Looking to spoil Jackson’s Homecoming festivities, the Evanston High School football team battled back from a 20-0 second-half deficit with 27 unanswered points, taking the stunned Broncs to overtime before falling 34-33 in a double-OT classic.
“The kids played hard – they work hard, they play hard, now we just have to get to where we get in the win column,” said EHS head coach Jim Burton.
In what quickly became a Tale of Two Halves, Jackson owned the first two quarters of play, while the Red Devils stumbled out of the blocks. On the strength of a 5-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Owen Janssen to Jack Jenkins, and a pair of Braden Hills field goals, the Broncs held a 13-0 lead at the break; Evanston was moving the ball well, though a pair of untimely interceptions negated any first-half threat.
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By Don Cogger
Herald Sports Editor
Looking to spoil Jackson’s Homecoming festivities, the Evanston High School football team battled back from a 20-0 second-half deficit with 27 unanswered points, taking the stunned Broncs to overtime before falling 34-33 in a double-OT classic.
“The kids played hard – they work hard, they play hard, now we just have to get to where we get in the win column,” said EHS head coach Jim Burton.
In what quickly became a Tale of Two Halves, Jackson owned the first two quarters of play, while the Red Devils stumbled out of the blocks. On the strength of a 5-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Owen Janssen to Jack Jenkins, and a pair of Braden Hills field goals, the Broncs held a 13-0 lead at the break; Evanston was moving the ball well, though a pair of untimely interceptions negated any first-half threat.
“We started moving the ball well in the second quarter,” Burton explained. “Our defense does what they do – they’re solid, they’re making tackles, they’re making plays. In the second half, we found some openings, and started to exploit them. The kids just kept chipping away. They don’t give up, that’s what these kids do, they roll with the punches. We just need to do it a little sooner, and realize we can’t spot people 20-plus points before we decide it’s time to go.”
The second half got off to an inauspicious start for the Red Devils, as a Morrow fumble on Evanston’s opening drive was returned 54 yards for a touchdown, giving the Broncs a 20-0 lead. Those would be the last points Jackson would score until overtime, as the Red Devils put together three impressive scoring drives that had the Broncs on their heels and their fans scratching their heads.