AJ Ortega and Tim Skeval
Assistant Editor of Production and Staff Writer
Arguably the most anticipated sports season in J-DHS is coming to a close. So far the Jamesville-DeWitt High School Varsity Football team has a record of 4-2. They will next face off against either Cartharge or Indian River in the first round of sectionals on Oct. 21.
The J-DHS Red Rams are trying to overcome several injuries. In the second quarter of J-DHS’s first game against Carthage High School, senior starting quarterback Josh Kowalczyk went down with a broken leg. “We all held our breath when he went down,” said senior offensive guard Mingus Betsy. Kowalczyk kept the ball on a read option and ran towards the sideline, where he took a big hit and went down in pain. Junior quarterback Jake Wright came in as Kowalczyk was helped off the field. “I needed to step up for my team,” said Wright. In addition to Wright, the Red Rams also have sophomore Adam Honis as another option at quarterback if needed. “We are vulnerable after losing Josh, but me and Jake are ready to step up and take charge,” said Honis.
The second game of the season, J-DHS took on Watertown High School at home on Sept. 9. J-DHS played both Honis and Wright at quarterback and both played equally to prove who should start. J-DHS fought hard and went on to win the game 13-7. Watertown “blitzed a lot and we are a running team so that kept the game low scoring,” said Honis.
J-DHS suffered a hard loss, 36-7, to East Syracuse-Minoa High School on Sept. 27. Also senior offensive lineman Lavaj Kearse went down with a torn posterior cruciate ligament and a torn medial cruciate ligament and is now out for six to eight months. “The defender came down on my leg with all his momentum,” said Kearse. “It was a tough loss,” said Coach Eric Ormond. J-DHS bounced back and shut out Cortland High School 25-0 on Sept. 30.
Kearse and Kowalczyk are not the only ones on the injured list; junior wide receiver Jordan Anderson also went down with a broken leg during practice and is out for the remainder of the season.
