The whole game, Seymour linebacker Grant Smith knew the Owls wanted to get after Jeffersonville quarterback Nik Schindler.

“He was running free,” Smith said.

Seymour was able to put pressure on him a couple times but never really got to him. Until 4th and 5 with 1:21 left to play in the game, Smith had an open lane, exploded to Schindler and took him down. With the sack, it put the game away for the Owls, who were able to kneel to a 31-28 victory over Jeffersonville at Bulleit Stadium.

“We started putting pressure on him, and we finally got there at the end,” Smith said. “I’m so proud of the boys. They were fighting hard. That was a tough win.”

The sack wasn’t the only big play Smith made either. The Owls were down 10 heading into the fourth quarter, and Smith recovered a fumble to give Seymour the ball back at Jeff’s 34. That led to a touchdown for the Owls to cut the lead to three.

“That was amazing,” Smith said. “My adrenaline was going. That was crazy. That’s how you want to play your senior night.”

It was an entertaining, back-and-forth affair between the Owls and Red Devils Friday night.

Seymour’s defense made a great play on Jeffersonville’s first drive of the game. The Red Devils had it down to 4th and 1 at Seymour’s 12 yard line, and the Owls were able to stuff running back Zion Mansfield, which is no easy task.

That turnover on downs resulted in the Owls’ first points of the night. After Bret Perry found Kyle Hileman on a slant route that he turned upfield for 39 yards, it put Seymour in the red zone.

Although Seymour couldn’t get into the end zone, Jack Pennington came out to hit a 25-yard field goal to make it 3-0.

In the second quarter, Mansfield was able to break loose for a 28-yard run that gave the Red Devils a 7-3 lead with 8:50 left until halftime.

As the game neared halftime, Seymour stopped Jeff on third and long, and Pennington returned the ensuing punt all the way back to the Red Devils’ 25.

That set up the go-ahead touchdown for Seymour as Perry ran it three yards up the middle to put the Owls up 10-7 at halftime.

There was much controversy surrounding a play early in the second half. It appeared Josh Rennekamp dropped a pass, but the officials ruled it a fumble, and Jeffersonville’s Jake Curry picked it up and returned it 23 yards for a touchdown to give Jeff a 14-10 lead.

The Red Devils added to their total with 4:17 left in the third quarter when Nik Schindler threw an 8-yard fade route to Don Startling for a touchdown, making the score 21-10.

The Owls answered on their next drive. Perry found Pennington on a nice hitch-and-go route for 35 yards down to the one yard line. Perry ran it in from there, and the Owls converted a two-point conversion — Perry to Rennekamp — to make it 21-18.

But before the third quarter ended, Jeff added one more score as Mansfield rushed it in from seven yards out. The away team took a 28-18 lead into the final frame.

That’s when Grant Smith came up with a big fumble recovery to give Seymour the ball back at Jeff’s 34.

It set up Perry’s third rushing touchdown of the night. The Seymour QB rushed 20 times for 95 yards and three scores, and he threw 18-for-31 with 286 yards and one touchdown.

The Owls came up with another big defensive stop on Jeff’s next possession, and that’s when Seymour went on its game-winning offensive drive.

Perry scrambled and found Rennekamp for a 24-yard touchdown pass to put the Owls out in front by three with 2:40 remaining.

It was an exciting and much-needed victory for the Owls after a tough opener last week against Greenwood.

The win improves Seymour to 1-1 overall and 1-0 in the Hoosier Hills Conference. The Owls will play at Columbus East next Friday.

“This win is massive for us,” Smith said. “It changes the whole season. Even though we’re at the beginning, we got a lot to left to play, and this a great boost for us as a team.”

GAME STATS

Red Devils; 28

Owls; 31

Jeffersonville (0-0);0;7;21;0;—;28

Seymour (0-1);3;7;8;13;—;31

First quarter

SHS: Jack Pennington 25 kick, 2:09

Second quarter

J: Zion Mansfield 28 run (Hannah Magruder kick), 8:50

SHS: Bret Perry 3 run (Pennington kick), :23

Third quarter

J: Jake Curry 23 fumble return (Magruder kick), 8:07

J: Don Starling 8 pass from Nik Schindler (Magruder kick), 4:17

SHS: Perry 3 run (Josh Rennekamp 3 pass from Perry), 1:58

Fourth quarter

SHS: Perry 5 run (Pennington kick), 8:14

SHS: Rennekamp 24 pass from Perry (missed PAT), 2:40

INDIVIDUAL SHS STATISTICS

Rushing: Perry 20-95, Schlatterer 11-14, Evan Smith 2-4.

Passing: Perry 18 for 31, 286 yards, 1 touchdown.

Receiving: Kyle Hileman 5-116, Mark Henson 7-48, Jack Pennington 1-35, Rennekamp 2-48, Schlatterer 2-0.