by Zachary Cohen
Sports Editor
Facing a 14-0 deficit in the 2nd quarter, Johnson’s Cohner Mokry handed it off to Marvin Smith for a 43 yard touchdown, and the Jags were right back in the game.
“I got the ball, and started to go, but then saw a cut back lane created by Ryder[Burke] and shot through it.”
However, those were the only points the now 2-2 Johnson team scored in the first half of play Saturday night against the East Central Hornets at Heroes Stadium.
Hornet running back, Chris Armstrong stung the Jag defense for over 200 yards, totaling three touchdowns on the ground and leading his team to a 31-21 victory, despite a valiant effort by the Jag defense.
“We were having a problem on the outside, just trying to lock him down” said senior Cody Gonzalez. “He was just running outside a lot, and we’re gonna work hard on it this week, and make sure it never happens again.”
With less than 100 yards passing for the game, the Jags were forced to find offense elsewhere. They did just that when senior Zack Bradley returned a kickoff 77 yards for a Jags touchdown early in the fourth quarter, and lit the spark that ignited the Jags quest for for a comeback.
“The kickoff return team picked up their blocking assignments, and I just hit the hole that they made, and was able to outrun everyone else,” said Zack Bradley.
With less than five minutes left in the game, deep in Hornet territory, down by ten, Cohner Mokry overthrew junior Chase Koll right into the waiting arms of an East Central defender, ending the drive and any hopes Johnson has of rallying to victory.
The Jags started off the season with a 2-0 start, but have since lost back to back games in disappointing fashion, faltering to a .500 record. Coming off two crushing losses, and a strong Mac team coming up next, the Jags are almost in desperation mode in just the fifth week of the season.
“We’re real desperate right now,” said senior line backer Garrett Blucher “We need to step it up and make the commitments we haven’t made yet and we’re gonna try our best to win this game.”
