EVERETT – Maybe someone needs to remind Jackson’s Jake Gelakoska he is playing at Jackson High School, not a Pac-10 quarterback factory.
Gelakoska completed 13 consecutive passes during a brilliant first-half stretch in which he threw for 187 yards and two touchdowns and the Timberwolves capitalized on four Shorecrest turnovers to knock the Scots from the unbeaten ranks with a 38-20 victory in a Western Conference South Division football game at Everett Memorial Stadium Thursday night. Elizabeth Armstrong / The Herald
With the victory Jackson remained in playoff contention with a record of 4-2 in the division and overall. Shorecrest fell to 5-1, 5-1.
Gelakoska (16-for-22, 205 yards, two touchdowns) threw the ball long, short and underneath, completing passes to five players – including six completions for 104 yards and a touchdown to Kawika Emsley-Pai in the first half – to keep the fumble-prone Scots off-balance.
“Jake does a nice job of finding the guys that are open no matter where they are,” Jackson coach Joel Vincent said. “I’m not going to lie… it’s fun having him play quarterback for us.”
For all the accolades, Gelakoska deflected the praise to teammates.
“I give this game to the offensive line and the defense,” Gelakoska said.
“Every week is a playoff week from here on out.”
First-year starter Chris Peterson, a senior defensive lineman, played a key role with two first-half fumble recoveries, including one he returned 5 yards for a TD in the first quarter to give Jackson a 14-0 lead.
“He’s just a huge impact player,” Gelakoska said. “Seeing him score a touchdown was pretty cool.”
Peterson shared two sacks with Harrison Warner, who also had a fumble recovery in the first half.
“Chris is a great, great kid who is vastly improved,” Vincent said. “Harrison’s a wrestler and just a tough, tough kid.”
Peterson, Warner and the rest of the Jackson defense held Shorecrest’s Trevor Hoffman, who had rushed for 523 yards in the Scots’ previous two games, to 71 yards on 16 carries.
“The key was to shut down their best player,” Vincent said. “I’m proud of our kids.”
After Jackson forced Shorecrest to punt on its opening possession, Gelakoska needed just seven plays – including four pass completions – to march the Timberwolves 78 yards for a touchdown. Gelakoska’s 6-yard touchdown pass to Kevin Salkey gave Jackson a 7-0 lead with less than five minutes gone in the first quarter.
Grady Small’s 39-yard kickoff return provided Shorecrest with excellent field position beyond its 40-yard line. Three plays later Jackson forced a fumble and the ball caromed backwards.
It looked as if the ball would be recovered no less than five times as it continued bounding backwards. Finally, Peterson took the ball on the hop at the Scots 5-yard line and skipped into the end zone for a touchdown to give Jackson a 14-0 advantage with 5:52 remaining in the first quarter.
Hoffman returned the ensuing kickoff 33-yards to just beyond midfield. He gained 15 yards on two runs and Small scampered 30 yards to the Jackson 3-yard line. Hoffman’s 3-yard TD run cut Jackson’s lead to 14-7.
Gelakoska answered quickly, completing four consecutive passes – including a 43-yard hookup with Salkey. Emsley-Pai’s leaping catch on a 9-yard TD pass gave Jackson a 21-7 lead with less than a minute to play in the first quarter.
Shorecrest fumbled on the kickoff return and Jackson took over at the Scots 23-yard line. Five plays later Gelakoska scored on a quarterback sneak to boost Jackson to a 28-7 advantage with 10:07 remaining in the first half.
Kevin Ramos (4 receptions, 63 yards, 2 TDs) scored on a 30-yard pass from Chasen Gardner (7-for-11, 98 yards) to bring Shorecrest to within 28-14 with 4:52 to play in the half.
Jackson used ball-control, keyed by the solid running of Anthony Davis (15 carries, 87 yards and a TD) to build its lead to 38-14 with 2:38 remaining in the third quarter.
After forcing the Scots to punt and starting at his own 20-yard line, Davis carried the ball eight times for 65 yards and caught a short pass to boot before the drive stalled at the Shorecrest 12. Tim Jondal’s 29-yard field goal provided Jackson with a 31-14 lead with just under three minutes remaining in the third quarter.
After the Timberwolves forced yet another Shorecrest turnover by fumble, Davis rumbled 14 yards for a TD on first down to increase the margin to 38-14 with 2:42 remaining in the quarter.
Ramos caught a 10-yard TD pass from Gardner to get the Scots to within 38-20 midway into the fourth quarter.
At Everett Memorial Stadium
Shorecrest7706-20
Jackson217100-38
Jackson-Salkey 6 pass from Gelakoska (Jondal kick)
Jackson-Peterson 5 fumble return (Jondal kick)
Shorecrest-Hoffman 3 run (Richards kick)
Jackson-Emsley-Pai 9 pass from Gelakoska (Jondal kick)
Jackson-Gelakoska 2 run (Jondal kick)
Shorecrest-Ramos 30 pass from Gardner (Richards kick)
Jackson-FG Jondal 29
Jackson-Davis 14 run (Jondal kick)
Shorecrest-Ramos 10 pass from Gardner (run failed)
Records-Shorecrest 5-1 in division, 5-1 overall. Jackson 4-2, 4-2.
Arlington 42, Kent-Meridian 6: At Kent, Jake Webb scampered for 112 yards on 11 carries, finding the end zone four times (three rushing, one receiving) to lead the unbeaten Eagles to a non-league drubbing of the Royals. Arlington quarterback Brett Smith threw for 225 yards on 13-for-19 passing. Wide receiver Josh Acker (96 yards) and tight end Andy Cohoon (82) each had five catches for the potent Arlington squad. A K-M score on the last play of the game cost the Eagles a shutout.
At French Field
Arlington171366-42
Kent-Meridian0006-6
Arlington-Webb 16 run (Brown kick)
Arlington-Webb 54 run (Brown kick)
Arlington-FG Brown 33
Arlington-Payne 14 pass from Smith (kick failed)
Arlington-Webb 13 pass from Smith (Brown kick)
Arlington-Webb 19 run (kick failed)
Arlington-Dukleth 5 run (kick failed)
Kent-Meridian- Henry 11 pass from Lynd (kick failed)
Records-Arlington 6-0 overall. Kent-Meridian 0-6.
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