Jags hold off Eagles for 30-27 win

The Jags opened the 2024 regular season by traveling to Calera to take on the Eagles in a non-region AHSAA Class 6A contest. The Jags started strong, scoring on their opening possession, but gave up two scores to find themselves down to the Eagles 14-7 early in the second quarter. The Jags rebounded by scoring 23 unanswered points before the Eagles scored another 13. The Jags were able to hold the Eagles off after covering an onside kick after the Eagles closed it to 30-27 with 1:42 to go. When the final horn sounded, the Jags walked off with the 30-27 victory.

The Jags missed on the coin toss call and the Eagles elected to receive the opening kickoff. The Jag defense held the Eagles and forced a punt. Northridge looked good on the opening drive, with Jaylin McCray getting the Jags on the board with a short run at the 9:14 mark of the first quarter. Caleb Scofield tacked on the PAT, giving the Jags a 7-0 lead.

The Eagles connected on a long pass, down to the Jag 6-yard line on their next possession and cashed in with a touchdown run with 6:24 to go in the first quarter. The PAT knotted the game at 7-7.

After their ensuing drive stalled, the Jag defense forced an Eagles’ punt, but was called for a roughing the kicker, giving the ball back to the Eagles. The result was a Calera touchdown at the 11:19 mark of the second quarter. The PAT gave the Eagles a 14-7 lead over the Jags.

Scofield connected on a 30-yard FG with 7:29 to go in the second quarter to pull the Jags with four at 14-10. After forcing an Eagle punt less that a minute later, Rowdy Christensen hit Parker Cline inside the 10-yard line and Cline carried the ball into the end zone. The play covered 24 yards. Scofield’s PAT gave the Jags a 17-14 lead with 4:31 to go in the half.

The Jag defense held the Eagles once again, handing the ball back to the offense. Christensen hit an open Mayson Elam a few plays later, and Elam raced the rest of the way into the end zone for a 34-yard touchdown catch-and-run. The PAT failed, but the Jags held a 23-14 lead with 50 seconds to go in the half. And, that would be the scored when the half ended.

The Jag’s opening possession of the second half ended on a failed fourth down attempt. The defense showed up strong and forced an Eagle punt, with the punt being downed at the Jag’s own 4-yard line. The Jags put together a drive that spanned the remainder of the third quarter. Colin Kapilovic backed into the end zone seven seconds into the fourth quarter. That TD run and a Scofield PAT gave the Jags a 30-14 lead.

Calera added a touchdown run with 9:26 to go, but a 2-point try failed, leaving the Jags with a 30-20 lead. Northridge’s next possession when a run that was initially ruled down inside the 1-yard line, the back judge who had the clearest view of the play, was eventually overturned after a discussion among the officials. The result was an 80-yard drive by the Eagles that resulted in a touchdown and PAT, pulling Calera within three points at 30-27 with 1:42 to go in the game.

The Jags secured the ensuing onside kick attempt and ran out the clock to secure the 30-27 victory.

The Jags will travel across town to take on the American Christian Academy Patriots next week.