For a few minutes on Friday night, it looked like the homecoming crowd at Jefferson High would get a high-scoring affair.
It didn’t work out that way, as the early fireworks yielded to tough, grinding play. But they did see the Panthers’ first victory of the 2019 football campaign, a gritty 13-6 thriller over conference rival Columbus High.
Just a minute after kick-off, Columbus was on the board, mixing runs and passes for a quick drive down the field for a touchdown. Then the Panthers took their turn, cruising from their own 35 mostly on the swift feet of senior Jaxson Yanzick. It was a 27-yard run by Yanzick that tied the game with 8:46 left in the first.
With just barely three minutes gone, both teams had scored. Both also had missed their PATs, producing a 6-6 tie. Then, suddenly, the defenses took over, and the offensive explosions were done for the evening.
Columbus started on its 30, made a first down to the 45 and then was forced to punt. The Panthers got fine field position off the kick on their 48, but a holding call took away a first down and left them with third and 25. Jefferson came up short and had to punt.
The rest of the first half was more of the same: Columbus had a chance to put points on the board after intercepting a pass on the panther 37 – but another holding call and a strong Panther defense kept the score tied at six at the end of the half.
The game turned in the third quarter. Josiah Williams made a quarterback sack that highlighted a a tough Panther “D” – and then Jefferson’s offense picked up steam. Starting on their own 30, the Panthers moved steadily down the field, making it to the 12 as the quarter ended. On the first play of the fourth, quarterback Avery Stiles ran it in – and Dillon Root sent the PAT through the freshly painted uprights to give the Panthers a 13-6 lead.
From then on, it was all Panther defense, with several blocked passes and a timely interception by Ethan Smartnick keeping Columbus out of scoring range.
Yanzick led JHS with 20 carries for 103 yards. Avery Stiles rushed for 25 yards on 12 carries, and went 5 of 8 passing for 44 yards – three of those passes to Joey Visser for 34 yards. On defense, Yanzick led with eight tackles, while Josiah Williams made two sacks.
Friday the Panthers go to Big Timber to take on the Sweet Grass County Herders. Game time is 7 p.m.
