Trailing 14-7 at the half, Jacobs made the necessary switch to more fully rely on its run game in their comeback 27-21 victory to spoil Crystal Lake Central’s homecoming Friday night in Crystal Lake.

The running reliance paid immediate dividends, as Caden DuMelle (203 total yards; 168 rushing yards; 2 TDs) punched in touchdown scores on consecutive second-half drives.

The Golden Eagles’ game-tying scoring drive in the fourth quarter lasted all of two plays – a DuMelle 59-yard run followed by a DuMelle 10-yard score.

“It’s Jacobs football. We’re known for running. I think that we just play hard-nosed football, and they couldn’t stop it at the end,” DuMelle said.

DuMelle also scored on a 15-yard rush, but he keeps a level head during the game.

“That feeling is always the same,” DuMelle, who also had thee touchdowns last week, said of his mindset when he scores.

“I know my capabilities, I know that touchdowns win games, and so that feeling is just neutral. I’m excited because we’re getting points, but at the same time, that’s what we’re supposed to do as offensive players.”

Justin Gonzalez (3 carries, 63 yards, 1 TD) played the hero late for the Eagles (4-2, 4-2). He found an opening to his right and dashed 29 yards into the endzone, breaking the tie with 1:40 left in the game.

“It felt like we scored together,” Gonzalez said.

As dominating as the Eagles were late, they were put in a tough spot early on by the host Tigers.

“Our kids responded. I’m proud of their resolve,” Jacobs coach Brian Zimmerman said. “Give a lot of credit to coach [Matt] MacCrindle and his boys over there. They played their hearts out.”

The Tigers (0-6, 0-6) took advantage of a Nick Zuehlke interception when Kiran Pokharel (66 rushing yards, 1 TD) ran a 7-yard score to halftime lead.

Tigers running back Abraham Quinn (19 carries, 66 yards) had gotten the scoring going with a 4-yard run. Coming off of a hamstring injury in the summer, senior captain Quinn is grateful to be on the football field with his teammates.

“It’s honestly amazing. I love that we just have so much chemistry with each other. We each love each other, and we’re always playing for each other, and we’re just having so much fun,” Quinn said.

MacCrindle had some high praises for Quinn’s leadership.

“He’s out there trying to coach up all the other kids. He’s kind of a lead by example guy,” MacCrindle said. “He’s going to do everything he possibly can to help everybody around him.”

The final Tigers touchdown was a 10-yard Aidan Niederkorn (12-21 passing, 104 yards) completion to Jackson Mason in the third quarter that pushed the Tiger leads to 21-7.

Exciting as the lead was, Jacobs denied Crystal Lake Central the win column as the Golden Eagles’ built off their early score, a 5-yard run from Michael Cannady, to strengthen their playoff chances. The Eagles finish the season against Dundee-Crown, Crystal Lake South and Cary-Grove.