Correspondent photo / Michael G. Taylor McDonald’s Josh Krumpak (22) stiff arms a Jackson-Milton’s defender for a first down during Friday’s game in North Jackson.

NORTH JACKSON — It was a huge Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference matchup when McDonald visited Jackson-Milton on Friday.

The Blue Jays entered the game with just one loss and the Blue Devils came in undefeated. However, McDonald remained perfect on the season with a hard-fought 27-18 victory.

“It was a physical football game on both sides of the ball,” McDonald coach Dan Williams said. “Coach Shaner always has his teams ready to play. I told the kids that when you’re undefeated, you have a target on your back. I thought they responded well tonight.”

The mood in the stadium quickly changed after McDonald sophomore Joshua Krumpak took a kick back for a touchdown and an early 7-0 lead.

The Blue Jays (3-2) got right back in it when their defense forced a turnover on downs on McDonald’s next possession.

Senior Jack McDevitt moved the ball up the middle of the field on a quarterback keeper. Then, he connected with junior JJ Fishel on a 8-yard touchdown pass. The extra point was no good, and the score was 7-6 at the end of the first quarter.

The Devils extended the lead when they got the ball to start the second quarter. Senior quarterback Kyle Puckett tossed a pass to fellow senior Casey Miller for a big gain. Then Miller carried it in for a 3-yard touchdown run on third and goal to make it 14-6.

McDonald (5-0) got the ball again and scored again. This time, Puckett launched a 53-yard TD pass to Krumpak.

“I’m really thankful for my offensive line and our quarterback Kyle Puckett,” Krumpak said. “He found me and got me the ball. We just need to improve on defense by wrapping guys up and making tackles.”

Senior Jordan Perry had a nice catch, and junior Dom Sampson made a big tackle for a sack. The Blue Devils could have elected to kick a 37-yard field goal, but instead went for it on fourth and 15 in the closing seconds of the first half. They couldn’t convert and McDonald was ahead 21-6 at halftime.

The Blue Jays returned the favor by making a huge play on special teams to begin the second half. Senior Leo Hines took the kickoff back for a touchdown. The extra point was no good and McDonald led 21-12.

Then, the Devils faced a third down and 21 on their next possession. Puckett was up to the challenge as he threw a perfect pass into the corner of the end zone for a 25-yard touchdown to Krumpak. McDevitt blocked the kick and it was 27-12.

The Jays got the ball back and handed it to junior DJ Osborne, who rumbled 53 yards down the right side to the 1-yard line, and McDevitt punched it in. The two-point attempt was no good and McDonald took a 27-18 lead into the fourth quarter.

The Devils had a long, time consuming drive to start the fourth. The possession ended when Hines broke up a pass on fourth and goal from the 6-yard line.

Jackson-Milton got the ball back with 4:17 left to play in regulation, but Krumpak got an interception. He returned it 73 yards for a touchdown, but it was called back for a face-mask penalty and the Devils ended the game in the victory formation.