Breaking News
Local Sports

Jersey Shore falls to Selinsgrove in hard-fought game on Friday in District 4 Class AAAA final

By ZACH POWELL 6 min read

SELINSGROVE-- Jersey Shore Bulldogs senior running back Tate Sechrist received his District 4 Class AAAA runner-up medal and took a couple of minutes to stare into the distance before hugging one of his assistant coaches. It was quite the moment--a breather Sechrist and his teammates got to embrace after a hard-fought, emotional rollercoaster of a season that ended more rough than expected.

The Bulldogs played hard against a talented and physical Selinsgrove Seals team and never gave up, but the Seals proved to be too much, ending Shore's season, 44-19, in the District 4 AAAA championship game on Friday night in Selinsgrove.

"They gave everything they had. Selinsgrove made a few more plays than we did and they got into a little bit of a rhythm," Jersey Shore coach Tom Gravish said following the loss. "We'll get back to the drawing board for next year."

Selinsgrove was Jersey Shore's toughest team on the schedule during the regular season and after the tie Week 3's circumstances brought surrounding Max Engle, the Bulldogs knew it would be a tough game.

One team would either have to play outstanding football or make a few critical plays down the stretch to pull this one off. The former took precedence where Selinsgrove's intensity on both sides of the ball was through the roof for three-and-a-half quarters. Selinsgrove dynamite running back Tucker Teats rushed 33 times for 258 yards, quarterback Mark Pastore completed 9-of-15 passes for 181 yards and threw four touchdowns, rushing for one, and wide receiver Gavin Bastian caught three of Pastore's four touchdowns. Teats even broke Selinsgrove's all-time single season rushing record, going over 1,900 for the season.

It was a perfect Seals pass-run offense that kept Shore out of the majority of the game.

"We just didn't play our style. Offense, defense, special teams, it just wasn't our night," coach Gravish said. "There's no other way to put it...it was a tough night."

It really wasn't Shore's night. The Bulldogs committed 10 penalties that cost them 70 yards and gave up 17 first downs, 11 of them coming in the first half where Teats bulldozed through Shore's defensive line, made two and three players miss tackles, forcing two or three other guys to pull him down. From there Pastore connected with his favorite target Bastian to complement Teats' runs. The combo three along with Selinsgrove's strong defensive effort gave light for two-way Ethan Miller, who had 61 yards, to shine.

Early in the first quarter, after Jersey Shore had gone three-and-out and Selinsgrove was on its first drive, the Bulldogs recovered a Selinsgrove fumble and looked like it could steal some momentum early. Instead Jersey Shore fumbled right back minutes later that led to two Selinsgrove touchdowns in a span of 2 minutes, 19 seconds to close the first quarter, putting the Bulldogs in an early deficit.

While Shore was able to kickstart some offensive activity in the second quarter, the Bulldogs still weren't like the typical Bulldogs. Some of it was the offensive movement, but a lot of it had to do with Selinsgrove's defense and how primed it looked all game. The Seals held the Bulldogs to just 29 first-half rushing yards, including just 107 for the game.

The typical Shore rushing game that opens up an explosive passing game was nonexistent. Shore QB Jerrin Loomis made a myriad of impressive throws, especially in the second half, to help keep the Bulldogs in it. But not even his 21-of-39 performance for 225 yards would suffice in this one.

Sechrist had a team-leading 40 yards two touchdowns while Elijah Jordan had 36 but the two combined for just 16 carries much to the delight of Selinsgrove's swarming defense. The Seals packed the line of scrimmage while forcing Loomis out the pocket on many throws.

After a one-score first half by Jersey Shore, the Bulldogs came out of the locker room ready to fire and scored two third-quarter touchdowns. Loomis began heating up, finding Payton Samar, Sechrist and Dathan Tyson, who had eight catches for 90 yards and a touchdown. Samar also had 43 yards as Loomis threw a couple 30-yard darts that helped set up touchdowns.

The senior crew knew it would not be enough for a win, as Teats rushed for 164 second-half yards and a touchdown, but the Bulldogs fought until the end.

"In my book our guys are always champions. To come here on this field, to be able to do what they did, I'm so proud of them," coach Gravish said. "I'm proud of our organization, we just didn't get the outcome we wanted."

Gravish continued: "For right now we're just so proud of all our football players, assistant coaches, athletic administration for support, the band support, the cheerleader support, our administration support, the guidance support, you name it."

Having to play a football game in the exact place during the same season a tragic incident happened is a lot. It's a heavy burden to carry in sports and in life, let alone a district championship game against one of the premier teams in the state.

Jersey Shore had its work cut out of them tonight. A road playoff game under the circumstances that happened two months ago is rough. The Bulldogs have to endure the loss that ended their season, but their hearts are still enduring an even bigger loss. Something more valuable than sports themselves.

Winning eight consecutive games following the tragedy of Engle is something even he would have been proud of.

"So proud of what they've done these last several weeks," coach Gravish said of his seniors. "And every member of our team for what they've done. Our thoughts and prayers always go out to Max, his family, his parents, grandparents and sister. We have a special Bulldog family of football including the Engle family and the families of people who support us. We're grateful."

Selinsgrove 44, Jersey Shore 19

JS 07 12 0-19

SE 14 13 10 7-44

First quarter

SE-Mark Pastore 40 yard pass to Gavin Bastian (Carter Young kick), 3:24

SE-Pastore 31 yard pass to Bastian (Young kick), 1:15

Second quarter

JS-Tate Sechrist 4 run (Brodie Herr kick), 7:37

SE-Pastore 1 run (kick missed), 6:15

JS-Jerrin Loomis 32 yard pass to Payton Whitman (Two-point conversion failed), 4:02

SE-Pastore 39 yard pass to Bastian (Young kick), 0:48

Third quarter

SE-Young 39 yard field goal, 8:22

JS-Tate Sechrist 1 run (kick missed), 5:46

SE-Tucker Teats 87 yard run (Young kick), 5:27

Fourth quarter

Pastore 5 yard pass to Andrew Sassaman (Young kick), 8:30

TEAM STATISTICS

JS SE

First downs 12 17

Rushes-yards 20-92 47-317

C-A-I 21-39-1 9-15-0

Passing yards 225 181

Total yards 317 498

Fumbles-lost 2-1 1-1

Penalties-yards 10-70 8-70

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing: SE-Tucker Teats 33-258 yards, TD; Ethan Miller 11-61 yards. JS-Tate Sechrist 11-40 yards, 2 TD; Jerrin Loomis 4-20 yards; Elijah Jordan 5-32 yards.

Passing: SE-Mark Pastore 9-15, 181 yards, 4 TD. JS-Jerrin Loomis 21-39, 225 yards, TD, INT.

Receiving: SE-Gavin Bastian 6-165 yards, 3 TDs; Andrew Sassaman 1-5 yards, TD; Tucker Teats 2-10 yards. JS-Payton Samar 3-43 yards; Tate Sechrist 3-38 yards; Ashton Sweeley 2-21 yards; Dathan Tyson 8-90 yards, TD; Elijah Jordan 5-33 yards.

Interceptions: SE-Tucker Teats

Fumbles: JS-Ashton Sweeley

Starting at /week.