Jacobs tops Johnsburg to move to 2-0
Jacobs' coach Bill Mitz wanted to install a winning attitude in the Golden Eagles.
That attitude was more than evident at Johnsburg on Friday night as the Golden Eagles sacked Skyhawks quarterback George Bielis 7 times.
All 7 sacks came after Johnsburg took a 10-7 lead at the end of the first quarter. The offense responded with 24 unanswered points as Jacobs won 37-17 in a Fox Valley Conference crossover.
"Coach Mitz brought a really good winning atmosphere to the team," said Jacobs' linebacker Grant Rizza, who recorded 3 sacks in the victory. "Our defense worked really hard this week."
The hard work paid off on the scoreboard as Rizza dropped Bielis for a 4-yard loss in the end zone for a safety to put the Golden Eagles (2-0) up 15-10 with 5:03 left in the first half.
The Golden Eagles then held Johnsburg to a 3-and-out on its next possession setting up the first of 3 touchdowns for Kyle Wright. The junior punched in the ball from 2-yards out with 1:01 left in the first half to give Jacobs a 23-10 halftime lead.
"The defense gave us a boost," said Wright, who finished with 68 yards on 21 carries. "Every time they sacked him it boosted our confidence more and more."
Jacobs then recorded 3 more sacks on Johnsburg's first 2 series of the second half leading to 2 more touchdown runs from Wright. Wright capped off a 13-play, 59-yard drive with 4:27 left in the third to put Jacobs up 30-10. He added a 4-yard scoring run on the next series giving the Golden Eagles a 37-10 advantage going into the fourth quarter.
Johnsburg did not record a first down in the second half until there was just 3:22 left to play.
"We played very well defensively," Mitz said. "(Bielis) broke the one counter (play) and then that's it."
Bielis ran for a 52-yard touchdown on the Skyhawks' second play to tie the game at 7, but after that he finished the game with minus 40 rushing yards.
Caz Zyks (17 rushes, 113 yards) dashed for a 66-yard touchdown run off a counter 1 minute, 14 seconds into the game to put Jacobs up 7-0 before Bielis answered back.
Johnsburg went up 10-7 on a 41-yard field goal from Michael Dombrowski with 5:25 left in the first half. Jacobs quarterback Jason Judson hooked up with Emond Crosby on a 50-yard bomb, but a failed pass attempt on the 2-point conversion left Jacobs up just 13-10.