COLUMBIA - The Jefferson City Jays held the Rock Bridge Bruins scoreless in the final three quarters in a 31-21 win Friday night at Rock Bridge High School.
The first quarter was jam-packed with action, scores and big plays by each team, before the Jays took control on offense and made a slight adjustment on the defensive side of the ball.
Rock Bridge running back Nick Collins found the end zone on three occasions in the first quarter alone, two on the ground and one on a pass-and-catch.
Jays defensive coordinator Ron Cole said the Collins was working well against the edges of the Jays' defense.
"They were picking on our outside linebackers," Cole said. "We had to make an adjustment to their tricks and stop him. ... It was an adjustment because (Collins) was so fast. He's a player."
The Jays played their first game without senior linebacker David Rogers, who has an MCL injury that could keep him out another two weeks.
Cole was satisfied with the effort.
"This is probably the best defensive game we've played," he said. "We shut them out in the second half. We still have some breakdowns in the secondary; the big play is what's killing us."
Jays running back Denzel Wilson was a workhorse, carrying the ball 32 times for 176 yards and one touchdown. That touchdown was the first score of the game, a 50-yard run three minutes into the contest. Wilson got hit around the first-down marker and it appeared he would be brought down, but he bounced off Rock Bridge tacklers and ran past the secondary for the early lead.
The Bruins scored less than one minute later when Collins broke off an 83-yard run to tie it up.
Jefferson City (5-1) and quarterback Gunnar See marched down the field for a 12-play, 77-yard drive. During the drive, Wilson rushed for two first downs on four carries and See rushed five times, capped off with a 2-yard option scamper for the 14-7 lead.
Rock Bridge (2-4) had an answer once again, and the answer was Collins. On the second play of the ensuing drive, Bruins quarterback Karson Ringdahl found Collins in the middle of the field, streaking past the Jays' secondary. Ringdahl hit Collins in stride and went 80 yards for the tying score.
Moments later, the Jays muffed the kickoff, and the Bruins recovered. Collins made the visitors pay with a 2-yard run for his third touchdown with just under two minutes to play in the first quarter. The score gave Rock Bridge its first lead of the game.
The Jays continued to move the ball effectively in a 15-play drive that resulted in a 35-yard field goal by J.T. Bohlken to cut the Bruins' lead to 21-17 early in the second quarter.
A Jays' offense that put up 445 yards of total offense took control after halftime.
See and junior wide receiver Adam Huff were on the same page with a touchdowns in each of the third and fourth quarters.
The first connection from 68 yards put the Jays ahead for good with 3:26 left in the third quarter. The second was a 67-yard, play-action pass that had Huff wide open.
"Our kids played really a solid football game," Jays head coach Ted LePage said. "Our kids executed very well, especially in the third and fourth quarter."
The Jays will host Confluence Prep Academy on Friday for Homecoming. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
Notes: The Jays spoiled a second Homecoming game in back-to-back weeks. ... Jays running back Nathaniel Bustamante hobbled off the field in the first quarter and did not return. LePage said Bustamante's status for the rest of the season is unknown. ... Collins had 22 carries for 167 yards. ... See finished with 211 yards and two touchdowns while completing 9-of-15 passes. He also ran for 41 yards. ... Huff had four catches for 152 yards. ... Jays wide receiver Daniel Ellinger caught two passes for 38 yards.
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