×

O-line has been key for Jersey Shore

DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette Jersey Shore’s football team is 5-0 and it’s offense has been playing outstanding. A large reason why? The Bulldogs’ offensive line.

Play after play last Friday, Jersey Shore offensive linemen Zach Rooney, Luke Springman, Jared Palski, Dyson Delaney and Owen Vandruff were pushing defenders backward and opening up big holes. Linemen might toil in anonymity but those looking on at Thompson Street Stadium easily could see that in front of every big Bulldog play was a hustling, hard-nosed lineman paving the way.

It has been that way throughout much of the first five weeks as Jersey Shore (5-0) has steamrolled its opponents and averaged 60 points per game. But a primary reason Jersey Shore fans are seeing those video game like numbers each Friday is because of the work those linemen did when nobody else was watching throughout the offseason. That is where this powerful unit laid the foundation.

“All that work in the offseason is paying off,” Delaney said after Jersey Shore routed Mifflinburg, 63-24 in last Friday’s showdown of unbeatens. “We’ve been working together and working out together all the time it all builds up the chemistry in the end. Playing since we were in youth football together, the chemistry is great.”

That cohesiveness is crucial, especially with Delaney and Vandruff being first-time starters. Rooney, Springman and Palski all shined up front a year ago when Jersey Shore averaged nearly 40 points per game, went 14-1 and reached a third straight state semifinal. To build off that success, Delaney and Vandruff developing fast was crucial.

That is what makes all that offseason work so valuable. Instead of playing catch up when summer practices opened, this line hit the ground running and Delaney and Vandruff have fit like a glove with the returning starters.

It already felt like they had been playing together and each week is another step forward. Linemen often say it is a brotherhood playing together up front. This band of brothers is pulling closer each week.

“It’s a whole different ball game. Going from JV to varsity in one year is crazy,” Delaney said. “Every week you get more experience and we get more comfortable.”

“Their chemistry is huge. They are on the same page and it’s amazing to see them working together,” running back Tate Sechrist said after running for 41 yards and a touchdown on three carries. “Even the running backs are perfectly in sync with our tackles and pulling guards. It’s really clicking for us in our run game.”

It sure is. It’s working pretty well in the passing department, too, with Brady Jordan completing 73 percent of his passes and throwing for six touchdowns. Jordan and Sechrist also are two of four runners who have produced 247 or more yards. The Bulldogs have scored 38 offensive touchdowns and are averaging 452 yards per game. Those playmakers are dynamic and run as hard as the linemen block.

This is a reciprocal relationship. It translates from the line to the skill players and vice-versa. Each is providing the other motivation and Jersey Shore has piled up the points seemingly as quick as it rattles off plays in its no-huddle offense which operates at Indy 500 speed.

“If we do our job, they’re scoring,” Delaney said. “That’s how we feel.”

That’s how it looked Friday. Delaney’s big block sprung Jordan for a 76-yard touchdown in which he went untouched in the first quarter. That started a run in which Jersey Shore produced touchdowns on six straight drives. By halftime, the Bulldogs already had 400 yards and 17 first downs and were averaging a staggering 10.8 yards per play.

Equally impressive, Jersey Shore scored those points in a flash with the longest of its scoring drives taking 2 minutes, 29 seconds. Three times, the Bulldogs scored in less than a minute and different backs took turns bursting through gaping holes.

This line is still growing each week. But it certainly has taken some big steps forward and the work continues.

“That’s a great feeling whenever you just keep going with it over and over again and they can’t stop it,” Delaney said.

“They’re growing and we like that. They’re doing a great job and so are our seniors with leading them,” Gravish said. “They know the system well. The play of our offensive line has been key.”

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

COMMENTS

[vivafbcomment]

Starting at $3.69/week.

Subscribe Today