JV Purple team won its last nine games, which included a clean sweep through the loop, to finish 9-1. The JV White team also won district and finished 6-2. Jacksboro needed barely a minute to take control. A 23-yard run from Eric Pizana set up Josh Salazar’s 31-yard zig zag jaunt to the end zone. Pizana hooked up with Evan Walker for the conversion and an 8-0 lead with 8:58 left in the first.
Dublin looked to strike quickly, using a 48-yard run from Ayden Vargas to the Tiger 13 but defense by Pizana and Lucas Cornish forced a fourth and long. Alex Marin came through on fourth down to force a turnover on downs.
Quarterback Brayden Rockey hit Pizana three times with completions of 16, 21, and 26 yards to the Dublin 17 but it was Isaac Wesson who caught the 14-yard scoring strike to extend the lead. Pizana and Walker combined on the conversion with 42 seconds left in the first.
Defense by Ruben Fernandez and Caden Sweatland would force a turnover on downs. Gavin Kennedy’s 19yard run to the 13 set the table for Pizana’s 12-yard pass to Ricardo Andrade for the score. Wesson tacked on the conversion for a 24-0 lead with 8:22 left in the half.
Dublin got inside the Tiger 35 on the ensuing drive but Bryan Sanchez came through big on fourth down. Jacksboro looked to strike again but a Hudson Moore interception shut down the drive.
On the next Tiger possession, Walker’s 15-yard run set up a first-and-goal from the 10. Salazar finished the job two plays later with a two-yard run. After a bad extra point snap, kicker Salazar took the ball and fired a pass to Rockey, who made a nice catch in the end zone to secure the conversion for a 32-0 lead.
Pizana recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff for great field position at the Lion 36. The drive stalled but the Tigers would strike again right before the half.
A Salazar sack would force a fumble for another start at the Lion 36. Salazar moved the ball well and eventually scored on a one-yard run with 25 seconds left in the half.
With the game safely in hand, the clock ran continuously in the second half. Marin’s sack on the opening Lion drive kept the pressure on enough where Rockey picked off a pass to give the Tigers the ball at the Dublin 13. Rockey and Walker combined on an 11-yard scoring toss. The conversion failed with 4:05 left in the third.
Following a turnover on downs, Gavin Kennedy runs and a 25-yard pass to Walker moved the ball into the Lion red zone at the 18. Cornish finished the job and the scoring with an 11-yard run with 4:23 remaining.
Even with the big lead, the Jacksboro defense flourished with stops by Walker, Hudson Parker and Yurem Delgadillo keeping the shutout.
