Jarred Daughtry puts passing record on pause to help increase Stoughton's playoff odds
STOUGHTON – The scene was perfectly set for Stoughton High senior quarterback Jarred Daughtry on Thursday night.
With the ball on the 1-yard line in the fourth quarter against Hockomock League rival Sharon, the Black Knights could’ve thrown it. A touchdown pass would’ve made Daughtry the all-time leader in program history with 30.
Instead, he handed it off to his fellow senior captain Liam Pearl for the touchdown. Pearl capped the 13-play drive, eight of which were run plays for him. Stoughton (3-4) won 14-13 and is now eligible for playoff contention with three wins.
Daughtry's bid for the record will have to wait another week, and that's just fine for the QB.
“(Pearl) kind of brought us there the whole time, so I was like, 'Let’s get him in,'” said Daughtry. “Getting 30 touchdowns would be nice, but I’m more focused on my guys being happy and being motivated. So I’d rather my team morale go up, not just mine.”
Although Daughtry didn't score on offense, he found paydirt on the defensive side. In the first quarter, he scored on a 50-yard fumble return on a backwards pass that was dropped, putting the Black Knights up 7-0 with 1:42 left.
At cornerback, Daughtry also got two interceptions when Sharon decided to throw his way. Both thwarted Sharon scoring opportunities. This first came at Stoughton's 5-yard line and the other was in the end zone.
“The game just comes natural to me whether I’m at quarterback or corner,” said Daughtry. “I know what to do, where to be at the right time. God, he’s with me all the time.”
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Stoughton's current record holder for passing TDs is 2016 graduate Jake Gibb with 29. Daughtry heard all the commotion about the record going into Thursday night, but he wanted the win more.
“As great as he is on the field, he’s a better person, which I love to be able to say,” said Stoughton coach Christopher Evans. “He’s the heart and soul of the program.”
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Although the win was more important to the Black Knights, it didn’t come without its bruises. Sharon’s Duncan Seaman Jr. had a pick-6 and Jacob McLoughlin caught a 52-yard touchdown pass from Liam Conway. McLoughlin's TD cut the deficit to 14-13 with 4:31 to play, but Stoughton denied the 2-point conversion to maintain the lead.
If Stoughton makes the playoffs, it would be Daughtry’s second appearance. (He made it as a sophomore.) Stoughton was No. 14 in Division 3 in Tuesday's ratings. The top 16 qualify.
“One thing we weren't sure on as a team identity was can we win a close game?” said Evans. “We weren't really sure. We won big last week, won big a couple of weeks ago (and) we’ve been down on the other end of it.”
This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Stoughton High football scrapes by Sharon in league play, 14-13
