Preview: Thomas Jefferson Jaguars vs. McKeesport Tigers
The Thomas Jefferson Jaguars will be playing at home against the McKeesport Tigers at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Last Friday, Thomas Jefferson got themselves on the board against Connellsville, but Connellsville never followed suit. They blew past the Falcons, posting a 61-0 win at home. Given Thomas Jefferson's advantage in MaxPreps' Pennsylvania football rankings (they are ranked 22nd, while Connellsville is ranked 193rd), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Thomas Jefferson had a senior duo take command as Sean Sullivan picked up 82 receiving yards and three touchdowns and Brody Evans threw for 154 yards and three touchdowns on only 13 passes. Jason Salman made the highlight reel by snagging an interception and taking it all the way to the house.
Meanwhile, McKeesport had already won five in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 36 points), and they went ahead and made it six on Friday. They took their contest at home with ease, bagging a 42-14 win over Greater Latrobe. The score at the end of the third wound up being the final score as McKeesport just coasted through the last quarter.
McKeesport can attribute much of their success to Keith Spell, who rushed for 130 yards and three touchdowns on only ten carries. Spell was no stranger to the big play, turning on the jets for a run that went for 63 yards.
The victory makes it two in a row for Thomas Jefferson and bumps their season record up to 8-1. They've been dominating during the matchups in that stretch too, as they've won by an average of 66 points. As for McKeesport, their win was their sixth straight at home, bumping their overall record up to 8-1.
Thomas Jefferson beat McKeesport 20-10 when the teams last played back in October of 2022. Does Thomas Jefferson have another victory up their sleeve, or will McKeesport turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
