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[Rocketcorner News]

By Kyle Timmons
(Used with permission from Sanduskycountylive.com)



A storm was brewing Friday night at Bowling Green State University's Doyt Perry Stadium as Delphos St. John's and Fremont St. Joe met up for a Regional Semi-Final battle.

St. John's would rally from their way back from an early two touchdown deficit to defeat St. Joe 54-21.

Blue Jays' running back, Tyler Jettinghoff rumbled his way 79 yards down the field bringing the Delphos fans to a thunderous applause before lightning stuck.

Literally.

With 9:43 left in the game, Jettinghoff barrelled through the St. Joe defense and expanded the Blue Jay's lead to 33-21 following what appeared to be a St. Joe touchdown a play earlier which would have given the Crimson Streaks the lead.


Trailing 27-21, St. Joe's Zack Yeckley connected with Jordan Sessler for a 38-yard touchdown reception; however, a pass interference reversed the St. Joe momentum and the Crimson Streaks were forced to punt, giving the ball back to the Blue Jays.

After Jettinghoff's touchdown run, the game was delayed for nearly 1 hour and 45 minutes as lightning moved into the area.

When the game resumed, St. John's continued to storm St. Joe as Yeckley was intercepted by Jettinghoff who returned it the 25 yards for a pick-six and a 40-21 lead at the 8:53 mark in the 4th.

Moments later Yeckley was picked off again, this time by Ben Youngpeter.

On the very next play, Jettinghoff took off again, ripping down the field for a 64 yard touchdown run giving the Blue Jays a 47-21 lead with 8:27 left.

Jettinghoff led all rushers with over 250 yards on the ground.

St. John's added one final score, a 13 yard touchdown run by Luke MacLennan with under two minutes remaining, capping a run of 47 unanswered points for the Blue Jays.

Obviously things didn't start off the way they finished for the Crimson Streaks, who close their season with a 10-2 record.

In fact, Yeckley and St. Joe got things off to an electrifying start as Yeckley connected with Sessler for a 53-yard gain on their first play from scrimmage.

Several plays later, St. Joe faced a 4th-and-5. Yeckley fired a strike into the arms of Sessler from six yards out and St. Joe led 7-0 just three minutes into the contest.

The Blue Jays (8-4 overall) didn't take long to respond as Jettinghoff dashed 18 yards on St. John's first play from scrimmage for a first down. Three plays later MacLellan scampered 35 yards pretty much untouched to even the score at 7-7 with 7:16 to go in the first quarter.

The Crimson Streaks went right back to work as Yeckley and his group of receivers picked over the St. John's defense and moved the ball 67 yards on eight plays before Yeckley connected with Luke Stierwalt from seven yards out giving St. Joe a 13-7 lead with 4:13 left in the quarter.

St. Joe's defense then stopped the Blue Jays as Alex Valeba and Stierwalt tackled Mark Boggs forcing a 4th down and a St. John's punt.

Yeckley quickly connected with Marcus Kerr for a 22 yard pick-up and the Crimson Streaks were back in business.

At the 11:28 mark in the second quarter, Yeckley and Kerr hooked up once again on a 28-yard pass for a score. Yeckley completed his two-point conversion to Stierwalt and St. Joe led 21-7.

Yeckley finished with over 250 yards passing, most of which came in the first half.

That score would remain until the final seconds of the half as St. John's finished off an 11-play drive when Boggs found Youngpeter for an 8-yard touchdown with :23 seconds left, making the score 21-13 after the extra point went wide left.

Following intermission, St. John's moved the ball quickly down the field but a Jettinghoff fumble was scooped up by Mitchell Gonya and momentum appeared to be favorably on the St. Joe side.

St. Joe couldn't take advantage of the Blue Jay miscue and was forced to punt.

Boggs quickly found Andrew Metzer for a 21 yard pass and moments later Boggs pushed his way in for a score, making i 21-19 wih 5:58 left in the third as the 2-point conversion failed.

St. John's once again held St. Joe's on defense, forcing another punt less than two minutes later.

The Blue Jays marched back down the field and MacLellan scampered 16 yards up the middle with 1:38 left in the 3rd for a 27-21 lead as Jettinghoff took it in for the 2-point conversion.