T-L Photo/SETH STASKEY UNION LOCAL senior Jaksan Price takes the ball from quarterback Carter Blake during the first half of Friday’s game in Morristown. The backfield duo scored all seven UL touchdowns

MORRISTOWN — It certainly wasn’t the start that Union Local had envisioned. The ending was a little more like it, however.

Before the Jets had even taken the field Friday night to take on Buckeye Local, they had been assessed an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty when the band director was ejected from the stadium by game officials after an argument in pregame.

The Jets didn’t let the early penalty or distraction play any role in the game. They scored the game’s first 12 points and the final 32 en route to a convincing 45-7 victory against the Panthers.

“We started slow, but once we got going, we were able to move the ball effectively,” Union Local head coach Bernie Thompson said. “As a whole, offensively, we still need work, but I am proud of our efforts.”

The Jets offensive line imposed its will time and time again against the Panthers, who dropped to 0-2 on the young season. They set the tone early when senior running back Jaksan Price ripped off a 26-yard touchdown on the Jets’ first play from scrimmage.

Price and senior quarterback Carter Blake put on an absolute show on the ground against a Panthers’ defense, which gave up yards in big chunks time and time again. All told, Union Local rushed for 307 on just 26 carries.

“That was the worst display of tackling I’ve ever seen,” Buckeye Local head coach Jim Hoover lamented. “I’ve been coaching for 30 years and played for 16 years. This was the worst display of tackling I’ve ever seen.”

The Jets, who played without senior All-Ohioan Hayden McCrate due to a knee injury he sustained in last week’s opener, scored all seven of their touchdowns on the ground and they all came between Price and senior quarterback Carter Blake. Both played just one series into the third quarter, which resulted in Price’s final touchdown — a 67-yard gallup.

Price’s other two touchdown runs were more modest, covering just six and five yards, respectively.

Blake, who was just 3 of 5 passing for 16 yards, runished with 106 yards on eight carries. He scored on runs of 11, 9 and 8 yards.

“Jaksan was able to get going and really had some big runs and Carter using his legs is a difference maker,” Thompson said.

While a couple of the Jets shorter touchdown drives were set up by turnovers, the work of speedy sophomore Dre Saunders couldn’t go unnoticed. He came up just short of taking a pair of punts back for touchdowns.

“Dre was phenomenal,” Thompson said. “We’ve been working all summer on his return game and he’s starting to build confidence. He’s been close in both games to breaking one, so he’s due.”

Thompson wasn’t totally pleased with his special teams, however. The Jets converted on just one of their seven PAT tries.

“We have to work on extra points because we were terrible in that area,” Thompson said.

Buckeye Local’s lone touchdown was a 7-yard run by senior Trey Hoover. The Panthers were held to just 110 yards offense.

“We get something going and we make a mistake or turn the ball over,” Hoover said. “It just snowballs for us. We’ll go back to the drawing board. It’s not going to get any easier.”