By Mike Moore
Staff Writer
Jackson – Thunder and lightening.
Not much else could slow down the Vandercook Lake offense Thursday night.
Despite a pair of weather delays — one for more than an hour before kickoff and another less than five minutes into regulation — the Jayhawks scored twice early and never looked back, rolling to a 41-0 victory over East Jackson.
“Real proud of our guys and the way they stayed focused,” coach Steve Wolvin said afterwards. “But that’s what you get when you have so many seniors.”
The 7 p.m. start time was pushed back to roughly 8:15 p.m. thanks to a line of storms that put on an impressive lightening show.
“It’s not fun, but the guys did a good job,” Wolvin said. “We got the pads off. We stayed hydrated. We did the best we could.”
When the game finally did start, albeit briefly, Vandercook Lake wasted little time taking control as Noah Cooper returned the opening kick to the East Jackson 34 yard line.
Four plays later Nolan Hancock hit Malik Wilks with a 22-yard pass and a 6-0 lead.
After East Jackson went three-and-out on its first possession, Vandercook Lake needed just four plays to go 78 yards.
Zaithon Allen capped the quick drive with a 66-yard run and a 14-0 lead.
“That always helps,” Wolvin said of the two early scores. “Against a team with only 14 or 15 guys dressed, you like to jump out early.”
East Jackson had the ball with 7:50 to play in the first quarter when lightening struck again, forcing another 30-minute delay, but it did little to slow the red and white freight train.
On it’s next possession, Hancock hit Wilks again, this time from four yards out and Vandercook had a 21-0 lead after one quarter of play.
In the second quarter, Hancock connected with Wilks for a third time, completing a 7-yard touchdown pass and a 27-0 lead by halftime.
In the third quarter, Logan LaFaive scored a 44-yard touchdown on fourth down for a 34-0 lead, and in the fourth, Joey Kemplin capped the scoring on an 11-yard run.
“Real good win for our guys,” Wolvin added. “The defense did a great job too. We played team defense all night.”
Vandercook Lake improved to 2-0 for the second consecutive season with the win, and for the fifth time in the past nine years.
None of those hot starts resulted in playoff appearances, though, which is why Wolvin and his guys are taking nothing for granted heading into next week’s date with Addison.
“We were fortunate last year to get some big plays on them,” Wolvin said of a 42-6 victory last fall. “But we expect a good game. We have to be ready.”
Addison was 0-1 following a 24-18 loss to Hudson.
The Panthers are schedule to play Manchester this weekend.
Vandercook Lake has won three in a row against Addison.
East Jackson falls to 0-2 on the young season and takes on Grass Lake (1-1) next weekend
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