JERSEYVILLE – Three straight touchdowns by the Triad Knights in the opening quarter proved to be too much for the Jersey football team to handle Friday night as the Panthers would go on to lose 42-13.
Triad improved to 5-0 on the season for the first time since the shortened 2021 schedule where it finished 5-1. Pre-pandemic, the Knights opened up to a 6-0 start in 2019 where they ended the season 7-4, going out in the second round of the playoffs.
Triad has not lost to the Panthers since 2018, a week-five,12-7 game in Jerseyville. Friday’s margin of victory matched that in 2022 when the Knights won 41-14.
The Panthers received the opening kickoff and would go three-and-out after only gaining eight yards. A poor punt, into the windy night sky, gave the Knights great field position at Jersey’s 34-yard line.
Triad’s opening play was a double pass where quarterback Isaac Ackerman pitched it over to Mac Musgrave who then found a wide-open Ian Dempsey in the endzone with the 34-yard pass.
According to Triad head coach Calvin Potthast, it was something his team had prepared.
“We executed that particular play, and the kids did a great job,” he said after the game.
His team executed on its opening four drives as Jersey’s defense couldn’t seem to keep up with Triad’s mixed offense.
After another Jersey three-and-out, the Knights took over at their own 39-yard line. On that drive, Ackerman proceeded to run it in from 45 yards out with 7:46 remaining in the first quarter.
The Panthers recorded a first down on their next drive but didn’t gain much after that, punting away again.
Triad regained possession at its 35-yard line before Ackerman hit Dempsey with a 52-yard pass and run touchdown. Jersey took it out from the 20 again and would go three-and-out for the third time that quarter.
Triad’s offense made the Panthers pay, taking over at the 50 as the first quarter ended. To start the second, Ackerman connected to Dempsey again, this time with a 57-yard touchdown reception.
Things only went from bad to worse for the Panthers. After Triad recovered the following kickoff, it found some penalty trouble and ended up punting.
Jersey took over at its 25-yard line but two plays later Benjamin Rey recovered a fumble for Triad. The Knights went the distance before Jack Phelps ran it in from three yards out.
On Jersey’s next drive, quarterback Jaxon Brunaugh’s pass was intercepted by Dawson Deatherage at Jersey’s 37-yard line. Making their way downfield again, Phelps would run it in from seven yards out this time. Kicker Jacob Dulaney was perfect on the day to make it 42-0 as the teams went into the locker rooms for halftime.
The Panthers did give something for their fans to cheer for during the Homecoming game. After Brunaugh found Gage Walker with a lengthy throw, it set up first-and-goal from the four-yard line.
Brunaugh would find Jude Jones in the endzone for a two-yard completion. Later, John Paul Vogel broke some tackles and scored a 73-yard touchdown to get to the final score of 42-13.
With the win, Triad is now 2-0 in the Mississippi Valley Conference, having beaten Waterloo 31-7 last week. Jersey is now 2-3 on the season and 1-1 in the MVC with its 41-16 win over Civic Memorial last week.
Up next, Jersey heads to Waterloo while Triad hosts Mascoutah next week.
