Marietta falls to Jackson

By Joe Davis, jdavis@mariettatimes.com

As a former standout running back, Jackson head football coach Shane Wolford knows the joy of setting personal goals and attaining them.

Thus, he could appreciate the fact that Marietta's sensational passing combination of quarterback Cody Westbrook and receiver Sean Munfield both attained career records in their respective areas of expertise Friday night.

Even more, Wolford appreciated the fact that the Jackson Ironmen withstood a 249-yard passing barrage by Westbrook and still emerged with a 35-28 victory to dampen Marietta's homecoming game festivities at Don Drumm Stadium Stadium Friday night.

While Westbrook became Marietta's all-time leader in career yards, jumping ex-MHS quarterback and current assistant coach Jason Schob, and Munfield supplanted Cody Kriechbaum as Marietta's receiving yards leader, MHS junior tailback Perry Wheeler had another excellent individual game effort. Wheeler rushed for 196 yards on 28 carries and accounted for all four Marietta touchdowns on runs of 2, 38, 5 and 5 yards.

The Ironmen were able to prevail because Jackson had its own formidable offensive weapon with senior running back Cody Huff, who rushed for 126 yards on 21 carries. When Huff got the Ironmen close to the goal line, senior QB Josh Brown usually did the scoring honors as he logged three touchdowns from 18, 7 and 6 yards out.

Lukas Lindamood also turned in a momentum-swinging play as he jumped the route on a screen pass attempt, picked off a Westbrook aerial and returned 85 yards for Jackson's first touchdown, countering Marietta's first score.

"That was a big play because it kept them from going up 14-0," Wolford said. "We feel we have been vulnerable (defending) the pass. We have been able to hold our own with (stopping) the run, but in this type of offense that Marietta runs - that spread that so many more people are going to - you know you're not going to stop them. You can only hope to contain them and get some interceptions."

Westbrook was picked off three times, including twice by Jackson linebacker Brandon Trace.

Jackson (5-1 overall, 2-1 in the Southeastern Ohio Athletic League) took control in the second quarter, taking the lead for good as Brown faked a handoff to Huff and sprint ed in untouched from 18 yards out at the 8:53 mark. His run capped seven-play series over 80 yards after a 32-yard field goal attempt by Marietta's Zane Eschbaugh went wide left.

After Wheeler scored on a direct-snap play from 38 yards out, Jackson answered with a 10-play drive with Huff going over from one yard out with only eight seconds left befor halftime. The key play on the series was a 34-yard run by Huff as he cut into open field on the left side and eventually was chased down by Munfield.

Marietta used the direct snap more often then in the previous week when Wheeler rolled up 241 yards rushing against Parkersburg South. "It helps both our passing game and our running game go," Marietta head coach Andy Schob said. "Again, our line is getting good (at blocking it) and Perry is just phenomenal at going up in the hole with the lane and he opens our passing game. Unfortunately, we made too many mistakes tonight, but I can't our kids' effort. They gave the effort again. Against a good football team which was ranked eighth (in Ohio Division II, Region 8) you can't make that many mistakes, but again our effort was there and we're proud of the kids for what they did."

Brown scored on Jackson's initial possession of the second half, accounting for the lone score in the third period. He added a six-yard TD run on a fake to fullback Klay Arthur and a run to the outside for Jackson's last score, extending the lead to 35-14.

MHS scrambled back into contention on Wheeler's third and fourth TD runs - both coming within a span of 35 seconds as Garrett Kerr came up with the loose ball on an onside kick by Eschbaugh. Kerr also had two fumble recoveries for Marietta (2-4 overall, 1-1 in SEOAL) on Jackson plays from scrimmage. This was after Kerr broke his wrist in last week's game.

"We weren't exactly sure if he was going to play or not," Schob said. "This was the third different cast he was wearing to see if it felt all right. He's a gamer."

Kerry had a soft cast on his left wrist Thursday evening, but went to a hard cast Friday.

"It's amazing that he could make play after play, and they were big plays for us. He gave us the chance to at least make an opportunity to come back."

Story from The Marietta Times 9-27-2008.