Warren JFK finds a way, drops Barnesville in OT

J.J. Townsend tossed two TD passes for the Eagles, who will play South Range.
By CHUCK HOUSTEAU
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
CARROLLTON -- "Oh my God," said ecstatic Warren JFK High coach Tony Napolet after watching his Eagles steal a victory from the jaws of defeat against Barnesville in overtime.
Desmar Jackson grabbed a 21-yard pass from quarterback J.J. Townsend at the end line to complete an unbelievable set of circumstances that enabled the Eagles to turn back No. 1 seed Barnesville 14-8 in a Division V, Region 17 semifinal at the Carrollton Sports Complex Saturday.
The Eagles (12-0) advanced to the regional championship game against South Range next weekend at a site to be determined.
The floating pass into a strong wind that Jackson was able to outleap and grap over two defenders was not the most incredible aspect to the Kennedy victory.
The Eagles were just three timeouts and a punt away from a 8-0 defeat after turning over the football on an interception with 1:24 to go in the game.
Miracle turnover
But on the very first play by the Shamrocks, Kennedy defenders knocked the football away from running back Adam Messenger and Tom Mariani recovered on the Barnesville 17 with 1:17 to go.
Townsend then tossed a high floating pass to the right of the end zone that sophomore Nick Brown grabbed to cut the Shamrock lead to 8-6.
The Eagles still needed a two-point conversion to complete the comeback and got it when Townsend, while scrambling, found Dan Hull in the back of the end zone.
"It was a great game to watch," Napolet said. "Not a great game to be in. The final was pretty nice.
"We were able to overcome a lot of things, especially to be down eight with not a lot of time left," Napolet said. "And then to tie it the momentum suddenly switched in our favor.
"Then J.J throws two fades and you know how that goes. That's the ball game."
The Eagles won the toss in overtime and elected to go on defense. Kennedy then held the Shamrocks when quarterback Steve Shumaker's pass went incomplete on fourth down.
Kennedy wasn't about to let this slip away and Napolet decided a fade into the wind to Jackson was the best option.
It proved to be the right option.
Tough start
Kennedy had very little go well for it up to that point as Barnesville dominated the game for the first 46 minutes and when Townsend threw his second interception of the game things didn't look good for the Eagles.
"If the defense doesn't get us the ball back there in the fourth quarter, none of this is possible," said Townsend. "We all said that it was going to come down to our defense winning the game and they certainly did.
"With a minute twenty left we thought, 'Pack it up,' but our defense didn't quit and proved they were the best defense in the state."
The Eagles' defense didn't have much luck with the Barnesville offense and its quarterback Shumaker.
The senior was a threat with his arm and legs and statistically he dominated the Eagles by throwing for 111 yards and rushing for 119.
Shumaker's 2-yard run with 11:26 left in the game and his two-point conversion pass to Blake Allen seemed like it was enough to get the job done.
The Eagles dodged three bullets in the first half to head into halftime in a scoreless deadlock.
Barnesville dominated the entire first half but JFK was able to fight off all three Shamrock scoring threats by blocking two field goals and forcing a fourth down incomplete pass in the end zone.
Missed opportunities
The Shamrocks opened the game by taking the opening kickoff and marching 17 plays from their own 19 to the Kennedy 13-yard line before Justin Kelly attempted a 29-yard field goal. The Eagles blocked the field goal when Rob Dray came around the end and knocked the ball off course.
In the second quarter, Barnesville again had a golden opportunity to get on the scoreboard as Shumaker led the Shamrocks on another long drive before the Kennedy defense again stiffened at the 10-yard line.
Kelly again set up for a 26-yard field goal that and this time Elliot Killen burst through the middle of the line and blocked the attempt.
Following an interception of a Townsend pass, Barnesville set up shop for another scoring drive at the Kennedy 48 with 7:48 left in the half. Shumaker's running and passing moved the Shamrocks down the field and were within striking distance when Kennedy's defense held on a fourth down pass that fell incomplete over the outstretched hands of Kyle Gallagher in the end zone.
The first half was so lopsided that the Shamrocks outgained the Eagles 180 to 40 in total yards and had 10 first downs to only one for JFK.