Jimtown High School

Last-ditch effort brings Jimmies victory By Red Williams Freelance Sportswriter ELKHART - “Unbelievable” kept ringing thru the air on the field, in the stands and in the pressbox. Trailing 28-21 with just 2:11 left in the game, the Jimtown Jimmies football squad staged an amazing comeback to knock off unbeaten Fairfield, 29-28, Friday night (9.5.25). A good crowd was on hand amid 65-degree weather for this non-conference contest. In the end, the Jimtown stands rushed the field in celebration, and head coach Cody Vincent was so befuddled, he had trouble handling questions from the press. (He also took a helmet to the lip during the post-game jubilee and was nursing it with an ice-pack.) “I was happy for the fight they showed,” Vincent said of his squad. “I told them at half-time we cannot have an adverse reaction when we get down.” At that point the Jimmies lead was just 21-14, and the defense had difficulty with the Falcon attack. It was the first victory for the Boys of Baugo in three outings and their home opener. Fairfield is 2-1. Here’s how the dramatic finish played out: > The Jimmies gave up the ball on downs when a fourth-and-three handoff to Owen Glass came up just a yard short at Fairfield’s 29, and Jimtown trailing 22-21. > The Falcons methodically moved the ball down the field, using 9:49 on the clock on 15 rushes and one pass, notching their fourth TD on a one-yard burst on fourth down by Warren Kaufman. That left 2:11 on the clock, as aforementioned. Key plays were a 23-yard aerial from Kahler Maust to Brandt Stark and an eight-yard sneak by Maust. “They are a very good team and dominated that last quarter,” Vincent said. > Nash Hamby got the Jimmies started with an 11-yard return of the Fairfield kickoff. A holding call against the Falcons gave the Jimmies a first down at their own 46. > Baugo quarterback Cam Inbody then connected at the sidelines for 10 yards to Hamby to Fairfield’s 45. > A three-yard scramble by Inbody and a 17-yard completion to Zander Whitaker, again along the sidelines, moved the ball to the 15. > Another scramble by Inbody gained 12 but his lofting pass to Whitaker that followed was ruled out-of-bounds. Inbody then pushed it in from the three, leaving the Falcons clinging to a 28-27 lead. It was decision-making time for Vincent and his crew: a kick to tie the game and move to overtime, or go for a two-point conversion for the win. “I looked around at my coaches, and it was unanimous: Go for it.” > Rather than try the middle, Inbody lateralled the ball to Hamby on the left side, who dashed in to gain the winning points with :03 showing on the clock. “We just couldn’t keep the quarterback in the pocket,” bemoaned Fairfield coach Cory Stoner, who was the JHS coach two years ago. This was his first visit as an opponent and enjoyed some comradery with several of his former players after the game. “We would have made the same decision,” he said. “Our guys are still learning to win.” Vincent was beside himself with praise for Inbody’s (a junior) play. “It was just incredible. We’ve told him he’s got what it takes. This should give his confidence a great boost.” Jimtown has another home game next Friday (9.12.25) against Northern Indiana State Conference foe John Glenn. Scoring: Fairfield 6 8 8 6 28 Jimtown 7 14 0 8 29 J: Noah Hamby 19 run (Junior Casas kick) F: Brandt Stark 6 pass from Kahler Maust (run failed) J: Owen Glass 10 run (Casas kick) F: Warren Kaufman 6 run (Maust run) J: Glass 1 run (Casas kick) F: Stark 13 pass from Maust (Cole Knight pass from Maust) F: Kaufman 1 run (run failed) J: Cameron Inbody 3 run (Hamby run) Statistics Fairfield Jimtown 17 First Downs 13 269 Yards Rushing 149 84 Yards Passing 53 78-12-0 Passes 6-11-0 3/28.7 Punts 1/49 2/0 Fumbles 1/0 5/30 Penalties 5/40 Officials: Brian Metcalf (ref), Jay Squibb (ump), Jason Metcalf (back judge), Tim Corpe (sideline), Lance Mestach (sideline), all St. Joseph Valley Officials Association.