By Anthony Gorges
JC Post
On Halloween night, the Junction City Blue Jays blasted the Wichita West Pioneers 55-7 at Blue Jay Stadium in the first round of the playoffs.
Junction City kicked off to begin the game, and Wichita West opened the game driving the ball down into Junction City territory. The Blue Jays turned over the Pioneers on downs at the Junction City 42-yard line, and then JCHS never looked back.
The Blue Jays converted on a fourth and short and then scored on a 10-yard pass to H-back Landon Beene. Following the scoring drive, JC senior safety Kingston Timms picked off a pass and returned it for a 67-yard interception return for a touchdown.
The Blue Jays continued to cruise, scoring on their next two possessions, both passes from Gomez to junior wide receiver Brody Boeckman.
The Junction City defense continued to hold firm, pinning West deep in their own territory many times throughout the game. Mid-second quarter, senior Jackson Hollie blocked a punt, scooped it up, and ran it in for another touchdown.
JC scored one more time before the half, on a 50-yard pass from Gomez to senior receiver Lovell Autry. The Blue Jays led 42-0 at halftime.
Junction City added two scores in the second half: one on a touchdown run by sophomore Adrian Moreno and another by junior Jayden Wilcox. Junction City won the game 55-7, as the Pioneers got in the end zone with less than three minutes to go in the game.
It was a continuously running clock the entire second half. The Blue Jays were able to play younger players the entire second half.
“I am really pleased with the way our kids came out and played tonight,” JCHS head coach Randall Zimmerman said. “We were very focused and dialed in and rotated a lot of kids in tonight.”
The Blue Jays scored in all three aspects of the game on Friday night. “Offensively, defensively, and special teams, I think we were very good tonight,” Zimmerman said. “Everything about this year has been a lot of fun. We have a really good locker room, and our guys really do care for one another.”
With tonight’s win, the Blue Jays advance to the second round, where they will host the #6 seed Derby Panthers next Friday at Blue Jay Stadium. Derby knocked Junction City out in the second round last year.
Talking about next week’s matchup, Zimmerman discussed Derby as being a very prideful school and community with a lot of recent success. “Coach Clark does a great job with them, and they have a lot of good things going for them,” Coach Z stated. “We know we are going to get their best shot, and we are going to have to be really good next week.”
On our KJCK Radio broadcast, two players were named our Blu Restaurant Players of the Game. Senior Kingston Timms and junior Brody Boeckman received the awards. (Blu Restaurant in Junction City provides a free meal of up to $20 for our Player of the Game winners.)
Check out the full 6A bracket here.
** Photos courtesy of Callie Jones