Beginning the season with a 3-0 record, the Jaguars beat the Tonganoxie High School Chieftains on Friday, Sept. 16 with a score of 63-15.

After a seemingly uneventful six minutes in the first quarter, senior wide receiver Justice Oehlert intercepted a tipped pass by the Chieftains to begin the first scoring drive of the night. With 6:33 left in the quarter, senior receiver Wade Hanna caught a touchdown pass from junior quarterback Skyler Windmiller to start the Jaguars off 7-0.

After several changes of possession, senior linebacker Marcus Grant sacked the Chieftain quarterback at the Jaguar 37 yard line, causing a fumble. Grant recovered the fumble for the Jaguars to gain possession with 2:37 in the first quarter.

Then, with 45 seconds remaining in the first quarter, the Chieftains intercepted a pass by Windmiller at their own 45 yard line. After a fake punt attempt failure, the Jaguars had possession of the ball again.

Going into the second quarter, two receptions by Hanna brought the Jaguars up to the 10 yard line with first and goal, and put them in position to score. After a Jaguar time out, several disoriented touchdown attempts and an incomplete pass on fourth down, the Chieftains gained possession.

“There is a lot of pressure on fourth down,” junior wide receiver Alec Donn said. “But we need to calm down and convert because we know we can.”

After the Jaguar defense forced the Chieftains to punt once again, junior receiver Staton Rebeck returned the punt to the 37 yard line with 6:30 left in the first half.

Electing to go for it on fourth and six inside the 20 yard line, Windmiller carried the ball for a first down. Rebeck then successfully executed a one-yard touchdown to bring the score to 14-0 with 3:49 remaining.

Only 15 seconds after gaining possession of the ball again, the Chieftains fumbled at their own 31 yard line, and sophomore receiver Connor Mills recovered the ball for the Jaguars.

Then, after three incomplete passes, senior wide receiver Ethan Rice caught the ball in the end zone, but a holding penalty was called on the Jaguars and the score remained 14-0.

As the ball was moved back to the 47 yard line and the Jaguars faced fourth and 28, game announcer Justin Bogart laughed as he stated “Fourth and forever, Mill Valley.”

With the crowd screaming and an enormous amount of yardage needed to reach the first down, Rebeck ran all the way to the end zone to score a huge touchdown for the Jaguars and bring the score to 21-0 with 3:00 remaining in the half.

The half ended with a Chieftain punt, two incomplete passes and numerous penalties on the Jaguars. The score remained 21-0.

“We just can’t commit penalties as much as we do,” Windmiller said. “That’s how we get into those fourth and long situations. But I think we do a good job of coming back and either scoring a touchdown or getting enough for the first down.”

Starting the second half off with Rebeck’s third touchdown of the night, the score was raised to 28-0.

Although the Jaguar defense had been extremely successful, they were not able to keep the Chieftains scoreless.

After a long run to the eight yard line, the Chieftains scored a touchdown, and with 4:33 remaining in the third quarter, bobbled the snap on the extra point attempt but were able to evade the Jaguar defense and complete a two-point conversion. This brought the score to 28-8.

With 3:56 left in the third quarter, Rebeck carried the ball 22 yards to the 39 yard line. Hanna then caught the ball from Windmiller at the 27 yard line for a first down. Donn received the ball for 22 yards, and Rebeck scored his fourth touchdown, bringing the score to 35-8.

“It feels good to help out my team,” Rebeck said. “Give credit to the offensive line and receivers for the great blocking.”

The Chieftains then fumbled the ball at the 42 yard line, and junior corner Jake Theis recovered it.

In the following plays, Rebeck gained 11 yards for a first down, Windmiller ran the ball to get inside the 20 yard line, and Rebeck made his fifth touchdown of the game to bring the score to 42-8 with 37 seconds left in the third quarter.

After yet another Chieftain forced punt, sophomore running back Nick Wilson made two long plays and carried the ball to the one yard line for a Jaguar first and ten. Finishing strong, Wilson completed the touchdown run to put the Jaguars ahead 49-8 with 9:15 in the fourth quarter.

Another few changes of possession proceeded, and the Jaguars were on the Chieftain 42 yard line with first and ten. Wilson carried for ten yards with 6:45 remaining in the game, and then brought the score to 56-8 with a 32 yard carry.

The kickoff was returned for a touchdown by the Chieftains which raised the score to 56-15 after two missed tackles by the Jaguars.

Soon after, Donn scored the final touchdown of the night and senior kicker Andrew Wesp completed a perfect night with nine straight extra points, and the Jaguars took a knee to end the game with a final score of 63-15.

The next varsity game will be on Friday, Sept. 23 at 7 p.m. at Bishop Ward High School.