Bluejays Protect Nest In Home Opener
With social distancing on the forefront of minds all around the world, for a few hours on Friday night, things felt somewhat normal as high school football got underway for many teams in the State of Indiana. At Liberty Field in North Judson, the Hoosier North Athletic Conference was in the spotlight as the North Judson San-Pierre Bluejays played host to the Culver Cavaliers.
The Cavaliers began on the offensive side of the ball, as the “Straight-T” formation of Head Coach Mike Zehner, worked in textbook fashion on their opening possession. The Straight-T resembled more of a three-headed beast from the writings of Homer than it did a football formation, as the three-running back, two-tight end formation worked to perfection on the Cavs’ opening drive. Behind quarterback Tucker Fisher stood, Jalen King, Blake Thompson, and Shane Shuman, a terrifying combination of speed, strength and agility. Culver’s ability to spread the ball around to their three backs, caught the Jays on their heels early on. Ironically, the Cavaliers had greater success on fourth down plays in their opening drive, than they did on third down plays, as the Cavs were 0-4 on third down, while 4-0 going for the first, on fourth down. Thompson would be the one called on to get the Cavaliers on the board first in the ballgame as he was able to slam through the line from 1-yard out. After taking nearly six and a half minutes off the clock, the Cavaliers had a 6-0 lead with 5:23 left to go in the first quarter.
On the ensuing possession, the Bluejays began to take flight. Not too long into the possession, the Jays would turn to Senior back Eli Blount, who to a pitch from quarterback Trey Hamilton and exploded off the right side for a 76-yard touchdown run for the ‘Jays first score of the game. The successful extra point attempt by Senior J.J. Blount gave the Bluejays the lead at 7-6, with just under four minutes remaining in the opening quarter.
The lead would not last long, as the Cavaliers would turn to Sophomore Shane Shuman who, on first and ten, would take the ball down the field to find the end zone from 59-yards out giving the Cavs a 12-7 lead with 2:23 remaining in the first quarter. The ensuing kickoff would see North Judson’s Eli Blount show how dangerous he can be with the ball in his hands. The 5’8 Senior fielded the kick at the four yard line, and was able to fly down the field forty yards, spinning and dodging tacklers to get the ball out to the 44 yard line. On the fifth play of the drive, quarterback Trey Hampton would put his arm to work, as he dropped back to pass. The 6’0 176lb veteran Senior threw a pinpoint pass to fellow Senior J.J. Blount, who hauled in the pass for the twenty-six yard touchdown reception, with just 13.5 seconds remaining in the first quarter. Blount then stepped in to boot the extra point through the uprights to give North Judson a 14-12 lead.
In what perhaps may have been the best call of the game by Head Coach Brett Lambert, the Bluejays caught all in attendance off guard, as they orchestrated a successful squib kick to the right of the formation. This time it would be Tanner Craig who would come up with the heroics, as the 5’11 Senior would go all out, diving for the loose ball as it sputtered around the field, giving the Bluejays possession, as well as the ball with still thirteen seconds remaining in the first quarter. The ensuing play would see Hampton showing his guts. As he dropped back to throw, reading the defense, Hampton was clocked when he released the pass down field. The pass spiraled through the air into the hands of Junior wide receiver Kason Sanchez, who came down with the ball at the twenty yard line as time expired in the first quarter. The ‘Jays this time would turn to Sophomore Gabe Ellis to get the ball across the goal line, as the the 5’9 150lb running back would plunge into the end zone from one yard out. The touchdown run was also the first and only carry of the ballgame for Ellis. After a successful extra point, the Bluejays found themselves leading 21-12 with 10:08 remaining in the first half. The fireworks would continue for North Judson, as the ‘Jays were able to score on a sixty-two yard touchdown pass from Trey Hampton to Kason Sanchez, and then would see Hampton muscle the ball across the goal line. Culver looked to be making a push late in the half as they were starting to work the ball down the field, but the Bluejay defense would stiffen up and recover a fumble, allowing the offense to run out the clock, leaving North Judson with a 35-12 lead at the half.
In some situations, a team with a comfortable, 35-12 halftime lead, might come out a little flat and just looking to get out with a win. Not the Bluejays. The ‘Jays started off receiving the opening second half kickoff, and on the second play from scrimmage, they put the ball in the hands of Cheyenne Allen, who exploded down the field for a sixty-three yard touchdown run! After the successful extra point, the ‘Jays held a 42-12 lead with 10:59 remaining in the third quarter of play.
Jalen King would give the Cavaliers a spark on offense with his first carry of the second half, as the 5’11 200lb Junior rumbled for a big thirty yard run, on his twelfth carry of the game. It would be Junior Blake Thompson who would put the exclamation mark on the drive as he exploded for a thirty-five yard touchdown run. Thompson would then punch in the 2-point conversion, to bring Culver to within twenty-two points with 8:45 left to go in the 3rd quarter, 42-20.
North Judson Sophomore Gabe Ellis would throw a damp blanket on the potential fire the Cavaliers had going, as he would take the ensuing kickoff the Sophomore would turn on the afterburners and rumble for a forty-eight yard return, taking the ball down to the Cavalier forty yard line. After a couple plays by North Judson, picking up decent yardage, the ‘Jays would turn to Junior Owen Frasure to hand the ball. Frasure, would take the handoff, off the right side and rumble for a 15-yard touchdown, becoming the seventh Bluejay to find the end zone. The extra point attempt was good giving North Judson a 49-20 lead with 6:46 remaining in the third quarter.
The Jays would find the end zone two more times before the game’s end, as Trey Hampton would have a twenty-four yard touchdown run off an option play for his second touchdown of the game, with 3:11 left in the third quarter, while Owen Frasure would get in for the second time as well, on a twenty yard run, to give the final score of 63-20. In the end, the rushing attack of North Judson continually wore down the defense of the Cavaliers, as the ‘Jays accumulated 477 yards of offense, while averaging around fifteen yards per play.
The Starke County Co-Op Play of the Game went to North Judson Senior Tanner Craig, who recovered the squib kick after the Bluejays had scored with just seconds remaining in the first quarter.
The Ashley Derrickson/Five Star Player of the Game honors went to North Judson Senior Quarterback Trey Hampton, who went 5 for 5 passing, for 144 yards, and 2 touchdowns in the win.
The Cavaliers will be back in action next week in our Game of the Week, as they play host to the South Central Satellites, who fell to Triton 23-20 on Friday, while the Bluejays will be on the road at Caston, which defeated West Central 38-6.
Game Statistics
Rushing
North Judson: 26 attempts for 333 yards and 7 touchdowns
Cheyenne Allen 6-93, Gabe Ellis 1-1, Eli Blount 6-107, Trey Hampton 5-61, J.J. Blount 4-20, Tabor Brown 2-16, Owen Frasure 2-35
Culver: 42 attempts for 273 yards and 3 touchdowns
Shane Shuman 14-88, Jalen King 14-82, Blake Thompson 8-100, Tucker Fisher 1- (-)1, Ethan Thomas 2-7, Ian Brown 4- (-)1
Passing
North Judson: 5-5-144 yards 2 touchdowns
Trey Hampton: 5-5 144 yards 2 touchdowns
Culver: 1-3-13 yards
Tucker Fisher: 1-2-13 yards; Jason Cadle: 0-1
Receiving
North Judson: J.J. Blount: 1-26 yards 1 touchdown; Kason Sanchez 4-118 yards, 1 touchdown
Culver: Marquez Anderson: 1-13 yards
*Statistics provided by Kankakee Valley Broadcasting Staff. These are not official game statistics*
