BY MIKE WHITE
Staff Writer
JACKSON — Last Friday night’s meeting between the Jackson and Toms River North (TRN) football teams was typical of the kinds of physical and emotional clashes the two schools have put forth during the years.
The Jags needed, not one, but two overtimes to finally come away with a dramatic 20-14 Shore Conference American Division victory at John J. Munley Field.
“It was everything that we thought it would be,” second-year Jackson High School football coach Mike Smith said. “Two physical teams engaged in a tight battle. I wasn’t thrilled that we needed overtime to win this game. I would have liked to walk away the winner at the end of regulation, but we got the job done. It was a pretty exciting contest for players, coaches and fans alike.”
With the win, Jackson improves to 6-0 overall. With a victory over host Howell this week, the Jags can pretty much count on hosting a state playoff game.
The Jags travel to Howell 7 p.m. Friday.
“We’re in good shape at this point of the season as far as the playoffs are concerned,” Smith said. “The last two weeks were very important for us. Luckily, we came away on the winning side in both games. We still have a couple of games we need to stay focused on before the playoffs begin. We don’t want to overlook anybody. We’ll play it one game at a time.”
Jackson clung to a narrow 7-0 lead when Toms River North tied the score in the third quarter.
The Mariners, however, elected to go on defense first in the first overtime. Jags needed only three plays to score, as quarterback Bill Fenimore, who returned to action after being sidelined with a sprained ankle in the third quarter, tossed a 20-yard touchdown pass to wideout Joe Arneth.
Following the PAT (point after touchdown) by kicker Joe Schroeder, the Jags led 14-7. But TRN answered on its first possession when Joe Zito scored on a 25-yard burst on the first play from scrimmage.
In the second overtime, the Mariners failed to convert a field goal attempt and Jackson took over on the 25.
Fenimore came up big again when he connected with Arneth for 23 yards on a third-and-15 play from the 30-yard line to give Jackson a first-and-goal from the 7.
“That was a big play at that point in the game,” Smith said. “Our defense did a good job of stopping them in the second overtime and then we come back and put up a huge offensive play like that.”
Three plays later, Joe Cella scored from 3 yards out for the final margin of victory.
“We gutted out this victory,” Smith said. “I was proud of the way the kids handled themselves in the overtime situation.”
Smith praised the work of Fenimore, who finished with 11-of-17 for 130 yards and a touchdown. He was impressed with the senior’s mettle.
“Anytime your starting quarterback can come back after getting injured in the game, it gives the team a positive shot of confidence,” Smith said. “Once we got to overtime he told me he felt good enough to get back in there. I didn’t hesitate at all to put him in there.”
Corey Lavin replaced Fenimore in the third quarter and did an outstanding job, Smith said.
“He was forced into action under tough circumstances and he handled it beautifully,” Smith said.
In fact, Lavin engineered a drive late in the fourth quarter that pulled the Jags within field goal range. But wet turf conditions led to a missed 30-yard field goal that could have won the game.
“It was really wet and the conditions were bad,” Smith said. “We took a shot at it. Our kicker has done a great job all season. That field was like a swamp when he attempted it.”