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JERSEYVILLE - Jersey quarterback Jaxon Brunaugh had a big day, passing for three touchdowns and running in three more as the Panthers won a wild 55-45 opening day football game over Roxana Saturday afternoon at Snyders Sports Complex at Jersey Community Middle School.
The game was originally scheduled for Friday night, but was postponed and moved to Saturday afternoon after lightning and thunderstorms moved through the St. Louis area early Friday evening, forcing the postponement. When it was played, it turned into one of the most entertaining games of the weekend.
Roxana scored first on a 70-yard run by Andrew Ellis, putting the Shells up 7-0, but Brunaugh immediately threw the first of his touchdown passed 15 yard to Aiden Chandler to tie the game up 7-7. Roxana took the lead right back, as Mason Crump ran in from 37 yards to give the Shells a 13-7 lead.
It would be Roxana's final lead, as the Panthers scored three touchdowns in a row in the second quarter, Brunaugh throwing eight yards to Jude Jones, then John Paul Vogel ran in from 39 yards out, and Brunaugh going in from eight yards, to put Jersey ahead 27-13. Kael Hester caught a 45-yard touchdown pass from Sean Maberry shortly before halftime to cut the Jersey lead to 27-19.
In the third quarter, the teams traded touchdowns twice --- the Panthers scoring on a 38-yard pass from Brunaugh to Chandler, and Evan Cheek running in from 60 yards out, while the Shells got a one-yard run from Maberry, and Ellis ran 40 yards for his second touchdown of the game --- to make the score 41-32 after three quarters.
In the final quarter, the sides again traded touchdowns twice --- the Panthers getting touchdown runs of four and two yards from Brunaugh, while Maberry threw 21 and 30 yards to Jake Newton --- to make the final score 55-47.
Brunaugh had a great game, going 22-of-24 passing for 237 yards and three touchdowns, while Maberry was equally as impressive, going seven-for-13 for 124 yards and three touchdowns. The Shells had two 100-yard rushers in Ellis, who ran for 151 yards and two touchdowns, and Crump, who picked up 104 yards and a touchdown.
The Panthers open the season 1-0, and host Freeburg next Friday night, while the Shells start 0-1, and are at Red Bud for week two, also on Friday. The kickoff for both games will be 7 p.m.
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