Wolves fall to #1 Jackson Broncs

The Jackson Broncs came into Wolves Stadium undefeated, with a reputation for having a team filled with big, strong, fast, players.

The Wolves were riding high themselves after a close come-from-behind road win against the Evanston Red Devils the week prior.

Jackson won the coin toss to start the game, but deferred and kicked off to the Wolves. During the first two plays, Green River gained no yardage. Things were not looking good, but on third down, senior quarterback Jachob Fuss found junior wide receiver Dylan Taylor for a big 31-yard pass completion.

Green River ran two more plays without much success when Fuss broke loose for a first-down run. Again the offense sputtered on the next two plays before Fuss rolled left and connected with senior Seth White for a first down. On the very next play Fuss again found White, who leaped high over his defender to make the catch for a touchdown. After the P.A.T. kick was good by senior Oran Watts, the Wolves had jumped out to a 7-0 lead against the Broncs.

Jackson got a big return with junior Hayden Roberts making a saving tackle to prevent the returner going all the way. On first down, senior James King stopped Jackson for no gain. Jackson then ran off six plays, the big play being a 21-yard pass completion before a 5-yard run for a touchdown that tied the score 7-7.

On the ensuing kickoff, White took the short kick back to the 39-yard line to give Green River good field position to start their second offensive series.

After a short loss on a first-down run, sophomore quarterback Caleb Lake, after a fake run, passed to Dylan Taylor, who broke free on a 62-yard pass completion and run, giving the Wolves their second touchdown of the night in just two plays. The play took a the Wolves to a 14-7 lead and both the teams and their fans were feeling great about the Wolves' early success against the powerful Jackson team.

The Wolves kicked off, with sophomore Connor Todd amongst the defenders making the tackle. Jackson then ran 10 plays, three of which resulted in penalties against Jackson, but despite the penalties and good defense from Alex Atkinson, Jacob Schieve, Tony Murphy and others, Jackson scored to tie the score at 14-14.

On the kickoff, Green River pulled out all the stops on the top rated Broncs and ran a reverse with White returning the kickoff to the 39-yard line to again start their drive with good field position.

The Wolves completed two passes, but after a penalty against the Wolves, a screen pass was tipped and intercepted by Jackson. That intercepted pass was returned 45 yards for a touchdown and Jackson was up 21-14.

On the next play, senior running back Gabe Burdette got a great kickoff return to the 47-yard line to again give the Wolves excellent field position on the last play of an explosive scoring first quarter.

King ran the ball for short gains on the next two plays before Fuss connected again with White, who made another fine leaping catch. Green River called a time out to regroup and sophomore Bracken Miller busted through the line for a 20-yard gain. The Wolves looked like had struck again when Fuss connected with Dylan Taylor, which looked like a touchdown, but Taylor was called out of bounds, resulting in an incomplete pass and a real momentum shifter. The Wolves, after another incomplete pass, tried a field goal which was wide and despite a promising drive the score remained 21-14 Jackson.

After the letdown of not tying the score up. Jackson mounted an impressive drive of their own with big runs and three straight completions to 6'4" 220-pound Colter Dawson, the forth in a family of great Dawson football players for Jackson over the years.

Jackson concluded the drive with a 5-yard run for a touchdown to open up a 28-14 lead.

The Wolves got another great return from White to the 42-yard line. Green River went to their passing game with the big play in the drive, a 49-yard pass from Fuss to senior Trevor Brangham. Jackson's defense stiffened and Green River was able to come away with a field goal by Watts to bring the score to 28-17.

On the kickoff, Green River was successful on a well planned and executed on-side kick, which they recovered. but were not able to mount a drive and had to punt the ball back to Jackson. After a very short punt on Jackson's first play from scrimmage King knocked the ball loose from the Jackson ball carrier, it was recovered by senior defensive lineman Jake Martinez.

The Wolves ran four plays but were unable to score before the half ended 28-17, with Green River having played very competitively with Jackson, despite losing out on a couple excellent scoring opportunities which would have had them in the lead.

To start the second half. Green River kicked to Jackson who returned the ball to the 26-yard line before being stopped by junior Christian Dobyns. Jackson then mounted a seven-play drive with the defense led by King, Taylor, James Schieve, and Alex Atkinson and were stopped on a fumble recovered by Taylor.

The Wolves ran five plays, but on a high snap from center, the ball went out of the endzone and when all was worked out by the referees, Jackson received the ball on the 2-yard line and were stopped on the next three plays by the Wolves before a 2-yard run took the ball in for a score. The route was on with Jackson taking a 35-17 lead.

As things worsened, Green River was stopped by Jackson's powerful defense led by Dawson and after three unsuccessful offensive plays, Green River's punt was blocked, which Jackson took in for a touchdown and a 42-17 lead. Jackson scored two more times to come away with a 63-17 win.

Green River's head coach, Kevin Cuthbertson, after the game commented that injuries have hurt them both in practice and the game this week as a number of younger junior varsity players have had to play in both starting and support roles as the Wolves currently have 20 players out with injuries. Given this fact, a few yards with different results on a couple plays, a bad call and a few mistakes, but otherwise Green River played Jackson even and could have taken the lead into the locker room at the half with their excellent effort.

The coach acknowledged that they have a really tough schedule with the top-ranked team done, they have to follow with the second and third-ranked teams in a row with all their injuries.

The coach believes they are still "a dang good football team" and teams had better not take them for granted because they are "ready to fight back despite our wounds".

Green River will take on the always tough Powell Panthers at Wolves Stadium Friday at 7 p.m.