Jones’ 3 TD passes lift Rockets over B-C
Jefferson-Morgan quarterback Cole Jones lofts a 35-yard touchdown pass to Houston Guesman as Beth-Center鈥檚 Tyler Berish (36) applies pressure during Friday night鈥檚 game at Parker Field. Jones threw three touchdown passes to Guesman in the Rockets鈥� 28-14 win. (Photos by Rob Burchianti)
Beth-Center鈥檚 Cyncere Cruse trips up Jefferson-Morgan鈥檚 Houston Guesman during Friday night鈥檚 game at Parker Field. Guesman caught eight passes for 129 yards and three touchdowns in the Rockets鈥� 28-14 win.
Rob Burchianti | 缅北禁地
Jefferson-Morgan鈥檚 Johnny Gilbert breaks free for a 12-yard gain against Beth-Center during Friday night鈥檚 game at Parker Field.
Rob Burchianti | 缅北禁地
Beth-Center鈥檚 Zach Sussan and Tyler Debnar (10) attempt to bring down Jefferson-Morgan running back Collin Bisceglia (4) during last Friday night鈥檚 game at Parker Field. The Rockets won, 28-14. Both teams face key Tri-County South games tonight with J-M at Bentworth and B-C hosting Carmichaels.
Jefferson-Morgan's Houston Guesman watches a pass from Cole Jones float towards him as Beth-Center's Tyler Berish (36) defends during Friday night's game at Parker Field. Guesman made the catch for his third touchdown of the night in the Rockets' 28-14 win.
Jefferson-Morgan coach Shane Ziats has a discussion with Aiden Miller during Friday night鈥檚 game against Beth-Center at Parker Field. (Photo by Rob Burchianti)
Jefferson-Morgan quarterback Cole Jones (12) directs traffic before tossing a game-clinching 6-yard touchdown pass to Houston Guesman during Friday night's game against Beth-Center at Parker Field. The Rockets won, 28-14.
Officials try to sort out the situation as penalty flags are strewn around them after an altercation between Jefferson-Morgan and Beth-Center players during Friday night's game at Parker Field. Three players were ejected.
The score shows Jefferson-Morgan with the lead as Rockets coach Shane Ziats looks on during Friday night's game against Beth-Center at Parker Field. The Rockets would go on to win, 28-14.
Jefferson-Morgan assistant coach Jake Nace (left) talks with the Rockets' defense, including John Woodward (23), Johnny Gilbert (17) and Levi Heath (56) during a timeout in Friday night's game against Beth-Center at Parker Field.
JEFFERSON 鈥� Cole Jones threw three touchdown passes to Houston Guesman, including two in the fourth quarter, as Jefferson-Morgan defeated Beth-Center, 28-14, in a Tri-County South battle last Friday night.
The Rockets trailed 7-0 in the first quarter and 14-13 after three quarters before before riding a late surge to victory at Parker Field.
Jefferson-Morgan improves to 1-1 in the conference and 3-2 overall under first-year coach Shane Ziats following a one-win season in 2021.
鈥淚t feels great. It鈥檚 an awesome win. I鈥檓 happy for the kids,鈥� Ziats said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what it鈥檚 all about, making them work and compete together and getting them over that threshold. It鈥檚 all about the kids.鈥�
Jones completed 11 of 21 passes for 152 yards with eight of those going to Guesman for 129 yards.
Both fourth-quarter touchdown receptions were well defended but Guesman still came up with the ball.
The first was a 35-yard pass into the right side of the end zone followed by a two-point conversion slant pass also to Guesman that turned a one-point deficit into a 21-14 lead 10 seconds into the final quarter.
The second was a 6-yard lob into the corner of the end zone that Guesman snagged with 8:41 left in the game. Jones鈥� extra-point kick set the final score.
鈥淚 just felt really good that the line was giving me time back there,鈥� Jones said. 鈥淥n the touchdown passes I had enough time to sit back there and go through all my reads. It was just execution. Our receiver went up and caught the ball.鈥�
The game got heated at times and a scuffle broke out at one point in the second half that resulted in two Bulldogs and one Rocket being ejected.
鈥淥ur school has always been rivals with Beth-Center,鈥� Jones said. 鈥淚t just felt really good to beat them. It wasn鈥檛 the cleanest game.鈥�
Jones felt his team鈥檚 ability to maintain its composure, especially after the melee, was a key factor in the victory.
鈥淲e鈥檝e become a pretty level-headed football team,鈥� Jones said. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 get down on ourselves and we don鈥檛 get over-excited.鈥�
The Bulldogs (0-2, 1-4) jumped out to an early lead when Dom Revi completed a 36-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Berish just 1:33 into the game and Berish鈥檚 extra point made it 7-0.
Jefferson-Morgan pulled even midway through the second quarter on Jones鈥� first touchdown pass to Guesman from 33 yards out with Jones kicking the extra point.
The Rockets went ahead on their opening drive of the third quarter with Collin Bisceglia scoring on a 2-yard run at the 6:57 mark. A two-point conversion run after a B-C penalty moved the ball inside the 2 was stopped by the Bulldogs, leaving J-M up 13-7.
Beth-Center answered with a scoring drive capped by Jonah Sussan鈥檚 3-yard touchdown run, and Berish鈥檚 extra point gave B-C a 14-13 advantage.
The Rockets would dominate the fourth quarter, though.
鈥淲e just kept them focused, just telling them to play the game and play the next play,鈥� Ziats said. 鈥淜eep competing, don鈥檛 look at the scoreboard, don鈥檛 worry about anything else, just play your game.鈥�
Beth-Center out-gained J-M 341 to 250, sparked by a strong running attack that produced 208 yards. Tyler Debnar led the way with 16 carries for 90 yards. Teagan Veatch followed with 55 yards on just three attempts.
Revi completed seven of 16 throws for 133 yards. Berish had three catches for 107 yards.
Jefferson-Morgan ran the ball 28 times for 98 yards. Johnny Gilbert had 19 carries for 52 yards and Bisceglia had 46 yards on nine attempts.
The Rockets did what they had to do to pull out the victory. Part of their success so far this year comes from their ability to play together, according to Jones.
鈥淚t鈥檚 having a team that鈥檚 well rounded,鈥� Jones said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not a very big school, we鈥檙e all friends, we all like each other so it鈥檚 easy to be on the same page.鈥�
Even so, Ziats and Jones both see plenty of room for improvement.
鈥淲e had a good game but there鈥檚 always things we can do better,鈥� Jones said. 鈥淲atch film and make improvements.鈥�
鈥淧ractice and hard work, that鈥檚 what it鈥檚 all about,鈥� Ziats said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 how we get better.鈥�
Jefferson-Morgan travels to Bentworth next Friday while Beth-Center hosts Carmichaels.
(Westley Burchianti contributed to this story.)