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Jersey Shore upends Dallas in a thriller, 28-21

Tagged under: District 2, District 4, Gameday Hub, News, pfn

| August 23, 2024

The recipe for post-season success has been playing tougher opponents early in the season and giving your team opportunity to grow early in the campaign.  Tonight’s game was exactly that, for both teams.  Jersey Shore ended up last season losing to Selinsgrove in the District 4 playoffs, while Dallas rode their great momentum all the way to Cumberland Valley where they lost to Aliquippa in the State finals.  Both teams arrived at tonight’s matchup wanting to get an early season reading on their conditioning and readiness, and both teams had high hopes coming into Mountaineer Stadium.

 It was too bad somebody had to lose.

Jersey Shore used a hurry-up offense late in the 2nd half to overcome a 21-7 Dallas lead late in the 3rd quarter, and the Bulldogs scored the go-ahead TD with 43 seconds left in the game to upend Dallas 28-21.

After a quick 3-and-out for Jersey Shore on the initial drive, Dallas struck quickly when QB Brady Zapoticky hit WR Gavin Lewis for a 23-yard TD to give the Mounts a 7-0 lead with 9:59 left in the 1st quarter.

Both defenses played exceptionally well early.  Dallas tried to get RB Dylan Geskey rolling in the game but the speed of the Bulldog defense held the Mountaineer running game mostly in check all night.  The Mountaineer secondary stood out early also, with DB Nate Malarkey getting a key interception after a Geskey fumble gave the Bulldogs great field position early in the game. 

Midway through the 2nd quarter, Jersey Shore had some momentum on Offense as QB Elijah Jordan  and RB Bo Sechrist drove the Bulldogs down to the Dallas 13.  The Mountaineers then got a big sack from LB’s Nico Wilk and Colt VanOrden to force a 4th-and-long from the Dallas 15.  The Bulldogs would not be denied though, as Jordan threw it to WR Evan Snyder for a 16-yard score to tie the game at 7 with 6:55 to go in the half.

Dallas answered immediately however.  After a great individual effort on the ensuing kick return by Gavin Lewis to the Jersey Shore 40, Zapoticky went to the air immediately and hit WR Logan Geskey for a big 40-yard catch and run for the score.  With 6:34 left in the half, Dallas took the lead 14-7.  The Bulldogs had one more opportunity to get on the scoreboard late in the half, but the Dallas secondary knocked away several passes to end the threat.

On Jersey Shore’s first possession of the 3rd quarter, RB Brodie Herr gained 41 yards on 4 carries to drive the Bulldogs down to the Dallas 17 yard line.  But on Herr’s 5th carry of the drive he was hit hard and fumbled the ball which was recovered by Dallas LB Cole Rigol.  After several more changes of possession, the Bulldogs seemed to make some headway on the Dallas Defense and drove down to the Dallas 41.  The drive stalled however, and after an offsides penalty gave the Mounts a 1st-and-10 at the Jersey Shore 36 it was Zapoticky again hitting Gavin Lewis.  This time it was a 36-yard catch and run down the right sideline for a touchdown that made it 21-7 Dallas with 3:06 left in the 3rd quarter.

Jersey Shore responded with a different look as they used a hurry-up series to drive quickly into Mountaineer territory.  Jordan hit Snyder several more times on the drive, including a 16-yard TD strike with only 51 seconds left in the 3rd quarter to get within 7 at 21-14.  As the 3rd quarter gave way to the final quarter. Dallas was near midfield and on a 3rd-and-8 from their own 49 when Zapoticky was sacked and fumbled the ball which was recovered by Bulldog LB Luke Thompson at the Dallas 26.  The Mountaineer Defense rose to the occasion once again, quickly forcing a 4-and-out, but the Bulldog Defense did exactly the same and forced a Dallas punt.

Time became a factor, and Jersey Shore used the hurry-up again to move the ball into scoring range quickly.  Bo Sechrist capped the drive with a 1-yard TD run to tie the game at 21 with 7:30 left in the game.  After 2 straight 3-and-outs, Dallas got into Bulldog territory but K Rowan Laubach barely missed a 41-yard Field Goal attempt with under 3 minutes to play.  Jersey Shore then used their suddenly effective passing game, aided by injuries to Gavin Lewis and Nate Malarkey in the Dallas Secondary, and Jordan hit on 4 passes totalling 46 yards down to the Moutaineer 11.  He then struck paydirt as he connected with WR Trent Severino for an 11-yard score with only 43 seconds to play, and the Bulldogs took the lead 28-21.

Dallas had an opportunity on their final drive when the ensuing kickoff went out of bounds which gave them good field position.  On the final play with 5 seconds remaining, a halfback option pass was intercepted by the Bulldogs to seal the 28-21 win for Jersey Shore.

The road does not get any easier for either team.  Dallas will head on the road to face a tough Wyoming Area squad, while Jersey Shore will head home and face the visiting Delaware Valley Warriors.

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