Jays football tops Rogers

Jefferson City quarterback Isaac Roling stiff arms Rogers linebacker Zane Klingman to the turf during Friday night's game at Adkins Stadium.
Jefferson City quarterback Isaac Roling stiff arms Rogers linebacker Zane Klingman to the turf during Friday night's game at Adkins Stadium.

Gavin Strobel doesn't have much varsity experience.

In fact, he had only been used on special teams through Jefferson City's first four games.

But the sophomore made the most of his time when he entered the secondary for the Jays on Friday.

Strobel had an interception on the first play of fourth quarter and recovered a fumble with 5:53 left in the game to secure Jefferson City's 37-21 win against Rogers (Ark.) at Adkins Stadium.

"I was just kind of nervous - going in for pretty much the first time in a varsity game," Strobel said. "I just kind of relaxed a little bit and made the play like I should. I saw the guy release it, I turned and looked and the ball was there."

Rogers (1-2) scored with 5:43 left in the third quarter to pull within 10, but the Mounties weren't able to get anything going on the offensive end after that.

Isaac Roling was 7-of-10 for 167 yards and threw for two touchdowns. The senior quarterback also ran for a score while accumulating 52 yards on the ground on 13 carries to lead the Jays (4-1).

Jake Pridgin and Elijah Pittman both ran for a touchdown, while Austin Gerloff attributed to the running game with 64 yards on 13 carries to help lead Jefferson City, which finished with 404 total yards.

"The key to winning this game, I think, was our offense controlling the football," Jefferson City head coach Ted LePage said.

The Jays didn't exactly get off to a good start. Rogers quarterback Cole Evans took it 80 yards for a score on the first play from scrimmage to give the Mounties an early 7-0 lead.

The Jays had a response. Roling hit Jacob Gourley for a 39-yard pass to cap off a 65-yard drive to tie the game with 10:16 to play in the first quarter.

Jefferson City caught another break when Jermiez Booker recovered a Rogers fumble on the Mounties' 18-yard line to set up a 30-yard field goal by J.T. Bohlken to put the Jays up by three with 8:03 remaining in the opening period.

Rogers answered on the next drive when Sage White scored on a 27-yard run to give the Mounties an 14-10 lead with 4:55 left in the first quarter.

The Jays converted on two fourth-down situations, eventually leading to a 10-yard touchdown run by Roling to give his team a 16-14 lead with 11:54 to play in the second quarter.

The Jays drove 53 yards on their next possession before losing a fumble on Rogers' 3-yard line.

It didn't matter. Jefferson City forced the Mounties to punt from deep in their own end zone and took over at the 14-yard line, setting up a 1-yard run by Pittman to give the Jays a 23-14 lead with 3:07 left in the first half.

On the second play of the third quarter Roling found Daniel Ellinger for a 68-yard touchdown pass to extend the Jays' lead to 16 with 11:22 to play in the period.

Roling was picked off by Jay Young on Jefferson City's next offensive possession and Rogers followed with a 22-yard touchdown pass from Joseph Sultemeier to Justice Thompson to make it 30-21 with 5:43 left in the third.

Bohlken missed a 45-yard field goal attempt for the Jays, but Strobel intercepted Sultemeier on the first play of the fourth quarter and returned it to the Mounties 35-yard line.

Pridgin capped off a six-play drive with a 10-yard run to give the Jays a 37-21 lead with 9:47 to play and they didnt look back from there.

Rogers put together a 51-yard drive late in the fourth quarter, but fumbled on the Jays' 29-yard line.

Strobel picked it up to seal it for Jefferson City.