Jaguars Spoil Spartans' Homecoming

Led by the duo of Kyle Echols and Ray Harris, the Jaguars made quite the statement Friday night against Francis Howell Central.

The Jags (4-2, 4-0) and Spartans (3-3, 3-1) were both perched atop the GAC South standings with identical unbeaten conference records entering Friday's contest. Emphatically, Zumwalt West wrestled the top spot away from the Spartans with a 49-7 drubbing.

"We have a good football team, I really do think that, but we're not at that level yet," Howell Central head coach Todd Berck said. "There are a lot of things we have to do better. … They just exploited our weaknesses."

Fort Zumwalt West controlled the game from the very first possession. An amped up pro-Spartan crowd at Don Muench Memorial Stadium was silenced just a little more than two minutes into the contest.

Jaguars' quarterback Drew Hare took the snap from the shotgun and threw a quick strike to Echols. Trapped amidst a swarm of navy jerseys, Echols maneuvered his way around the Spartans' defense and found an open path to the endzone. Echols hauled his way down the sideline for a 63-yard touchdown and an early 7-0 lead.

The Jaguars' defense worked quickly to get the ball back to the offense. The Spartans' first drive stalled out early and Zumwalt West was ready to strike again. 

Starting from its own 31-yard line, the Jaguars moved easily down the field for another score. Harris punched in a touchdown from seven yards out to put Zumwalt West up 14-0 with 3:58 left to play in quarter No. 1. 

The score was the first on what would end up being a historic day for the senior. 

With little time remaining the in the first, the Jags showed it wasn't done adding points to the scoreboard. After a 57-yard catch by Echols moved Zumwalt West to the 11-yard line, Harris pounded in a one-yard score to make it 21-0 with 22.7 seconds left in the first quarter.

Howell Central turned things around at the start of the second quarter. Desmond Young got things going for the Spartans with a big catch to take the offense deep into Jaguars' territory. Young finished off the drive with a 10-yard run for a score to cut the Jaguars' lead to 21-7.

Unfortunately for the Spartans, the score meant the Jaguars got the ball back. Zumwalt West took the ball from its 35-yard line and into the endzone.

The touchdown came on a gutsy fourth-and-four call. From the Spartans' eight-yard line, Hare threw a high fade pass to the back corner of the endzone. In stride, Echols leapt to snatch the ball for his second score of the half. 

Up 28-7, the Jaguars still weren't done. With time winding down in the half, Harris caught a 33-yard touchdown pass to put the Jaguars up 35-7 at the break.

In the second half, both teams got sloppy with the ball. The Spartans opened the half with a fumble, but the Jaguars coughed the ball right back. However, the fumbles continued as West's T.J. Fine knocked the ball loose and gave the Jags the ball at the 16-yard line. 

Just five minutes into the third, Teddy Williamson scored an 11-yard touchdown to put West up 42-7. 

Howell Central turned the ball over again and, once again, the Jaguars took advantage. Harris had a 23-yard touchdown catch that made it 49-7 in favor of West. 

"We've got really good athletes," Zumwalt West head coach Paul Day said. "I think our offensive coordinator, Coach (Neil) Nowack, does a real good job of putting us in good situations, but the bottom line is, athletes win games. We're playing physical. The guys are doing a great job with protection and, in my opinion, we've got the best quarterback in the state. When you have those weapons, you should be good offensively."

Harris had two rushing and two receiving scores in the game. 

"It's amazing," Harris said. "You've got the o-line giving holes and then Teddy (Williamson) going and lead blocking for me. It's amazing just to have all of those threats at the same time."

Score No. 4 gave him 61 for his career—one better than current University of Missouri standout T.J. Moe. Harris now sits alone as the all-time leader in touchdowns for the Jaguars.

"It was a goal—I knew I had to get 14 touchdowns," Harris said. "It never got in the way of us getting ready for any teams or anything like that. Now it's there, it's on paper and now I'm just looking to win State."

Following the seventh score of the game, the Jaguars pulled the starters and the mercy clock ticked down. The final score was 49-7 in favor of Zumwalt West.

"I'll tell you something—they scared me to death offensively," Day said. "Their quarterback (Charles Miller) is really, really good option quarterback. I'll be honest with you, he was everything we expected him to be. … Defensively I think we really played well tonight."

Zumwalt West will return home next week. The Jaguars will host Timberland at 7 p.m. on Oct. 7.

Howell Central hits the road to take on Vianney for Week 7. The game will start at 7 p.m. on Oct. 7.