This past Wednesday, November 5, The Jesuit Rangers JV football team played their final game of the 2014 season. Finishing off the season at home, RL Turner traveled to Postell Stadium in hopes of crushing the Ranger’s dream of finishing off the season with a bang.
Much to their dismay, RL turner was not able to faze the Rangers as they thwarted the Lions in all aspects of the game. Head Coach Rick Leal was pleased with his team because his game plan going into the game was to “jump on them early and often”. Coach Leal wanted to finish of the season strong and had faith in his team’s ability because of their efforts at practice and in previous games. The Rangers success carried on throughout the game.
Right off the back, The Rangers recovered an onside kick that really set the tone. Michael Schoettmer ’17, who recovered the kick, said, “Special teams was something we prided ourselves on all season. It is a key intangible that separates good teams from great teams.” This quick change of possession allowed Quarterback Jacob Palisch to find Wide out Luke Laufenberg for an early TD. Laufenberg said, “I knew that I had to show out for our last game and right out the back we came out with a huge TD that really set the tone.” The Palisch to Laufenberg connection that Ranger fans have become accustomed to seeing made an appearance a few times in this game as both players had big games.
The big story for the Rangers Defense was the turnovers which were not on short supply for the Rangers. A plethora of fumbles and passes were recovered by the Defense which made the Offensive job easy. Players like Emmet Flood ’16, Lucas Kincaide ’17, and Teddy Hovivian ’17 all came up with fumble recoveries that were big factors in the game. Kincaide said, “I saw the ball on the ground and pounced on it. It was unfortunate that I couldn’t pick it up and run with it.” Even though there were no defensive touchdowns, the turnovers were a huge aid in the victory.
One of the biggest plays in the game came when sophomore Wide out Matthew Musso ’17 found himself in the end zone. Musso took a screen pass 20 plus yards for a score that was a huge momentum boost for the Rangers. Musso said, “It was really nice to see all of [his] hard work finally pay off. Everyone was really happy I scored and I kind of saw it as a perfect ending to the season.” Musso’s touchdown was not only six points added to the scoreboard, they helped give the team the strength to close out the game.
The Rangers offense was able to pile up the points as they dropped 54 on the Lions. It was a combined effort that led to the success of the team. Not one person particularly stood out in this game. Defensive End Jordan Rice ’17 said he “was excited for the team to close out the season with a victory. We really clicked as a unit, and it shows on our record.”
Finishing the season off 8-2, The Rangers really posted impressive numbers all season. The team had a truly astounding season, and they played their hearts out in every game. This success points to a bright future in Ranger Football. Look to see a lot of the JV standouts on Fridays in the next few years leading the Ranger’s varsity to victories.
