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Leone’s jersey retired before Bulldogs’ rout of Seals

Tagged under: District 4, Gameday Hub, News

| August 31, 2019


JERSEY SHORE–Caleb Leone did not compete Friday night, but he might have been Jersey Shore’s most valuable player.

Jersey Shore already was excited, hosting rival Selinsgrove in a rematch of last year’s District 4 Class AAAA championship. But when Leone, who suffered a stroke and serious brain injury last preseason, arrived at the field, smiled while sitting next to his teammates and watched his No. 20 jersey be retired in an emotional pregame ceremony at Thompson Street Stadium, a motivated team became an inspired one.

And Jersey Shore provided Leone the perfect tribute. It almost played a perfect game, too. The Bulldogs exemplified everything Leone has represented during his spectacular recovery, putting together one of the most dominant performances in recent memory and blanking Selinsgrove, 36-0. Quarterback Tanner Lorson totaled 398 yards and three touchdowns, the defense allowed just one first down and Jersey Shore made quite a statement against an outstanding team, beating Selinsgrove for the first time in the regular season since 2014.

“That was extra motivation. We knew this was a special night for Caleb and we wanted to do it for him after everything he has been through so that’s what we did tonight,” said Lorson who threw for 267 yards and two touchdowns, while running for 131 yards and a score. “He looked good and he was happy to be here and we were happy to see him back on the field where he belongs. It was a really good night for him and the team.”

“That was big for us having him there,” two-way lineman Karter Peacock said. “Just having Caleb there gave us that advantage.”

What an advantage it was. Jersey Shore stifled a team that ran over Lewisburg in its season opener, surrendering just 46 yards on 34 plays. The offense was every bit explosive as the defense was suffocating, scoring in every quarter, moving the ball at will and featuring good balance against a defense that nearly recorded a shutout a week ago.

Jersey Shore and Selinsgrove traditionally play close games and have met for district championships in five of the last six years. The Bulldogs dramatically defeated Selinsgrove, 20-17, in overtime in last year’s Class AAAA final, so Friday’s result was more surprising than a politician honestly answering a question. But this was a team as well-prepared as it could be. It was a team playing with a higher purpose in mind and it was a team that dominated all facets.

“They had a really good Monday practice, a really good Tuesday, a better Wednesday and we probably had the best Thursday since I’ve been here. We might not have been like the Patriots on Thursday, but we had that great focus on Thursday and I kind of felt good coming in,” Jersey Shore coach Tom Gravish said. “I’m a firm believer in that you’re going to play the way you practice and how focused you are.”

All those quality practices translated to the field and Jersey Shore sent an early dominant message, forcing three straight first-quarter Selinsgrove three-and-outs. A perfectly timed Lorson option pitch to Josh Malicky (58 yards, 2 touchdowns) produced a 5-yard touchdown on Jersey Shore’s second series and gave it a 7-0 lead. As the game progressed, a seven-point advantage started feeling like it was 70 as Jersey Shore’s defense swarmed and overwhelmed Selinsgrove up front, made it a one-dimensional team and then crushed that dimension.

Selinsgrove ran the ball at will against Lewisburg with Nate Schon rushing for 157 yards. Still, so dominant was Jersey Shore that only one of five Selinsgrove rushers produced positive yards. Schon was limited to minus-3 yards on five carries and the Seals finished with nine rushing yards on 20 carries. Jersey Shore made things equally miserable threw the air, constantly pressuring quarterback Dan Schoch, recording three sacks and not allowing a first down until nearly 10 minutes, 54 seconds remained in the game.

Brett Guthrie intercepted a pass, linebacker Dawson Sechrist led the team in tackles Peacock, Ryan Kerschner and Gaige Wilson all had sacks and every part of Jersey Shore’s defense meshed like an offensive-eating machine. The Seals ran 34 plays and 25 of them went for two or fewer yards. Selinsgrove never gained more than eight yards on a play, never ran a play in Jersey Shore territory and did not move past its own 45-yard line.

“The defense tackled well. They set the tone early,” Gravish said. “They have good running backs and a good quarterback … they have good everything and our guys were so focused. We worked hard on it all week. Coach (defensive coordinator Alex) Jackson and the staff challenged the guys and they did a great job.”

“Our coach always instills confidence in us and that really helps us,” said Peacock, who was part of two sacks and who shined on both lines. “Coach Jackson really helps us throughout the week to teach us and show us what they’re going to run. That helps a lot.”

While the defense guarded its field like a rabid dog, Jersey Shore’s offense ran the field at a pace which might make Chip Kelly beg for mercy. The Bulldogs brilliantly ran their rapid-fire no-huddle offense, showing good balance and moving the ball at will over the final three quarters. Lorson touchdowns of 18 and 8 yards to Stanton Westlin (5 catches, 116 yards) and Owen Anderson (7-57) gave the Bulldogs a 21-0 halftime lead and the Bulldogs did not slow down in the third quarter, taking their first series 67 yards and going up 27 on Lorson’s 11-yard touchdown run.

Westlin, Anderson, Cayden Hess and Anthony Shaffer all caught at least four passes as Lorson spread the ball around and different players kept making big plays in key situations. Over the final three quarters, Jersey Shore converted 11 of 14 third downs and also twice converted fourth-down plays. Peacock, Kerschner, Seth Ingraham, Joe Lorson, Eddie Woodring and Colin Samar and controlled the scene up front and gave those players the opportunities to flourish, an impressive performance by a unit that features five new starters.

“I have to give all the credit to the line. We replaced those strong starters from last year and they just stepped in and have done great. It’s like those really solid starters never left,” Lorson said. “We all put in all that hard work in the offseason and it is finally paying off.”

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