The Seaford varsity football team battled to a 12-10 win over the Winter Mills Falcons on Friday at Bob Dowd Stadium. Seaford junior Noah Keglovits blocked the ball on an attempted field goal with 23 seconds to go in the game to secure the win for the Blue Jays.
“I think things are starting to click mentally for him,” Seaford head coach Austin Perry said of Keglovits. The junior running back also carried the ball 13 times for 108 yards while sophomore quarterback Jahari Ross led the Blue Jays offensively on the field with 143 throwing yards and one touchdown. The Blue Jays rushed for 122 yards. The defense was led by Kayden Andrews with four tackles and the team combined for 18 tackles.
Seaford’s Everette Burton pulls in the pass from Jahari Ross for a Blue Jay touchdown in the home football game against Winter Mills. Seaford won the game 12-10. Photo by Lynn Schofer
“I was excited to see the kids fight through adversity. There was many times it seemed like everything was going against them. They picked each other up and kept pushing. That says a lot about a young team,” Perry said.
Seaford struck on opening kick-off with a forced fumble and recovery by freshman Justyn Thomas. Ross handed the ball off at the 13 yard line to Khalil Kilgoe who ran the ball to the end zone for a 6-0 lead. Winter Mills was unable to move the ball after tackles by Michael Paddy and Brendan West. Seaford was forced to punt on the next possession and Winter Mills moved the ball to the red zone. The Jay’s defense held Winter Mills to a field goal and a 6-3 score at the end of the first quarter.
In the second quarter Ross tested his arm and connected with Aizyon Matthews for a first down at the 45 yard-line. West carried the ball to the 37 yard-line and Ross threw to Kalib Thompson moving the chains to the 27 yard-line. On third down, Ross threw to the end zone and Everette Burton pulled in the catch for the touchdown and a 12-3 lead with five minutes to play in the half. The Blue Jays were moving the ball on the next possession but an interception at the 27 yard-line with less than a minute to go in the half set up the Falcons’ touchdown and a half-time score of 12-10.
In the second half Keglovits steamed through the defensive line of Winter Mills but then a Seaford fumble turned the ball over. The defense of the Blue Jays held the line and hit hard to force a loose ball fumble that senior Dorien Smith recovered at the 20 yard -line. Seaford was moving the ball until an interception and Winter Mills took over with less than four minutes in the quarter. The Blue Jays held the line and Winter Mills turned over possession on the fourth down attempt.
Ross connected with Matthews again for a catch and run to the four yard -line with a great block by Kalib Thompson. Seaford suffered a fourth turnover on a fumble.
In the fourth quarter Seaford moved the ball but suffered a fifth turnover on a high snap and a Falcon recovery at the 35 yard-line. Winter Mills played the clock and after an off-side penalty the Falcons set up to kick the field goal to try and win the game. Keglovits ran unblocked to the kicker and blocked the kick with 38 seconds on the clock. The Blue Jays ran one play and took a knee to end the game.
Seaford moves to 1-1 on the season and will return to Ron Dickerson Field to play First State on Friday. Perry said, “Our focus going forward is to get better every day. We are going to watch film and learn from mistakes. We will continue to build each other up every day.”
Matthews had four catches for 58 yards, Kalib Thompson pulled in three receptions for 37 yards, Everett Burton added four receptions for 38 yards, and Brandon West carried the ball seven times for 38 yards.
