JAY – The Jay Tigers continue to showcase themselves as the most balanced offensive team in Western C. Friday night was more of the same as the Tigers rushed for 203 yards and passed for 154 to defeat Winthrop, 33-0, in a football game.

Kyle Richards was the Tigers’ (4-1) main weapon on the ground. He compiled 143 yards rushing and scored three times. His last touchdown was the Tigers’ lone score of the second half. He took a pitch from quarterback Justin Wells and raced 51 yards to paydirt.

“It took us all of last year and part of the year before,” said Richards about the execution of the Tigers’ option game. “It looks simple but it’s hard to get the timing and blocking down. (Tonight) our offensive line had a great game.”

“We’re just a year older and more experienced,” said Jay coach Mark Bonnevie. “Justin’s making good decisions and, with him a little bigger, he’s able to take the hits.”

When the Tigers needed to go to the air, Wells and his receivers were executing as well. The junior field general was 8-of-13 for 154 yards and a TD. His touchdown pass of 50 yards to Austin Ouellette (four catches, 86 yards) in the waning moments of the first half put the Tigers up 27-0.

Ouellette also added a short TD run.

The Tigers owned the first half with 250 yards of balanced offensive. The first three series for the Tigers resulted in short touchdown runs. Jay kept Winthrop off balance for the drives of nine, 12 and eight plays. The Ramblers (1-4) tried at least three different defensive fronts to stop the Tigers, but to no avail.

“We stunk up the joint in the first half,” said Winthrop coach Chris Kempton. “We didn’t execute defensively anywhere near where we needed to.”

The lone bright spot on the offensive side for Winthrop was sophomore tailback Tavis Hasenfus who followed up last week’s 204 yards rushing with 147 yards on 25 touches.

Quarterback Travis Frautten was harassed by the Tigers all night long. He was sacked four times and intercepted once.

Winthrop did penetrate deep into Jay’s territory early in the fourth quarter. But, on fourth-and-goal from the Jay 3, fullback Nate Smith was stopped a yard short of the goal by Jared McCourt, A.J. Nelson and the Tigers’ defense.

“We’re excited,” said Bonnevie of the 4-1 start. “We’re excited for the kids. They’re the ones that are working hard every week. We just take one week at a time. That’s been our philosophy all year long.”