Bulldogs face another challenge at home vs. Southern Columbia
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Jersey Shore is facing a perennial power for a second straight week after playing at Hollidaysburg last Friday. This week the opponent is Southern Columbia.
Playing against a loaded schedule, quarterback Nolen Pauling leads the area in passing yards and rushing yards, totaling 2,680 yards and 30 touchdowns. Carter Rhinehart and Connor Winters each have caught at least 30 passes and Rhinehart leads the area in catches despite missing 2 1/2 weeks with an injury. He also has topped 100 yards five times, while Winters caught touchdowns in four straight games at one point.
Khani McCray has stretched the field well in his debut season and also intercepted two passes in a 28-7 win at DuBois two weeks ago. Zeke Sechrist ran for a career-high 114 tackles in that game and is having a big season at linebacker, averaging 11.4 tackles per game, while making 13 stops for loss. Isaac Shirey has flourished up front along both lines and is among area leaders with seven sacks and 13 tackles for loss.
Defensive end Aidan Patts was all over the field at Hollidaysburg, making a career-high 17 tackles, including 12 solos. Grayson Willits added a sack. Pauling and Hayden Kelley each have two interceptions, Kelley returning one for a touchdown. Jersey Shore's four losses are against teams who are a combined 26-5.
Jersey Shore junior defensive end Conner Yingling has 8 1/2 sacks over the past two seasons and is averaging 5.8 tackles per game. Yingling has added seven tackles for loss and has become a dependable receiver, too. Yingling caught a career-best seven passes for 80 yards at Shamokin.
Southern (7-1) is doing Southern things against this year and its lone loss was a one-point thriller three weeks ago at Mount Carmel. The defending District 4 Class AA state champions are seeking their ninth state crown in 10 years and are second in the current state rankings. Southern has won 22 of its last 23 games and bounced back from its first loss by routing Danville before scoring the first 42 points in last week's win against Milton.
Grady Garcia leads the district in rushing and also is one of three dangerous receivers. While the Tigers are a run-heavy team, they still do a lot of damage through the air. Quarterback Ayden Hockenbroch is 35 yards from his third straight 1,000-yard campaign and a third of his completions this season have produced 18 touchdowns. He also is completing 72.4 % of his passes.
Blaise Kissinger and Jace Malakoski are excellent receivers and they and Garcia have caught all but one Hockenbroch completion this year. Southern held Mount Carmel to its lowest yardage total this season and all-state defensive end Chase Williams has 14 tackles for loss. Keegan Diehl has three interceptions and Kissinger two. Southern is fighting undefeated Bloomsburg for District 4 Class AA's top seed which carries a bye into the semifinals.
Southern Columbia senior defensive tackle Jaden Carter is a powerful weapon in the middle of the defensive line. A 6-feet, 5-inch, 315-pound athletic space eater, Carter has a team-high five sacks and 12 tackles for loss. Also strong along the offensive line, Carter had 1 1/2 sacks at Mount Carmel.
Jersey Shore has to be at the top of its game if it hopes to keep this one competitive tonight. Still, iron sharpens iron, so playing a team like Southern certainly should help the Bulldogs prepare for the postseason which is just two weeks away.