EVERETT — A pair of recently discovered resources led the Jackson football team to a stunningly lopsided 51-7 victory over Mariner.
When the season started, the Timberwolves were still in search of a starting tailback and had a two-headed quarterback system. No more. Jackson seems to have found a backfield lineup that works.
Senior tailback Shawn Klaus rushed for 190 yards and sophomore sensation Jake Gelakoska completed nine of 14 passes — all in the first half — in his third start of the season in the Oct. 15 contest.
“We’ve settled on a backfield combination that we’re pretty happy with,” understated Timberwolves coach Joel Vincent, whose team improved to 5-2 in the Western Conference South Division and overall.
Klaus, who has compiled 414 yards in the past two weeks, began playing tailback for the first time at the start of the season after spending most of his career as a tight end. He bullied his way to 140 yards in the first half and lost a yard only once in the game among his season-high 21 carries.
“I’m not really missing tight end,” said Klaus, a 6-foot-2, 190-pound workhorse. “I’m liking tailback. I’m finally starting to feel like a tailback.”
Gelakoska, who displayed his unusual combination of size, arm strength and speed, threw four TD passes and ran for another to maintain Jackson’s footing in the race for one of the division’s three postseason berths. The 6-foot-3, 185-pounder also rushed for 123 yards to pace Jackson’s 570-yard offensive attack.
“It feels good to throw those touchdowns,” said Gelakoska, who, along with Klaus, credited the strong performance by Jackson’s offensive line. “It’s not bad.”
Mariner, which suffered its only 2003 regular-season loss to the Timberwolves, fell to 3-4 with three games remaining and faces an uphill battle to earn a fourth consecutive playoff appearance.
Vincent said he never would have anticipated Friday’s lopsided score.
“We’ve been real inconsistent all year, but we came out tonight firing on all cylinders,” Vincent said. “It was by far our most efficient performance from start to finish.”
Rain began pelted the field just before kickoff, and both teams were affected early, combining for four turnovers during the game’s first 31/2 minutes.
Jackson scored on its final three possessions of the first quarter. Runs of 47 and 4 yards by Klaus put the Timberwolves in position for Gelakoska’s 11-yard TD pass to tight end Andrew Rochon.
Jackson got the ball back at the Marauders’ 26 when a big hit from Brett Allanson caused a Mariner fumble that was recovered by Ryan Brown. Three plays later, Gelakoska hit Richie Tri across the middle for a 9-yard TD and a 14-0 Timberwolves’ lead with 6:58 remaining in the opening quarter.
Tri also had a standout game. The senior recorded three TDs among his five catches for 92 yards. He intercepted a Mariner pass and had a second interception nullified by a penalty. Sophomore Kawika Emsley-Pai intercepted a pass on Mariner’s first offensive play, and Rochon recovered a fumble.
Klaus, who rushed for 103 yards in the first quarter alone, capped a 65-yard drive with a 5-yard TD to put the Timberwolves up 20-0.
Gelakoska added TD passes of 59 and 14 yards to Tri for a shocking 37-0 halftime lead.
Jackson outgained the Marauders 373 yards to 102 in the first half.
Raymond Fry led Mariner with 92 yards on 20 carries. Chris Miller caused one fumble and recovered another for the Marauders.
Aaron Coe writes for The Herald in Everett.
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