The 2000 Jaguars were  loaded with a mammoth offensive line and were poised to be title contenders.  Head Coach Bill Cherpak and his coaching staff had high hopes for the team.  Ranked #3 pre-season, and huge games looming early with Belle Vernon and West Allegheny due to their inclusion into the  Keystone Conference, getting to the playoffs would have to take a different route this year.

The opening games saw the Jaguars being defeated by Belle Vernon in a close and hard fought contest, and a dismantling of Montour in week two 40-0 set up a monumental ball game against West Allegheny. 

This early season match up of two AAA heavy weights should have been saved for a later season contest, but due to realignment they found themselves in the same conference. The atmosphere at Jaguar Stadium on a cool late September Friday night had the feeling of "something big is going to happen". West Allegheny led by Tyler Palko had not lost a regular season game in two and a half years, and were ranked #2 in the WPIAL.  The Jaguars lost their opener to Belle Vernon and were ranked #5. The game opened with Palko faking a punt and running it in for the score from 69 yards out. The Jaguars responded with three scores, a Ben Shaulis 1 yard keeper, a Tony Ferrare 29 yard field goal, and an Andy Cain 15 yard scoring reception making the score 15-7. With TJ ahead until late in the third quarter, West A scored on a 18 yard pass, and a 2 point conversion knotted the score at 15-15. In the fourth quarter the Jaguars were driving behind big runs and possession saving passes, and Joe Kelso punched it in behind Tyler Reed for the go ahead score with only minutes remaining. Palko led the opponents to the Jaguars 27 yard line with 30 seconds remaining, but on a 4th and 6, Reed sacked Palko ending the game. 

**Please add to the story by emailing pictures, stats, videos, and stories to thomasjeffersonhistory@gmail.com

Season:

TJ 20 vs. Belle Vernon 24: Video and articles

TJ 40 vs. Montour 0: Video and articles

TJ 22 vs. West Allegheny 15: Video and articles

TJ 35 vs. Uniontown 8: Video and articles

TJ 35 vs. KO 0: Video and articles

TJ 12 vs. EF 0: Video and articles

TJ 40 vs.  McGuffey 0: Video and articles

TJ  36 vs. Char Valley 0: Video and articles

TJ 16 vs.  West Mifflin 21: Video and articles

Playoffs:

TJ 55 vs.  Uniontown  0: Video and articles

TJ 24 vs. Valley 10: Video and articles

TJ 7 vs. West Mifflin 14: Video and articles

**Please add to the story by emailing pictures, stats, videos, and stories to thomasjeffersonhistory@gmail.com

Roster:

Seniors:

Andy Cain

Ben Shaulis

Tyler Reed

Pat Oster

Tom Jura

Matt Rehak

Brendan Kelly

Keith Malley

Joe Kelso

JD Achtinson

Derek Bachman

Mark McKinney

Jordan Roth

Jason Stapiro

Gabriel Trbovich

Juniors:

Nate Starrett

Nick Cherish

Bryan Englert

Brandon Dusch

Jon Hoffman

Matt Flaus

Nick Consoli

Tony Macuga

Sophomores:

Jon Drager

Ed Daley

Tony Cappelli

Tom Donohue

Mike Rehak

Luke Billman

Anton Plantz

Ken Stanko

Mark Pazo

Tony Ferrare

Matt Kenney

Video: