Team

Jackson-Milton

Record	Div.	Conf.
2/9	Div. VI	Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference

Team

Mineral Ridge

Record	Div.	Conf.
6/4	Div. VII	Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference

By Steve ruman

sports@vindy.com

MINERAL RIDGE

Winners are often told to act like they’ve been there before.

However, as the final seconds ticked off the clock Friday night at E.Z Whittaker Field, the Jackson-Milton football team and its fans seemed as though they didn’t know how to react following a 17-7 road victory over Mineral Ridge.

Then again, until Friday night, the Blue Jays had never been there before — to the playoffs, that is.

The 44 year drought appears to be over!

With the win, Jackson-Milton (7-3) will likely advance to the playoffs for the first time in school history. The Blue Jays entered the game ranked eighth in Division VII, region 23. According to joeeitel.com, the Jays have mathematically secured a post-season berth.

“I really don’t know what to say, I don’t know what I’m feeling right now,” said Jackson-Milton senior running back Joey Burnside. “I just know that we all set this goal four years ago when we were freshmen, and wow, look at this, we’re here.”

Burnside had to raise his voice to get his point across, as seemingly an entire community poured onto the field amid a mixture of cheers and tears, handshakes and hugs.

“Everything we’ve worked for, everything we put into this program we did it for tonight,” Burnside said.

Burnside – and a very stingy Jackson-Milton defense – were key reasons why the Blue Jays will advance to week 11.

Burnside scored the game’s first touchdown and rushed for 121 yards on 29 carries. He was the workhorse for the Blue Jays offense in the second half as they put together several time-consuming drives once they built a lead.

Meanwhile, Mineral Ridge (3-7) was held to 161 total yards, including 71 on the ground.

“Our defense, they just kept answering the call tonight,” said Jackson-Milton coach Mark Assion. “I cannot say enough about the effort. They just weren’t going to allow us to lose.”

Jackson-Milton scored the game’s first touchdown on its first possession. The Blue Jays took the opening kickoff and marched 75 yards on 11 plays, capped by Burnside’s six-yard run.

Mineral Ridge responded with a touchdown at the end of the period to tie the game at 7-7. Mac White hooked up with Dante Fellows for a 34 yard pass to give the Rams their only points of the game.

In the second period, senior quarterback Mike Assion gave the Blue Jays the lead for good when he scored from a yard out to give his team a 14-7 lead.

Jackson-Milton scored the final points in the early stages of the fourth quarter on a Jonathan Voland 27-yard field goal.

“You have to be elated when you get to this stage of the game and you still have a chance to advance,” Mark Assion said. “We came out here tonight and played in the mud and the muck, and man did we play with heart.

“Prior to this year, we thought we had a shot (at the playoffs) with all the seniors we have, but you just never know. I’m so proud of our kids.”

Jackson-Milton will be on the road next Friday. Its opponent will be determined on Sunday when the Ohio High School Athletic Association releases the playoff pairings.