Jays dehorn Rams

By Jim Metcalfe, The Delphos Herald
Published:  Wednesday, September 3, 2008 (4 months, 1 week ago)
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DEFIANCE — St. John’s won the turnover battle 5-0.
They also won the football game, handing host Tinora a 27-14 non-conference loss on a warm Friday evening.
“I think our conditioning paid off again tonight. I felt as the game wore on, we got more physical and got better up front,” Blue Jays coach Todd Schulte began. “Once again, our defensive line did a great job of controlling the line of scrimmage and our defense forced some turnovers. Usually, when you commit less turnovers, you have a great chance to win the game.”
The Jays’ Joel Pohlman scooped up the first bobble — on the second series — to put the Blue and Gold in business at the Rams’ 16. Two plays later at the 22, Wes Ulm (7-of-19 passing, 96 yards) went down the left sideline for Brad Hoffman. When the DB mistimed his jump, the senior wideout hauled in the toss for the TD. Jordan Rode added the point-after for a 7-0 lead with 5:46 showing in the first.
Tinora replied right away, courtesy of a 64-yard kickoff return by Brock Foor to put the Green and White at the Jays’ 27. Three plays hence at the 10, Landon Drewes (11-of-22 passing, 117 yards, 3 picks) made a short drop and threw a fade route to the left for Lyndon Benecke (4 grabs, 33 yards), who hauled it in at the goal line. Ethan McKinney knotted it at 7 with 3:34 showing in the opener.
A series later, Chris Pohlman picked off Drewes to put the Jays at the Tinora 18 but the Jays eventually turned the ball over on downs.
Starting with 11:11 on the board, Tinora marched from its 23 to the Blue Jay 27 in 15 plays but on play 16, Drewes overthrew his receiver to give the ball back to the Jays with 1:26 left.
Keyed by a 46-yard jaunt by sophomore tailback Evan Burgei (16 totes, 104 yards) on the 6-play drive, the Jays went up for good from the host 14. Ulm  rolled left, stopped and fired for tight end Tim Clark down the middle. The junior split two defenders to find paydirt with 19 ticks on the board. Rode made the halftime bulge 14-7.
“That was a deflater. We have that long drive before the half and don’t score,” Tinora coach Kenneth Krouse said. “Then they come down and score quickly. You think you’re going in at worst tied and have something to build on. Now, you’re down 7.”
The Jays seemed ready to go in early in the third period as AJ Klausing returned a punt 39 yards — after the second series — to Tinora’s 23 but an illegal block call stymied that. A holding call later pout the brakes on this drive but senior Rode (5 punts, 43.6-yard average) pinned Tinora at the 2.
Drewes dropped into the end zone to pass and was hit while throwing, allowing free safety Tyler Bergfeld to grab it and return it to the Tinora 13.
A clipping call set them back to the 28 but no matter. From there, Burgei took a handoff off left guard; with fullback Matt Brinkman clearing the way, the scatback was untouched as he found the left sideline. Rode’s kick was wide left, leaving the score 20-7 with 2:01 left in the second.
“Penalties were a concern tonight. It’s something we can take a look at and correct,” Schulte continued.
Another fumble recovery — by Tyler Hayson — set the Jays up at their 42. Brinkman ran for 22. Three plays later at the host 24, Ulm greeted returning tight end Nate Webb (back from injury) with a pop pass at the 10 and into the end zone. Rode made it a 27-7 spread with 8:30 left.
“We made too many mistakes for a good team like St. John’s not to take advantage,” Krouse added. “We knew we’d have a hard time running the ball consistently. I felt we did OK up front and gave Landon time. Again, it was too many mistakes.”
After Foor returned the ensuing kickoff 70 yards to the Jays’ 20, Hoffman picked off Drewes.
Finally, Tinora pieced together an 11-play, 58-yard series to close the scoring. At the Blue Jay 1, Foor bulled in off right guard with 1:25 left and McKinney tacked on the final point.
“Offensively, we’re still not where we want to be but we’re improving,” Schulte added. “We really needed to get the passing game going; if not, they’d have stacked the line and we’d have had a hard time running the ball.”

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