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Jones Helps Put It Away For Wharton

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By NICK WILLIAMS nwilliams@tampatrib.com

The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 11, 2008

Updated: 10/11/2008 02:37 am

TAMPA - A true playmaker wants the ball in his hands on every important play.

On Friday night, Wharton senior safety Jairus Jones was that playmaker.

Jones scored the winning touchdown and had two interceptions late in the fourth quarter to seal a 28-21, come-from-behind victory over Wesley Chapel in a Class 5A-District 5 game.

With the score tied at 21 and 6:43 remaining in the fourth quarter, Jones intercepted a pass to set up Wharton inside Wesley Chapel's 40. Seven plays and four minutes later, he scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 3-yard run.

On the next possession, Wesley Chapel got two long runs from sophomore running back Hunter Joyer to put the Wildcats at the 50 with a little under two minutes to play. On third-and-short, however, Wesley Chapel quarterback C.J. West tried to throw over a defender, but it was picked off by Jones with 1:13 to play.

"The first interception, I thought he was going to run an out route, but he just kept running and the quarterback threw it right to me," said Jones, who also caught a 7-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter. "On the other one, I saw it was only a one-receiver route and the guy tried to run a hitch at the first-down marker, and I just ran in a picked it off. It was supposed to be the linebacker's pick, but I just took it from him."

Wharton took a knee to run out the clock.

Junior running back Malik Williams led Wharton (4-2) with 120 yards and one touchdown, while senior quarterback Andrew Clifford completed 10 of 18 passes for 69 yards and two touchdowns. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Clifford found Brandon Johnson for a 14-yard pass to tie it at 21.

"We never really practiced that play, so I was kind of nervous, in a clutch situation running a play we've never practiced, but I saw him break away and I tried to stick it in there."

Wesley Chapel (2-4) was led by Joyer's 98 yards and two touchdowns, while West completed eight of 14 passes for 100 yards and two touchdowns.

Going into the fourth quarter, Wesley Chapel led 21-14.

"We played them tough enough and this is a team you can't make mistakes against," said Wesley Chapel coach John Castelamare. "You make mistakes and you're going to get burned. We made mistakes in the end and those interceptions hurt us."

Wharton coach David Mitchell was happy with the win, but not his team's performance, especially on special teams, which gave up 125 yards in kick returns.

"Wesley Chapel did well. I take my hat off to them," Mitchell said. "We got to work on special teams and we didn't play sound defense. It's going to be a dog fight in the district."

WC - Joyer 1 run (kick blocked).

W - Williams 5 run (Meinson kick).

WC - Wozniak 54 pass from West (pass converted, Charles pass from West)

WC - Joyer 40 run (West kick).

W - Johnson 14 pass from Clifford (Meinson kick).

W - Jones 3 run (Meinson kick).

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