Wheelersburg senior Kaleb Johnson reaches out his arms to pull down a Jackson ball carrier during the Pirates trip to Alumni Stadium Friday.
Courtesy of Terry Stevenson
JACKSON – A steady dose of Jacob Winters in the second half was all Jackson needed to run away with a 35-15 win over visiting Wheelersburg.
Winters, a 6-1 freshman, ran for 124 yards in the third and fourth quarters, including a 54-yard touchdown gallop on the first play of the second half to make the score 21-2.
The Pirates, 2-3, closed the gap 21-8 with 7:31 to play in the fourth when Makya Mathews plunged in from two yards out.
Quarterback Aaron Masters orchestrated the 10-play, 80-yard scoring drive that saw the sophomore complete passes to Mathews, Evan Horsley and a 30-yarder to Hunter Ruby.
He finished the game with 126 yards passing and completed 13 of 25 passes and had one interception returned for a touchdown.
Jackson’s Evan Spires picked off a Masters’ pass with 3:41 to play in the fourth quarter and returned it from near midfield for a touchdown to make the lead 28-8.
On Wheelersburg’s next play from scrimmage, the 6-0 sophomore defensive back snagged a pass from Kenny Sanderlin and returned it for another score. The back-to-back pick sixes put the game out of reach at 35-8.
Sanderlin led a 47-yard drive and accounted for 43 yards before Eli Swords scored on a one-yard run with 1:03 to play in the game.
Jackson, 5-0, scored with 9:20 to play in the first quarter when Brice Graham plowed in from three yards out.
Quarterback Jared Icenhower ran a keeper into the end zone with 1:23 to go in the opening quarter for the 14-0 Ironman lead.
The Pirates were awarded a safety when Icenhower was called for intentional grounding from within the end zone on third down with 8:19 to play in the second quarter to make the score 14-2.
Wheelersburg finished the game with a total of 261 yards while Jackson racked up 338, with only 18 coming from the air.
Horsley finished the game for Wheelersburg with 46 yards rushing and 55 receiving for a total of 101 yards.
Wheelersburg begins conference play this week by hitting the road once again to take on undefeated SOC II rival Minford Friday.
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