Jays get payback vs. Jaguars
In the unprinted Coaches Handbook, there's an R word you should use as often as possible.
Respect.
That's nice.
There's another R word you really shouldn't use.
Revenge.
Kudos to Ted LePage for not always following the handbook.
"We claimed that this was a revenge game for us, I'm not going to sugar coat it," said LePage, after his Jefferson City Jays opened district play with a 29-8 win over Ft. Zumwalt West on Friday night at Adkins Stadium.
"This was a revenge game for us after going down to defeat to them the last two years."
What was the difference? This isn't that complicated ... defense.
Last year, the Jaguars scored 49 against the Jays; two years ago, 56.
Friday night, eight.
You have a lot better chance of winning if you give up eight points instead of 49 or 56.
"Oh my gosh, I'm really excited about the way our defense played tonight," LePage said. "They just did an outstanding job."
In the first half, the Jays coughed up fumbles on consecutive possessions. The Jaguars (5-5), however, scored zero points after those giveaways.
"The defense just did a great job, especially after those turnovers," LePage said. "Those are huge stops. I thought we played well in all facets of the game, besides those turnovers."
The offense was hardly explosive, but was good enough. Two short touchdown runs by Thomas LePage in the first half gave the Jays (7-3) a 14-8 lead at the break.
It was still a six-point game entering the fourth, before the Jays put it away with a pair of scores --- a 29-yard strike from LePage to Scott Stegeman, and an electric 58-yard dash by Elijah Sherwood with 3:45 left to end it.
"That just shows you how much speed that young man has," Ted LePage said. "When he gets out into the open field, he's gone."
Just as the Jays could have been with a loss Friday night.
"Boy, am I excited about the way our kids came out and responded," Ted LePage said. "We could have been teetering on the end, but our kids didn't let it happen and I'm really proud of them.
"This is big win for us; this is a really good program we played and they're very well coached."
That is much more handbook-friendly.
Next up for the Jays is a date with Francis Howell (10-1) at 7 p.m. Friday in St. Charles.
"Hey, we're playing playoff football, baby," Ted LePage said. "We've played a heck of a schedule and our kids showed some resolve tonight, that we still have it in us.
"I like our team and we're going to go play next week."
Francis Howell ended Jefferson City's season in the opening round of the 2010 playoffs. Is more revenge coming?
We'll see.
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