Entering Thursday night’s game, 7th-ranked Creighton Prep and 5th-ranked Papillion La-Vista both aimed to open district play with a victory. With the Junior Jays at 3-1 and the Monarchs at 4-0, both teams were also fighting for playoff positioning.
Unfortunately, the Junior Jays’ offensive struggles continued in a 22-3 loss against the Monarchs, pushing back their chances of hosting a playoff matchup.
After scoring only 15 against Millard West, the offense took another step back against Papillion La-Vista.
Quarterback Tony Coniglio led an offense that managed only 181 yards. After an opening drive field goal, the offense was largely contained. Whenever they gained some momentum, turnovers derailed their attack. Monarch defensive back Trey Richardson returned a Coniglio interception 58 yards for a touchdown and Isaac Pamaran returned another interception 75 yards, setting up another Monarch score.
The Prep backfield could not contribute much either. Coming off back-to-back 100-yard games, Junior Jay running back Jacob Ruby could only amass 45 yards on 15 rushes. Running back Angelo Walker saw a season low one carry.
The Junior Jays fared much better defensively. They held the Monarch offense to 298 yards, nearly 100 below their season average. Cam Leggett threw for 198 yards and a touchdown after throwing for over 300 yards last week, and the Monarch’s run game was held to 4.3 yards per carry. While 22 points may not look great on paper, the interceptions were big contributors.
However, allowing big plays remains a pressing concern. After conceding a 98-yard touchdown pass last week against Millard West, they allowed a 70-yard touchdown pass to Pamaran this week. The defense will have to limit these big plays if they want to make a run through the state tournament later this year.
This offensive performance should sound alarms in the Junior Jay locker room. Since shutting out Lincoln Southeast, they’ve scored only 18 points in their last two games. Turnovers also contributed to two Monarch touchdowns. Significant adjustments are sure to be made for their upcoming district matchups.
The Junior Jays’ next matchup is against the Central Eagles. The Eagles enter the affair at 2-3, coming off a 48-14 loss to second ranked Omaha Westside. With both teams looking to get their first district victory, this is sure to be a heated battle.
THIS WEEK: 7:00 PM on Friday vs Central @ Seeman Stadium
