SPORTS

H.S. FOOTBALL: USJ topples Chester County

Josh Lemons
The Jackson Sun

It’s a play The University School of Jackson football team works on every day in practice, a play junior quarterback Easton Underwood calls head coach Mickey Marley’s “signature play.”

With USJ clinging to a 10-6 lead over Chester County midway through the third quarter, it was time for Marley to call up his favorite play.

On the Eagles’ 21-yard line, Underwood dropped back and hit sophomore wide receiver Wells Smith for what appeared to be a backfield screen.

But Smith paused, then heaved a 21 yard flea-flicker to a wide open William Jones in the back of the end zone to give the Bruins a 17-6 lead and a little breathing room as USJ fought off a late charge from the Eagles to pick up the non-district win, 24-19 Friday night at Kirkland Field.

Marley said the trick play was needed to regain momentum after Chester County’s 30-yard field goal shifted the momentum back to the Eagles.

“We practice it every day and we’ve run it a few times during the year,” Marley said. “We’ve had some success on it and our kids executed it.

“That was a big play in the game for us.”

After USJ sophomore linebacker Campbell Carlock forced and recovered an Eagle fumble to set up the Bruins at midfield, junior wide receiver Holland Hawks made a full speed basket catch from Underwood to put the Bruins up 24-6 and it looked like USJ was going to run away with the ball game to many of the Bruin fans.

But not to Hawks.

“I didn’t feel like that game was safe at all,” Hawks said. “We were nervous the whole time.

“We knew we were going to have to fight and we were going to do it for Michael [Taylor’s] mom, [who lost her battle with cancer last week]. And we did it.”

Back-to-back touchdown runs from Chester County senior running back Sam Kesler made it a five-point game.

Kesler then recovered an Underwood fumble with 1:19 to go on the Bruins’ 36-yard line to give Chester County a shot to win it. But-back-to-back penalties by the Eagles forced a 3rd-and-21. Junior quarterback Bo Morris was flushed out of the pocket, forcing him to throw a pass off his back foot that landed in USJ sophomore Wesley Craig’s hands to seal the win.

Chester County head coach Michael Hodum said the numerous penalties by the Eagles were from a lack of focus, something he plans on addressing to his players Monday at practice.

“All week, this week in practice we didn’t have a lot of focus,” Hodum said. “We’ve got a lot still ahead of us.

“We’re going to find out Monday if these guys want to lay down or get back up.”

Josh Lemons, 425-9636

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