Uptempo strategy working for St. Joseph-Ogden football
By FRED KRONER
Basketball teams aren’t the only ones that use an uptempo game.
St. Joseph-Ogden’s football team has implemented its version of a fast-paced offense this season and the result is a 4-0 start for the Spartans following a 56-19 homecoming win at Dick Duval Field over Chillicothe IVC on Friday (Sept 15).
“This is our first year for not huddling and our first year for calling in plays from the sidelines,” SJ-O head coach Shawn Skinner said. “With that tempo, it’s hard for 16- and 17-year-olds to keep track of everybody.
“We don’t intend to let teams get into a rhythm. That goes back to June and July and the work that was put in.”
SJ-O needed 96 seconds to march 53 yards on seven plays (one called back by a penalty) to get on the scoreboard against IVC.
The points were registered at the 9:05 mark of the opening period on a pass over the middle from Logan Smith to a wide-open (no one within 10 yards) Coy Taylor.
Joe Frasca converted the first of his five extra-point kicks and the Spartans had a lead they would never lose.
IVC then put together an 85-yard scoring drive that took nearly 5 ½ minutes off the clock and was aided by two SJ-O penalties.
IVC pulled within 7-6 with 3:41 left in the opening quarter on a 19-yard pass play.
“We started a little sluggish on defense,” Skinner said, “but as the game wore on, we got locked in.”
SJ-O responded to IVC’s long scoring drive by putting points on the board on each of its next five possessions, building an insurmountable 42-6 lead at intermission.
Smith was the architect of the attack, scoring one TD and passing for six others.
“He is such a calming presence and got everyone organized,” Skinner said. “A characteristic of ours is that we haven’t blinked much. Offensively and defensively, we do a good job of picking each other up.”
While Taylor remained Smith’s primary target (nine receptions), sophomore Tim Blackburn-Kelley had a breakout game.
He hauled in seven passes for 144 yards, three of which he turned into touchdowns.
“He (Taylor) is a highly competitive individual who only knows one mode and only has one gear,” Skinner said. “He’s a tough kid.”
On the third play of the second half – on a third-and-9 play – Blackburn-Kelley took a pass downfield from Smith and turned it into a 66-yard TD that created a running clock with 11:08 remaining in the third quarter.
“He played in our playoff game last year, but the first month for him, he is getting acclimated to varsity football,” Skinner said. “He is a great athlete.”
Taylor caught two TD strikes. The other SJ-O score was on a pass to Tanner Siems, who tipped it to himself and regained control before landing in the end zone.
SJ-O wound up with just under 140 yards rushing as a team. Smith completed 18 of 24 passes for 289 yards and is 43 yards away from reaching the 1,000-yard mark for the season.
In four games, covering 98 passes, Smith has thrown just one interception.
“He protects the ball really well and has a true concept of what we’re trying to do,” Skinner said. “It goes back to how much he studies.
“Our offensive line did a pretty good job of keeping Logan upright.”
SJ-O’s top rusher was backup quarterback Kodey McKinney, who gained 44 yards on six attempts. Smith and Blackburn-Kelley each ran for 25 yards on the ground.
Not to be overlooked, Skinner said, was the play of Justice Wertz.
“He had an unsung game,” Skinner said. “He gets the hard yards and had another solid game.”
Wyatt Wertz scored the Spartans’ final TD on a 17-yard run, which was followed by a conversion kick by Lucas Smith.
The SJ-O defense limited IVC to 31 yards rushing during the first half.
“(Jackson) Ennis and (Drew) Thurman were bringing some heat and Ray Gutierrez (noseguard) was a factor in the middle,” Skinner said.
SJ-O (4-0 and ranked fourth in Class 3A) returns to action on Friday (Sept. 22) playing at Carterville (4-0 and ranked eighth in Class 4A).
This is the first year of a two-year contract between the schools.
Carterville is coming off a 49-0 win at home over Herrin.
