Jonathan Alder running back Garret Proxmire (22) picks up yardage after taking the handoff from quarterback JT Keith (2) and getting a block from Crew Wheeler (8). Proxmire rushed for 172 yards on 30 carries as JA clubbed Jackson, 38-13, in the Division III, Region 11 semifinals at Teays Valley High School. (Journal-Tribune photo by Sam Dillon)
The game of high school football is generally won in the trenches.
The team that can open up the holes for its offensive backfield and which can also shut down the other guys will more
often than not come out on the good side of the ledger.
The No. 2 Jonathan Alder Pioneers followed that mandate to a tee on Friday by dominating the No. 4 Jackson Ironmen
during the Division III Region 11 semifinals at Teays Valley High School.
JA ran through the Ironmen’s defensive unit for 190 yards and limited run-heavy Jackson to just 100 yards on the
ground during a 38-13 victory.
Pioneer receiver Jackson Izzard (5) keeps driving for yardage after contact with a defender. Izzard caught 11 passes, including two for touchdowns, during JA’s playoff victory on Friday. (Journal-Tribune photo by Sam Dillon)
Defense was just one of the big stories for the Pioneers, who upped their record to 12-0 and presented sixth-year head
coach Brett Glass with his 50th victory (against only 15 losses).
The Ironmen went into the contest averaging nearly 44 points per game.
With the exception of a long touchdown pass that burned Alder’s defensive secondary during the opening period,
Jackson could do very little against a staunch Pioneer defense.
“Our guys really stepped it up tonight,” said defensive coordinator Josh Bope. “We had a great week of practice, the
guys had great preparation and they battled for 48 minutes.
“All week, we preached toughness, taking care of our assignments and playing fundamental football.”
The other side of the ball also proved very profitable for the Pioneers.
After having been bottled up a bit the past two weeks by London and Thornville-Sheridan, senior running back Garret
Proxmire shook off some cob webs and rushed for 172 yards on 30 carries. He also tallied a pair of touchdowns.
“Our line opened up some holes for Garret tonight,” said Glass.
JA also made several big plays in the passing game when the Ironmen had appeared to thwart the Pioneers’ ground
attack.
Pioneer quarterback JT Keith (2) prepares to throw the ball while Alec Shrock (65) looks for defenders to block on Friday. Alder defeated Jackson, 38-13, during the playoff game at Teays Valley High School. (Journal-Tribune photo by Sam Dillon)
Quarterback JT Keith was his usual accurate self as he completed 18-of-23 passes for 181 yards.
Jackson Izzard was on the receiving end of most of those aerials. He latched onto 11 for 155 yards and a couple of TDs.
“Those were some big plays by JT and Jackson downfield,” said Glass. “It was a great job by our offense.”
The Pioneers’ defense didn’t take long to put some uneasy thoughts in the Ironmen’s minds.
Jackson had to punt after only three plays to start the contest.
That set JA up in good field position at its own 42.
Proxmire carried the load on the ground, while the Keith-to-Izzard connection made enough yardage to keep Jackson
off-balance.
The Pioneers have a brief scare when the ball popped out of Proximire’s hands close to the red zone.
Keith, though, caught it in the air to retain possession.
Two plays later, Proxmire broke through the Ironmen for a 14-yard touchdown run.
Dylan Moore booted the extra point for a 7-0 lead.
Jackson had more luck against Alder’s defense during its next series.
Jayden Spires was able to slice his way on the ground through the Pioneers.
Jacob Winters then carried on back-to-back snaps and moved into Alder territory at the 45.
The ground game softened the Pioneers’ defense for its only real mistake of the night.
Quarterback Jared Icenhower rifled a pass over top of the JA secondary and into the hands of Treylan Davis.
The lanky receiver easily caught the ball and outraced Alder into the end zone.
The extra point attempt clanged off the upright and fell harmlessly to the ground.
That was all the damage Jackson did before scoring a fourth-quarter consolation touchdown against JA’s backup
defensive unit.
The Pioneers, in the meantime, committed a great deal of carnage against a Jackson defensive unit that had only
yielded 137 points during its previous 11 games.
Alder started its ensuing possession with a little more than two minutes left in the opening period.
The drive moved into the ensuing stanza and used only two additional minutes.
The Pioneers appeared to be stopped on fourth down, but Jackson was whistled for pass interference as JA drove to
the Ironmen five-yard-line.
Given new life, but still facing fourth down, the ball was placed half the distance to the goal, close to the Jackson two-
yard-line.
Keith then flipped the ball to Izzard into the end zone.
Moore booted the extra point for a 14-6 lead.
Both teams’ offenses stalled over the next several minutes.
Icenhower shanked a punt that set JA up at its own 49-yard-line.
Proxmire moved the ball 12 yards on three plays before Keith completed a pass to Izzard at the Jackson 17.
Alder managed just a handful of yards on its next few plays.
There was no need to worry, though, as Moore – who has been Mr. Automatic with no misses in more than 50 PAT tries
and a handful of field goal attempts – calmly drilled a 31-yard field goal that pushed the Pioneers out to a 17-6 lead.
The Ironmen regained possession on the kickoff at their own 21 with approximately 20 seconds until the break.
They chose to take a knee and went into the turn trailing by the 11-point margin.
JA received the kickoff to begin the third period and appeared to lose steam at its own 40 with a fourth-and-one.
Dawson Detweiler went back to punt, but the Pioneers had a bit of trickery up their sleeves.
The ball was instead snapped to Jacob Fenik, who bounced off would-be tacklers and fought his way for a first down at
the JA 47.
Keith and Company immediately went back to work.
A pass to Izzard pushed the ball down to the Jackson 24.
Proxmire battled for 12 yards on a couple of carries.
He then finished the series with a 12-yard burst into the end zone.
Moore was spot on with the conversion, giving JA a 24-6 lead with 7:57 left in the third quarter.
Jackson’s next series was briefly kept alive when Alder was flagged for a face mask infraction.
The defense, however, stiffened and forced another Ironmen punt.
JA went on the move and a late hit against Jackson on a reception by Izzard at the Ironmen 38 kept Alder’s machine
going.
Proxmire carried twice to get inside the 10–yard-line.
From there, Keith found Izzard in the end zone for another touchdown.
Moore’s extra point pushed JA out to a 31-6 lead.
Jackson’s ensuing possession was halted after only two plays when JA’s Jonathan Keith picked off a pass thrown by
Icenhower.
Alder started at Jackson’s 39-yard line and continued the series into the final period.
The Pioneers kept advancing toward the goal line.
Proxmire later tallied Jonathan Alder’s final touchdown on a one-yard plunge.
Moore’s extra point gave JA a 38-6 advantage and invoked the running clock rule.
Jackson kicker Isaac Kuhn (2) tries to get an extra point attempt past Jonathan Alder’s Drew Begin (10). The attempt failed during the Ironmen’s playoff loss to the Pioneers. (Photo submitted)
Jacob Fenik (7) picks up yardage for Jonathan Alder on Friday. Also pictured is Jackson Izzard (5). Alder’s gridiron season continues after its victory at Teays Valley High School against Jackson High School. (Photo submitted)
Alder finished the contest with its second offensive and defensive units on the field.
Jackson’s first-string offense scored a TD with 2:50 left to play when Icenhower carried the ball in from the five-yard-line.
Isaac Kuhn of Jackson closed out the scoring with an extra point.
Regular time resumed on the field since Jackson cut its deficit to less than 30 points at 38-13.
JA’s second offensive unit kept the ball on the ground to run out the clock.
The playoffs will continue for the Pioneers on Friday when they tangle with top-seeded Columbus Bishop Hartley for the
regional championship.
The Hawks advanced to the regional title game with a 28-13 triumph over No. 3. Granville.
The neutral-site location for the Alder-Hartley game had not been determined at presstime.