Back on track
Jamestown upends Niagara Falls 26-0
P-J photo by Tim Frank Jamestown's Mason Crawford puts up the No. 1 after scoring a touchdown against Niagara Falls in Class AA football action at Strider Field on Friday night.
P-J photo by Tim Frank Jamestown quarterback Jackson Grey scans the field during Friday's game.
P-J photo by Tim Frank Jamestown's Mason Crawford puts up the No. 1 after scoring a touchdown against Niagara Falls in Class AA football action at Strider Field on Friday night.
P-J photo by Tim Frank Jamestown quarterback Jackson Grey scans the field during Friday's game.
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Mason Crawford caught a touchdown pass and picked off two others, and ball-hawking Jamestown snapped a two-game losing streak Friday night by blanking Niagara Falls 26-0 in a Class AA football game at Strider Field.
Jamestown (2-2, 1-2), which had surrendered 96 points in back-to-back losses to Health Sciences and Bennett, pitched a shutout against the penalty-plagued Wolverines (1-3, 1-2), highlighted by four first-half interceptions, which helped build an 18-0 lead at the break.
The Red & Green defense took care of the rest.
"I think that we continue to grow and continue to get better," Jamestown head coach Tom Langworthy said. " ... I think that our players understand that they have to have a growth mindset. Our coaches have enough experience as a staff that you understand that you play the long game. You want to be playing your best at the end of the season. You hope that you're healthy, and games like this make you better."
Crawford, a sophomore, is one example of that improvement.
"He's already gotten so much better from Week One," Langworthy said. "He's a great example of how you can grow throughout the season. He's dedicated, he's committed and he's a great teammate. Those are the kids you love to see flourish."
Speaking of flourishing, Aiden Buck and Navon Goodridge also collected interceptions, which set up quarterback Jackson Grey's TD passes to Crawford and Karson Milne; running back Alaric Richards rushed for 133 yards on 30 carries and a pair of 2-point conversions; Kam Monroe found the end zone from 3 yards out; Beckett Lumia booted a 23-yard field goal; and Robert Williams converted a PAT try.
Added together, it was a nice turnaround for Jamestown after losses the previous two games. The outcome could have been even more one-sided, but the Red & Green fumbled twice inside the Wolverines' 5-yard line in the fourth quarter.
"I thought we were in a good position to score more than we did," Langworthy said. "We just have to take care of the ball a little bit more. Sometimes a game like this can be a blessing. You show that you can win, but when you leave points on the table it makes the kids realize we could have won by (something larger). You're happy, but not satisfied."
The Red & Green will be back in action at Lancaster next Friday.
"It's going to be a battle," Langworthy said. "We'll watch the film, regroup and get ready to compete."
The Legends (2-1, 1-1) travel to Lockport (2-1, 1-0) this afternoon.
NOTES: Milne had four receptions for 73 yards, highlighted by a juggling 6-yard TD catch in the right corner of the end zone in the second quarter. ... Jamestown's Owen Everetts and Niagara Falls' Terrence Cole received "Heart of a Champion" awards during a postgame ceremony.
Niagara Falls 0 0 0 0 -- 0
Jamestown 7 11 8 0 -- 26
Jam--Crawford 24 pass from Grey (Williams kick)
Jam--Milne 6 pass from Grey (Richards run)
Jam--Lumia 23 field goal
Jam--Monroe 3 run (Richards run)