Bulldogs weathered adverse season in route to district final
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As the injuries piled up, so did the difficult opponents.
One game into the season, Jersey Shore lost leading rusher/tackler Kash Herritt for the season and by midseason it was on Defcon 1 injury levels. It was a terrible time for the injuries to mount as Jersey Shore navigated a six-week stretch which included Shamokin, Shikellamy, Williamsport, DuBois, Hollidaysburg and Southern Columbia.
Not surprisingly, Jersey Shore absorbed some losses and dropped to 4-5 entering the regular-season finale. But look at the Bulldogs now. They have won two straight games; dethroned two-time defending champion Shamokin and, Friday, will be playing Shikellamy for the District 4 Class AAAA championship.
Jersey Shore was down, but not out. Like Rocky Balboa, the Bulldogs took some hits but kept moving forward.
"At practices, we were plugging the leaks in the dam and trying to refill it, and trying to game plan during that stretch wasn’t easy," Jersey Shore coach Tom Gravish said. "Some weeks we weren’t sure who would be out there on Monday and we were living day-to-day for a few weeks there. Give credit to our guys for filling in the gaps and staying focused."
Jersey Shore lost 1,000-yard receiver Carter Rhinehart for 2 ½ games and 700-yard receiver Connor Winters for another. The offensive and defensive lines were hit hard; Ace Willits was lost after starting strong through three games. Then standout linebacker Chase Ellison was lost in Week 5; kicker Gage Welshans and defensive back Hayden Kelley soon after.
So, after a 3-0 start, Jersey Shore dropped five of six games. Still, it fought hard and held fourth quarter leads against Shikellamy and Williamsport before producing an impressive win against DuBois. The Bulldogs lost some games, but never their will or belief.
"As many injuries as we’ve had, we persevered. No matter how tough the opponent, we kept working," two-way starter Khani McCray said following a two-touchdown performance at Shamokin. "The time came and we had unfinished business. That business is not finished and we still have work to do."
Working is what this team; this program does best. Jersey Shore is making its ninth straight district final appearance and this might be the most hard-earned during that time. These Bulldogs went through the fire, but came out fairly clean at the perfect time.
While four starters have been lost for the season, several key players have returned and/or grown healthier. That shined through in the finale when Jersey Shore built a 39-point lead and defeated rival Central Mountain, 53-27. Then the Bulldogs really offered a reminder of exactly who they are Friday at Shamokin.
Shamokin was the state’s top-ranked team through eight weeks and defeated Jersey Shore five straight times, including twice in district finals and, 35-14 seven weeks earlier. The Bulldogs did not care about the past, only the present and embraced the moment, scoring the first 26 points and defeating Shamokin, 26-6.
Going through that adversity filled five-game stretch certainly was tough but, at the perfect time, it has paid dividends. Iron sharpens iron and Jersey Shore used those experiences to create a needle point entering the postseason.
"It was hard but we worked and it paid off," McCray said. "We have a pretty tough schedule, but that got us prepared for what we had to do come playoff time."
Really, the entire regular season was a grind. Jersey Shore opened against perennial District 11 title contender before heading to Montoursville and restarting its rivalry against one of District 4’s most successful programs throughout the 21st century.
That is the way Jersey Shore has designed its schedule for a while now. The big picture is the main goal, so while the team wants to win all its games, it also understands that lots can be learned from losses which make the team grow stronger.
That was the case in 2018 when Jersey Shore rallied from an 0-2 start; avenged a previous 21-point loss against Selinsgrove and captured a district championship. The following year, the Bulldogs started 4-3 but repeated as champions and reached the state’s Final 4 for the first time.
Nobody knows how this season will end, but going through some hard times certainly helped Jersey Shore experience a good time last Friday at Shamokin.
"Just the league schedule itself is demanding and then you get North Schuylkill and Montoursville and then we hit that stretch where were playing 6A and 5A teams out there and we went against a lot of physical teams," Gravish said. "They players who missed time wanted to get back. They were all trying to rally up and the coaches and administration were supportive, keeping the kids up.
"They stayed active in game planning and didn’t zone out, so credit to those guys."
That includes those who suffered season-ending injuries. They can’t take the field, but all are playing vital roles at practice and during games. In essence, they have become an extension of the coaching staff and their dedication has been significant.
That goes beyond the knowledge these players can share. It’s also about the example they are setting. Teammates know that group wants to be out on the field; appreciate their commitment and are doing their best to salute them through their effort.
"Those kids can’t play but they have helped us continue because they come to practice and stay positive," Gravish said. "They’re encouraging their other teammates and that’s important. That’s a big part of it."
It’s been a road filled with twists, turns and bumps, but Jersey Shore has navigated the course and worked its way back to where it wanted to be all along, playing for a championship which has just eluded it the past three seasons.
It’s another challenge in a year filled with them. Shikellamy (10-1) is the top seed; has won seven straight games and defeated Jersey Shore, 56-27 seven weeks ago. Still, Jersey Shore has proven again that it never backs down from a difficult situation or team.
The Bulldogs have not just proven they are good players, but also quite good fighters.
"We want to go as far as we can this season," McCray said. "We have a team full of people that want to play and don’t want this season to be over. The whole team wants it and it’s a good feeling being surrounded by players like that.”