By Rick Kozlowski
SHENANDOAH JUNCTION — Jefferson couldn’t score a single point in its season-opening game of 2024.
Now the Cougars are an offensive juggernaut.
Jefferson won its sixth straight game Friday night by reaching the 40-point mark once again, which the Cougars have done throughout the winning streak, in a 40-13 victory over county rival Washington.
Jefferson lost two players to ejection in an emotionally charged game between the fifth- and seventh-ranked teams in Class AAAA.
The No. 5 Cougars were dominant from the start, but had to withstand a quick burst by the Patriots to start the second half before pulling away in the final period to advance their record to 7-3.
The seventh-ranked Patriots also finished the regular season with a 7-3 record and will join the Cougars in the postseason starting next week.
Jefferson’s rise stems from the development of its offensive line, according to coach Craig Hunter.
As it grew, so did the Cougars, who were once 1-3.
“A couple of things happened to produce the dynamic of everything,” Hunter said. “The first of the year, we had a very young offense line. We knew that. We made adjustments in the offensive line and moved some people around, and they got better as the season went on.
“Plus, Tay’Shawn Roper had a shoulder injury. Having a healthy Tay’Shaun, we’ve come together.
“And the receivers came together.”
In Friday’s victory as the school inducted its first Hall of Fame class, Roper, an all-state-caliber running back who is fairly unknown in the Mountain State, caught two touchdown passes, had 136 receiving yards on three receptions and rushed for 91 yards and one score.
His two scoring catches came in the second half, one of 11 yards (right after he hauled in a 59-yard pass), and the other 66 yards, after Washington had trimmed a 21-0 halftime deficit to 21-13 in the third quarter.
Beside the two TD tosses to Roper, Jefferson quarterback Dylan Harich threw three other scoring passes.
Roper’s 12-yard touchdown run opened the scoring. After the Cougars recovered a looping kick that Washington failed to field, Harich threw an immediate 25-yard touchdown pass to Tony Allen.
“The first one was a (run-pass-option play), but Tony looked at me; I knew I was going to throw it to him,” Harich said.
“Allen ran a skinny post, and Harich zoomed the pass before anybody realized what was happening.”
The two touchdowns came seven seconds apart.
Jefferson’s lead went to 21-0 as Harich threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Mar Wallace.
A.J. Lopez ran 24 yards for Washington’s first touchdown, a near six-minute drive to open the third quarter, and then Allen
Casey reached across the goal line on fourth-and-1 a minute-and-a-half later after the Patriots recovered a touchdown.
That was it for Washington.
The show belonged to Harich.
Harich completed 10 of 19 passes for 205 yards with an interception.
His 13-yard throw to Jackson Rockwell on the team’s “smash-corner route” for Jefferson’s final touchdown was as fine a pass as one will see from a high school quarterback.
His play has been equally important in Jefferson’s winning skein.
It was his second game in throwing five touchdown passes. He also tossed six in a win over South Hagerstown, Maryland.
The 1-3 record left Harich pondering how he’d remember his senior season.
“I felt like I had to take control of the offense,” Harich said. “I’m confident with all of my receivers, and I feel like any time I put the ball in the air, they will go and get it.
“And the offensive line’s pass-blocking and run-blocking has been amazing.”
All and all, so Jefferson has been, too.
Even in the first win, a victory over Spring Valley, Jefferson scored 45 points.
“The team has pulled together,” Hunter said. “The first four weeks were a bear. We wanted to try to get out of it at 2-2.”
They didn’t, but they appear in line for a high seed heading into the postseason.
However, the ejections will leave Jefferson two players short for a first-round game they expect to host.
“We hope that we have somebody to step up,” Hunter said.
NOTE: Legendary baseball coach John Lowery led the six-member inaugural hall class. He was joined by West Virginia and Oakland Raiders football player and Olympic track gold-medalist James Jett, former athletic director Don Hetzel and three others who have passed away — tennis and swimming coach Glen Edwards, track coach Jim Taylor and super fan and supporter Sara Lueck.
