ST. LOUIS - The Jefferson City Jays played toe-to-toe with C.B.C. through a quarter and some change Friday night.
Jefferson City (1-1) hung with the Cadets (2-0) until the No. 1-ranked team in Class 6 pulled away for 28 unanswered points to finish out the contest with a 49-14 victory. The Jays couldn't muster up any points after running back Denzel Wilson scored two touchdowns in the first half.
The Cadets and Jays went back and forth early on.
C.B.C got on the board first with a 20-yard rushing touchdown from running back Kaleb Allen, but the play of the drive was wide receiver Roddrick Bryant's one-handed grab on a pump-and-go play.
The Jays responded on their next possession. Quarterback Gunnar See found wide receiver Adam Huff for a 20-yard gain to set up a Wilson screen for a 25-yard touchdown.
Jays coach Ted LePage complemented Wilson's play.
"We kept trying to give him the ball and keep making plays, but I think all of our guys we're playing hard," he said. "I think there were some situations we weren't playing smart."
Soon after, Cadets quarterback Blake Charlton connected with Bryant to bring the defending state champs to the 1-yard line. Charlton easily rushed in a touchdown to give C.B.C. a 14-7 lead.
Wilson scored with a few minutes into the second quarter on a 14-yard run to tie it 14.
The Jays' offense halted after that.
C.B.C., meanwhile, continued to gain chunks of yards with their weapons. Running back Lamar Anderson found running room for a 70-yard rushing touchdown, making it a 21-14. Running back Tre Bryant scored from 2 yards out to give his team a 28-14 lead just before halftime.
"We played with that team tonight," LePage said. "We had a great first half, but had just a poor sequence to end the first half. And as good of a football team they are, when you have a poor sequence, they're going to capitalize."
Bryant was on the receiving end of a touchdown and Charlton rushed in his second touchdown in the third quarter. Cadets running back Justin Williams scored the final touchdown on a screen with five minutes left in the game.
"They know how to finish games," LePage said of C.B.C., "and they did."
The Jays travel to Columbia next week to take on Hickman.